Sydney Comedy Festival announces dates and first shows for 2018

Sydney Comedy FestivalThe Sydney Comedy Festival has announced its return in 2018 for the 14th year of delivering rambunctious laughter to the city and greater surrounds. Across four massive weeks from 23 April to 20 May, the Festival will deliver an epic program of international and local comedy stars.

Ahead of its official program launch in February, the Festival has begun to announce some incredible performers who will be taking part in the 2018 event.

For the first time, the Festival will welcome UK satirical news reporter Jonathan Pie who is renowned on YouTube for his brutally honest views on the world of politics and entertainment; and US comedian Tom Segura – well-known for his popular Netflix specials Mostly Stories and Completely Normal.

The Festival line-up will also include the winner of the 2017 Sydney Comedy Festival’s Director’s Choice award Urzila Carlson (NZ/RSA), improviser extraordinaire Ross Noble (UK), fast thinking Irish comic Jason Byrne, feel-good laugh master Stephen K Amos (UK), American born Irish-bred sensation Des Bishop, and rising Scottish star Daniel Sloss.

Australian comedy legends joining the Festival’s line-up include TV and radio star Nazeem Hussain, the acid-tongue prince Joel Creasey and YouTube sensations Alex Williamson and Neel Kolhatkar.

The Festival will kick off in grand style with the Sydney Comedy Festival Gala at the Sydney Opera House on 23 April, the Enmore Theatre and Riverside Theatres (Parramatta) on 24 April and The Concourse (Chatswood) on 25 April. The Gala includes a curated selection of comedy legends alongside the next big-things for one huge night of comedy fun.

Throughout the Festival, the laughs will be rolled out to a multitude of venues including the Factory Theatre, Sydney Opera House, the Comedy Store, the Enmore Theatre, Giant Dwarf, Riverside Theatres and The Concourse.

With more than 122,000 visitors in 2017, the Sydney Comedy Festival continues to be the city’s largest annual comedy event. Following Sydney, the Festival’s Showcase Tour will complete a 50-stop nationwide tour to an audience of more than 25,000.

The 2018 Sydney Comedy Festival runs 23 April to 20 May. Tickets to these shows go on sale to the general public on Friday 10 November 2017. For more information, visit: www.sydneycomedyfest.com.au for details.

Image: Ross Noble, Jonathan Pie, Joel Creasey, Urzila Carlson and Stephen K Amos (supplied)