Future stars unearthed at Australia’s biggest comedy competition

BUDDING comedians are being invited to compete in the coming RAW Comedy heats at Byron Bay and Mullumbimby.

The live, open-mic stand-up competition is the first stage of Australia’s largest and most prestigious comedy contest, serving as a platform to uncover new and emerging comedic talent from across the country.

RAW Comedy has acted as a launchpad for some of Australia’s most beloved comedians including Hannah Gadsby, Ronny Chieng, Anne Edmonds, Bron Lewis, Sam Campbell and Aaron Chen.

Contestants will deliver their best five minutes of original material at the events, which will be MC’d by local comedian Mandy Nolan.

Winners of the heats will advance to the state finals before battling it out one punchline at a time at the RAW Comedy National Grand Final, held during the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in April.

The crowned champion will secure a coveted spot at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe to compete in So You Think You’re Funny? and rub shoulders with leading emerging comics from around the world.

Then Ballina-based Alexandra Hudson, who shares entertaining stories about her experiences living with disability, was an equal winner of RAW Comedy in 2022 after taking part in the Mullumbimby heat.

The former Southern Cross University student went on to receive the 2023-2024 Creative Australia’s Arts and Disability Initiative for her accessible and Auslan-interpreted debut solo hour Making Lemonade, which she then took to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for a season.

This year, the 38-year-old will perform at comedy festivals in Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

“It changed my life,” she said. “It took me from just doing comedy for fun to opening the door for me to start a career in comedy.”

The RAW Comedy heats will be held at Byron Services Club on Monday, February 23 and Mullumbimby Ex Services on Monday, March 9.

For more information and tickets, visit rawcomedy.com.au/heats