Comedy Roadshow ready to roll

THE Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow remains scheduled to descend on Ulumbarra Theatre on 13 June, after expertly criss-crossing the country since April.

Festival director Susan Provan said in response to the latest snap Victorian lockdown, the touring party organisers had been “planning contingencies and crossing our fingers”.

“If travel has opened up within Victoria, we have an amazing cast ready to deliver a show,” she said.

“If we have to postpone, we’ll manage that too. We are very good at flexibility and responsiveness!”

“Showbiz is always a bit precarious, but having the rug pulled out from under the entire entertainment industry by COVID has created a level of uncertainty none of us have had to deal with before.”

This was undoubtedly the case for the recent return of the main Festival in Melbourne, which pirouetted miraculously this year to feature local acts only across more than 350 shows.

“The Comedy Festival team and our broader community of performers and producers were amazing,” Ms Provan said.

“We didn’t really know what sort of live audiences we could have until very close to the main event, and every day was stressful, wondering what might happen. We were very lucky to get through it.”

The Bendigo instalment of the roadshow is set to feature more than two hours of side-splitting shenanigans, with a bunch of the Festival’s most popular comics hitting town, including 2021 Most Outstanding Show nominee Ivan Aristeguieta and the hilarious Kirsty Webeck.

Webeck said Bendigonians can look forward on the much-anticipated night to an outstanding lineup, huge laughs and a “massive crocodile”.

“One of these things isn’t guaranteed – we don’t have access to reptiles!” she said.

In all seriousness though, Webeck also said “it’s the best feeling in the world” to be back doing what she loves.

“I feel incredibly lucky, especially in such unstable times.

“I adore Bendigo audiences, which is why I keep going back. I’ve never had the pleasure of performing at Ulumbarra Theatre before, so I can’t wait to get up on that stage.”

Tickets can be purchased via bendigoregion.com.au.