Just when you thought things were slowly getting back to normal in Sydney, the Great Pain in the Butt has struck again. No laughing matter, continuing shenanigans with international borders means that tragically this year’s Just for Laughs Sydney Comedy Festival will not go ahead in November as planned.
Instead, the festival take a tenth anniversary twirl at the end of 2021. A spokesperson said: “Just For Laughs would like to thank all the artists, venues and production personnel for their continuing cooperation and understanding during this unprecedented time,” adding, “We look forward to sharing some laughs with our Australian audiences in person when JFL Sydney returns for its 10th Anniversary edition scheduled for November/December 2021.”
One of the highlights of the city’s funny bone-tickling calendar, the festival has drawn huge international stars to our shores in the past, including Steve Martin, Margaret Cho, John Cleese and Trevor Noah, alongside local legends like Judith Lucy and Wil Anderson.
But wait for the punchline: You can still stream a global LOLfest totally free, with local stars Hannah Gadsby and Ronny Chieng invovled. The Canadian-run virtual Just For Laughs Festival will showcase 100 megastars of the international ROFL circuit including Chelsea Handler, Kevin Hart, Tig Notaro, Judd Apatow and RuPaul’s Drag Race alum Trixie Mattel.
So you can have the last laugh by jumping online. Check the site for details and to figure out local times, with the livestreams occuring October 9-10 Eastern Standard Time in North America.
Want local comedy now? Check out Andy Saunders and Sean Choolburra.
