Melbourne announces anniversary line-up

The Melbourne Comedy Festival has announced the first Headliners of its 2011 line-up, with some favourite names returning to help it celebrate its 25th anniversary.

Arj Barker, Marie Bamford, David O’Doherty, Mark Watson and Stephen K Amos are among those returning.

The contingent of British-based comics will also include Russell Kane, Nina Conti, Reginald D Hunter, Paul Foot, Zoe Lyons, Doc Brown, New Art Club and Ava Vidal.

Visiting American acts include Eddie Ifft, Tog Notaro, Moshe Kasher and Paul F Tompkis, while home-grown stars including Sammy J, Felicity Ward, Josh Thomas, Carl Barron, Andrew McClelland, Lawrence Leung, Tom Gleeson and Kitty Flanagan will all be staging shows.

The festival – the world’s second biggest comedy event after Edinburgh – is expecting more than 500,000 punters to attend the 300+ events in 120 venues.

Festival director Susan Provan said: ‘The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is the best bloody festival in Australia. Probably the world. Buy tickets. See stuff. Put the happy back in your day.’

The festival takes place from March 30 to April 24.

Published: 3 Dec 2010