It's a shame that Just For Laughs Sydney has been cancelled two years running, but for Melburnians, that cancellation has a silver lining.
For the first time, Just For Laughs Australia: Live is filming in Melbourne, coming to Malthouse Theatre for three days in June. A huge number of Australia's funniest comedians are lined up to record shows across June 23 to 25, including Judith Lucy, Luke Heggie, Felicity Ward, Dilruk Jayasinha, Hot Department, Kirsty Webeck, Fady Kassab, Harley Breen, Cassie Workman, Chris Ryan, David Quirk, Emma Holland, Reuban Kaye, Alex Ward, Alex Saunders, Michelle Brasier, Dane Simpson, Nick Cody, Tom Ballard, Cal Wilson, Ivan Aristeguita, Christian O’Connell, Bev Killick, Lizzy Hoo, Mike Goldstein, Diana Nguyen, Jude Perl and Lloyd Langford and more to be announced soon. All hosted by Nath Valvo.
Never sat in on a live comedy taping before? It's kind of a cool experience – first you get to listen to the comedians' routines, and then (if something needs to be re-recorded) you get to listen to them again, with producers reminding you to "laugh as if you just heard the joke for the first time". It's also a chance for you to be in the audience for the Just For Laughs shows, meaning you might just spot yourself on the telly when they air on Channel 10.
Tickets for Just For Laughs Australia: Live are on sale now.
