April In Australia Is Time For The Melbourne International Comedy Festival
The Melbourne International Comedy Festival is one of the biggest humor-related events in the world. It’s possibly the largest cultural event of any sort in Australia. Since it started in 1987 the MICF has out-grown its original venue and even its original city.
The MICF opens every year on or about Aprils Fools day and runs for the entire month. Since 1990 the events have been focused in the vicinity of the Melbourne town Hall. However shows are held in every imaginable venue in the city including buses and trams.
In its first year, 1987, the MICF featured 56 separate shows. Activities were originally centered around the Universal and Athenaeum Theatres By 1999, there were over 120 shows being attended by some 350,000 patrons. The organization moved it’s headquarters to the recently restored town hall and has expanded from there.
In 2010, this comic convocation hosted a record 369 shows with 4,947 performers both including artists from the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland and China in addition to lots of Australian home-grown talent. Audience attendance reached 508,000.
The MICF originated as a showcase for stand-up comedians and cabaret acts. But as it grew the laugh marathon began to include plays, improv shows, musical shows and even art exhibits. People who practice virtually any art related to comedy come from around the world to participate.
Highlights of the gathering are special events such as Upfront, a night devoted to female comedians. Another special event is the Great Debate. Conducted like a formal debate audience applause chooses the winner after teams argue such questions as “Is laughter better than sex?”.
The Comedy Festival Gala is held on opening night and usually sells out weeks in advance. It features short performances by many famous and award winning comedians from a variety of countries. It is televised and proceeds from the live show and the television screening are donated to the charitable organization Oxfam Australia.
Don’t miss the magnificent Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Get the exclusive inside scoop on this fab Festival now in our complete overview of all you need to know about the Melbourne Comedy Festival .
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