Blow to Australia's comedy scene

The closures leave the Australian city’s 4.3million residents with just no dedicated comedy clubs.

The Comedy Store has been operating in the city for 27 years, and only three months ago opened a second, 300-seat venue in the Parramatta district.

However, on Monday the company that operates the Comedy Store, Tearoc Pty, went into liquidation.

That Parramatta site has definitely closed for good, while the future of thee main base in the city’s Entertainment Quarter has been cast now in doubt. The venue had been closed for maintenance and was due to reopen soon. The company’s website is also down.

Tony Bailey, co-founder of rival promoters Laugh Garage, told Chortle that the Comedy Store had gone into voluntary liquidation, cancelled acts and laid off its staff.

He said: ‘It shut its recently opened Parramatta venue last week and this week has cancelled all shows at its Fox Studio [Entertainment Quarter] venue. It has already notified booked acts of the closure and has terminated floor staff.

Sydney agent Andrew Taylor told the Sydney Morning Herald: ‘As far as I’m aware it’s dead. It will leave a huge gap as it was easily the best comedy venue in the country.’

He added that Australian comedians ‘are not going to get as much work – it’s as simple as that’.

The Comedy Store – which is unrelated to the UK venues of the same name – has helped launch the stand-up careers of Julia Morris, Dave Hughes, Kitty Flanagan, Carl Barron and Adam Hills and has played host to visiting international stars including Robin Williams, Tom Arnold and Doug Stanhope.

There are now no dedicated comedy venues in the city, aside from regular nights in theatres. The Laugh Garage is bidding to open a full-time venue in the city centre.

Published: 22 Jul 2008