Sweeney Preston & Ethan Cavanagh: Presentation is Everything

The antidote to every bland lecture, dull pitch and boring presentation you’ve ever had to endure, Presentation is Everything is an hour of fast-paced stand-up comedy that, largely, is visually complemented through the medium of Microsoft Power Point.

Sweeney Preston (24) and Ethan Cavanagh (23), two rising stars of Melbourne’s comedy scene, are returning to the Melbourne International Comedy Festival after a sell-out, extended season in 2021, with this brand-new high-concept show like no other in the Fest.

This show is packed with slides full of images, news cut-outs, maps, animations and (you guessed it) graphs to punctuate their quick-witted stand-up. The show is specifically curated for an audio-visual era in which audiences are more than familiar with using screens to communicate, engage and be entertained.

“We’re talking to people in the language they speak all day, every day. Whether it’s memes, TikToks or on Zoom, more than ever, people expect something visually engaging when they’re listening to ideas. We’re putting the showback into show-and-tell,” says Cavanagh.

Presentation is Everything embraces the possibilities of a new wave of multimedia comedy for the 21st century,bringing together the old and the new for a hilarious hour of genre-bending stand-up.

In addition to its innovative format, Presentation is Everything also serves as the mantra for Sweeney & Ethan’s debonair wardrobe (POLITIX even gave them free suits for the show!). This polished ‘showbiz’ aesthetic will feel right at home in Loop Project Space & Bar – their velvet-upholstered theatrette venue adorned with a jungle of overhead indoor plants.

“Stand-up comedy hasn’t historically been associated with slick presentation and showbiz polish. But comedians put so much effort into their spoken words, so why shouldn’t we give the same amount of thought to the visual elements of our show?” says Preston.

Armed with outfits they can’t afford and a .ppt file they can’t attach to an email, this is a show where presentation trulyis everything. In only a short time, Sweeney & Ethan have earned immense respect from audiences and industry alike for their on-stage skill and off-stage work ethic.

Presentation is Everything is the perfect opportunity to catch them live before their aptitude with a projector screen lands them on a TV screen.


Sweeney Preston & Ethan Cavanagh: Presentation is Everything
Loop Project Space & Bar, 19 – 23 Meyers Place, Melbourne
Season continues to 21 April 2022 (Wednesday & Thursday nights)
Information and Bookings: www.comedyfestival.com.au

Image: Sweeney Preston and Ethan Cavanagh (supplied)