Victory in Australia's Indigenous comedy competition

Dancer Ghenoa Gela  won the Deadly Funny competition for Indigenous Australian comedians at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival at the weekend.

Gela, a 34-year-old Torres Strait Islander who also won a major choreography prize last year, deployed her talents for movements in her set by recreating a ‘shake a leg’ dance for comic effect.

The runner-up was Dion Williams of Victoria with Martin Adams of the Northern Territories coming in third place. 

Deadly Funny producer Wes Snelling said: ‘We witnessed an overwhelmingly diverse showcase of comedic talent that we can truly be proud of. 

‘All on stage proved that being Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander is richly complicated and that while connected by land and community, everyone is different - and it is OK o laugh at this.’

Saturday’s national final was the culmination of a talent hunt that began in January and featured mentoring from established Aboriginal comedians including  Andy Saunders, Kevin Kropinyeri, Shiralee Hood, and Sean Choolburra, all of whom shared the hosting duties at the showcase.

Published: 10 Apr 2017