Comics' Corner - November
November offers an exciting smorgasbord of comedy.
By Will Crawford
Local comedy energizer bunny, Amy Hetherington has assembled a classic Desert versus Saltwater comedy contest featuring some of Alice Springs’ and Darwin’s hottest comedic talents for the ‘You Wouldn’t Believe Me Mate’ NT Comedy Showcase.
Chris Little is the clear heavyweight of the Alice Springs crew and is one of the most imaginative and talented joke writers working in Australia. Amazingly yet to be discovered by Australia’s TV producers, Little is the master of off-beat jokes, surreal stories, and well-crafted caustic one-liners.
The bill also includes two Alice Springs comedic supernovas, John McBryde and Chris Cook – I hope their gravitational fields won’t collapse on the journey to Darwin.
Local comedians Ryan McArthur, Danielle Andrews, Chuck Norris and Amy Hetherington will represent the Saltwater mob – aided by their secret weapon Larrakia/Garingji song woman June Mills, who recently destroyed the competition in the 2018 NT Raw Comedy Final with the funniest set about a garden hose ever witnessed by this author.
Head to the Darwin Entertainment Centre to catch this no holds barred comic cage match. It’s rumored that the Alice Springs mob are pretty fiery and may attempt to climb over the Octagon and deliver some comic Kung Fu scissor kicks towards the Top End team. Anything is possible in this comedic, mixed martial arts contest.
Later in the month, former Alice Springs local, the adorably naughty Fiona O’Loughlin, heads back to Darwin. Fresh from her victory in this year’s season of I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!, O’Loughlin is the self-proclaimed ‘Queen of the Comedy Jungle’. With a sharp tongue, a quick wit and a reputation for fearlessly delving into the depth of life’s underbelly, O’Loughlin right-swipes through the grit of life – where nothing is sacred.
To catch more local comedic talent, head to Brown’s Mart for the monthly First Thursdays gig. November’s theme is ‘childhood’, and emerging comedy superstar Gavin Parker – the sultan of snappy one-liners – will be MCing his first Top End Comedy gig. Head along to support some of Darwin’s stand up artists sculpting jokes for your Thursday night pleasure.
Head to The Beachfront Hotel for LOL Thursdays to see five of Darwin’s finest local stand ups deliver some musical comedy.
First Thursday Comedy – ‘Childhood’ THU 1 NOV | 7.30PM | BROWN’S MART | $10 | facebook.com/topendcomedy
‘You Wouldn’t Believe Me Mate’ NT Comedy Showcase SAT 17 NOV | 8PM | DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE | $30 | $25 CONC yourcentre.com.au
Fiona O’Loughlin Live – Gap Year THU 29 NOV | 8PM | DARWIN ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE | $43 | $40 CONC yourcentre.com.au
LOL Thursdays THU 29 NOV | 8PM | THE BEACHFRONT HOTEL | FREE | facebook.com/topendcomedy
Will Crawford is an up-and-crawling comic. He moonlights as a land rights lawyer and policy activist.
