DDB Sydney strategist and comedian Tom Witcombe shares his picks for the 2024 Melbourne International Comedy Festival
DDB Sydney strategist and comedian Tom Witcombe is set to perform at the 2024 Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Here, Witcombe shares his top 5 recommended acts at this year’s festival.
In my dual lives of writing creative briefs by day, and performing stand up comedy for literally 10s of drunken punters at pubs (and on one occasion to a thousand people at Melbourne Town Hall) by night, I am repeatedly reminded of how much good stand up and good advertising have in common.
A great joke and a great ad both…
- • Recognise a human or cultural truth
- • Express it in a distinctive way; and
- • In doing so, make people feel something.
It’s no wonder so many great comedians come from ad creative backgrounds and vice versa.
(DDB strategist/stand up comedian Tom Witcombe will be performing at the 2024 Melbourne International Comedy Festival)
That’s why today, on the first day of the 2024 Melbourne International Comedy Festival, I wanted to share some picks of a few particularly great stand up comics I’d recommend checking out.
As a performer, the festival circuit is a tough slog, every night there are literally hundreds of shows competing for the same audience, and when you don’t have a gig on TV or radio, it can be really hard to win people over. So here are 5 comedians you might not have heard of before who I think would be worth your time and money in 2024.
1. Tom Witcombe – White Collar/Dark Jokes
If you’re into…too far/too soon
Yes I’m starting with me because I work in advertising and now is not the time to grow a conscience. If you like sharp punchlines and jokes that border on offensive I think you might enjoy my show.
Get tickets here
2. Chris Ryan – Goodo
If you’re into…storytelling
Chris is a fantastic storyteller with an excellent turn of phrase, beautiful rhythm and a unique delivery. She shares stories of life and motherhood whilst exuding warmth and wisdom, watching her perform feels like a hug.
Get tickets here
(Chris Ryan’s performance ‘feels like a hug’)
3. Sam Bowden – Don’t Panic! (It’s Happened Before)
If you’re into…history
This one-man show is a brief history of humanity told through the eyes of a stand up comedian. I saw it at the Sydney Fringe last year and loved it, it brings together a lot of Sam’s talents as a comedian, actor and history buff.
Get tickets here
(Sam Bowden brings together comedy and history in ‘Don’t Panic (It’s Happened Before))
4. Steph Broadbridge – Best Dog Joke Ever!
If you’re into…variety and true crime
Steph is a comedian, a musician and graphic designer and she’s pulled all of her skills into her show this year, which is a true crime themed exploration of the experience of getting trolled and abused by tens of thousands of people online. It’s an amazing story and I can’t wait to see how she brings it to life.
Get tickets here
5. Daniel Muggleton – Blinded by the Whites
If you’re into…excellent stand up
Dan is one of the hardest working comedians in Australia, he tours and gigs relentlessly, has performed all over the world, and is one of the best pure stand ups in the country. If you’re looking for an hour of excellently crafted jokes and unparalleled stage presence, go see Dan.
Get tickets here
(Daniel Muggleton brings world class stand up chops in ‘Blinded by the Whites’)
Even if none of these are to your taste, if you’re into comedy, I’d strongly encourage you to try and go see someone you’ve not heard of before at this year’s comedy festival, because chances are that the most interesting and creative show at this festival will be from someone you don’t know yet.