Melbourne International Comedy Festival Unveils 2014 Program

The world-renowned Melbourne International Comedy Festival has today revealed their 2014 program featuring over 400 shows with international stars, local drawcards and next-big-thing comics.

This year's international guests include Julian Clary, Paul Foot, David O'Doherty, Jason Byrne, Reginald D Hunter, Michael Winslow, The Jim Henson Company's Puppet Up! and Stephen K Amos.

Some of the cast from The Jim Henson Company's Puppet Up!

The local line-up includes the return of Anthony Morgan - after a five-year absence from the festival, Men At Work's Colin Hay, Effie, Matt Okine, Sam Simmons, Wil Anderson, Adam Richard, Rod Quantock, Bob Downe, Tom Ballard, Puppetry Of The Penis, Denise Scott, Colin Lane (Lano & Woodley), Frank Woodley (the other half of Lano & Woodley), The Axis Of Awesome, Tom Gleeson, Sammy J & Randy, Celia Pacquola, David Collins (Umbilical Brothers), Peter Helliar, the Housos team, Rhys Nicholson, John Safran, Stuart Bowden, Felicity Ward, Ronny Chieng, the always-controversial Catherine Deveny (in a show directed and co-written by Van Badham) plus a smattering of 'Daves': Dave O'Neil, Dave Hughes, Dave Thornton and Dave - a show by Zoe Coombs Marr. 

The annual event will also feature yearly favourites such as the Gala night, the Great Debate, Raw Comedy, Upfront, Hannah Gatsby's NGV art lectures and the Mooseheads. The Festival Club returns to the Hi-Fi and the festival will also encompass outdoor performancess, kids shows and indigenous comedy night Deadly Funny. The comedy festival will also introduce free lunchtime shows at Melbourne Uni and an early evening show 5 for 5 at 5 (five comics for $5 at 5pm).

As usual, the festival also showcases upcoming stars of the global comedy circuit including:
Americans Kyle Kinane plus Aparna Nancherla and Jen Kirkman - both featuring on this year's Headliners bill.

 Locals Luke McGregor, Rama Nicholas and Joel Creasey

Brits Milton Jones, Tim Key (aka Alan Partridge's Sidekick Sam), Kai Humphries, Brendon Walsh, Nish Kumar, Joe Lycett, James Acaster, Ian Cognito, Kevin Bridges and Nick Cody

New Zealand's hot property clown Sam Wills, aka The Boy With Tape On His Face

For the full program, click here.