The Comedy Zone (MICF)

In the years since its conception, The Comedy Zone has gone from strength to strength with its quality of performers, and the incarnation for 2017 follows this illustrious suit. It's the perfect in-between of showcase and stand-up: offering a wide variety of comedic talent while also allowing the comics enough time to truly shine.

The MC for the evening is Sydney-based Tom Cashman. A lesser-known comic even for the local scene, Cashman makes brilliant observations and casts his rod far from the reaches of his own life. Drawing inspiration heavily from the awkward mundanity of the everyday, Cashman is also a proficient crowd work comic, and is particularly efficient at putting reviewers in their place should they foolishly decide to sit in the front row. His energy is perfect, enough to rile up his audience, but not so much as to detract from the vigour of his fellow comedians.

Nat Damena is next to the stage, and the WA funnyman wastes no time in showing his true colours. Hilariously skewing the immigration debate in a refreshingly light way, Damena has a slow and cool stage presence that makes the content of his jokes all the funnier. Waxing on recreational marijuana use and living in rough neighbourhoods, Damena makes comedy look like a walk in the park - which for him it so clearly is.

Queensland-raised Tim Hewitt is next. Now based in Melbourne, the north-born comic is ready to take some brutal jabs at his homeland. Bundy, pingas, utes, lack of grass; Hewitt is more than happy to make light of his former state. Deconstructing his parents' descent into senescence is a show highlight, and Hewitt does it all without ever seeming disrespectful or off the mark.

The deadpan genius of Rohan Ganju takes the show down a dark and uneasy road. His one-liners are phenomenal, and the things that Ganju comes up with cringe and lose it in equal measure. Ganju makes people uncomfortable in the most entertaining of ways, and he shines as an unexpected tonal break in the proceedings.

Finally, Danielle Walker takes the crowd home, causing riotous applause with bits on anal and smoking crack delivered in her softly-spoken, cherubic demeanour. Often sidelining as an accomplished artist, Walker adds this skill to her comedy repertoire with a humorous selection of drawings depicting her own (very) unique take on the Loch Ness Monster conspiracy. Her brash delivery catches everyone off-guard, making her a dream addition to any comedy line-up.

The Comedy Zone isn't a world-changing hour of new ideas or thought-provoking humour, but damn it all if it isn't just a fantastic night of comedy.

Catch The Comedy Zone till 23 Apr at Trades Hall, part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.