Sydney Comedy Festival Reveals Full 2014 Program

The full line up for this year's Sydney Comedy Festival has just been revealed and it's an absolute mammoth of a program, featuring renowned comics from all over the world as well as some of our own freshest and most exciting talents.

The festival, this year proudly presented by The Music, will take place in venues across the city from Tuesday 22 April to Saturday 17 May and here's the full (massive) list of acts that will be there, in alphabetical order.

Adam Richard, Alex Wasiel, Alex Williamson, Alice Fraser, Amos Gill, Anne Edmonds, The Axis Of Awesome, Bard To The Bone, The Bear Pack, Ben Ellwood, Bob Saget, Cam Knight, Cameron James & Jared Jekyll, Carlo Ritchie, Heath Franklin's Chopper, Chris Leben, Chris Radburn, Chris Taylor & Andrew Hansen, Chris Wainhouse, Ciel, 25th Annual Sydney Comedy Spelling Bee, Craig Hill, Damian Smith, Damien Power, Daniel Sloss, Daniel Townes, Danny Giles & Craig Annis, Dave Eastgate, Dave Hughes, David Callan & Marko Mustac, David O'Doherty, David Quirk, David Smiedt, David Williams, Die Roten Punkte, Dom Irrera, Eddie Ifft, A Date With Effie, El Jaguar, The Empire Strips Back, Eric Hutton, Every Episode Of Dr Who Ever - Live On Stage, Felicity Ward, Fiona O'Loughlin, Frank Woodley, Franky Walnut, Free To A Good Home Podcast: Live Podcast, Full Body Contact No Love Tennis, Gary Eck, Genevieve Fricker, 2014 Golden Goose Awards, Gordon Southern, Greg Fleet, Hedluv & Passman, Housos, I Love Green Guide Letters: Live Podcast, The Improv Soap Opera, Jack Druce, Jackie Loeb & Gretel Killeen, Jacques Barrett, James Colley, Jazz Twemlow, Jeff Dunham, Jeff Green, Jen Carnovale, The Jewish Comedy Showcase, Jim Jefferies, Jimeoin, Joel Creasey, John Conway Tonight, Jon Bennett, Jono Lee, Jordan & Steen Raskopoulos, Josh Wade, Julian Clary, Just A Bit…Funny, Justine Rogers, Karl Chandler, Kevin Bridges, Khaled Khalafalla, Kilian David & AJ Tennant, Kirsty Mac, Lady Sings It Better, Laugh Out Loud Breakfast, Lawrence Mooney, Lewis Hobba, Little Dum Dum Club: Live Podcast!, Luke Heggie, Luke McGregor, Madeleine Culp, Mantaur, Marty Bright, Matt Okine, Mel Buttle, Michael Hing, Michael Workman, Mike Epps, Mike Goldstein, Milton Jones, Mug & Kettle Again, Nath Valvo, Neel Kolhatkar, Nick Capper, Nick Cody, Nick Sun, Paul Foot, Penny Greenhalgh & Jesse Horne, Peter Berner, Peter Powers, Plaything, Randy, Ray Badran, Raymond Crowe, Reece Piper & Andrew Hastings, Reginald D Hunter, Rhys Nicholson, Rodney Todd, Ronny Chieng, Rusty Berther, Sam Kissajukian, Sam McCool, Sam Simmons, Sammy J & Randy, Sarah Kendall, Seaton Kay-Smith, Simon Keck, Suns Of Fred, Steele Saunders, Steen Raskopoulos, Stephen K Amos, Steve Hughes, The Stevenson Experience, Susie Youssef, The Sydney Uni Revue, Team Friendship, Theatresports National Championships, Three Blokes Telling Jokes, Tien Tran, Titty Bar Ha Ha, Tom Ballard, Tom Gleeson, Tommy Dassalo, Tommy Dean, Umit Bali, Urzila Carlson, Veronica Milsom, Wayne Deakin, Wil Anderson, Wil Sylvince, William Erimya, 6th Annual Yo Mama Battle

While you have your big events – like the Cracker Night, The Gala and, this year, the Tenth Anniversary Big Bash – there are myriad headline shows to cater to all different comedic tastes; we've pinpointed just a handful of them below.

Julian Clary

Comedy royalty like Julian Clary requires no introduction, over 30 years of making us laugh with his brand of alternative comedy has ensured that. This year he finally brings his hugely successful Position Vacant: Apply Within show to Australia, a show that has played to many, many thousands of raving punters all around the world, proving that he is still among the best when it comes to camp comedy with a powerful message.

Stephen K Amos

Mr Amos seems to love visiting Australia – and we love having him by the way – he's toured a number of times including the last two years for the comedy festival circuit (he was just here for the Brisbane Comedy Festival too) so we reckon his loyal Aussie fan-base will be all over his upcoming trip for SCF. The Nigerian-born, British-bred veteran comic has been delighting audiences worldwide for a number of years with his harmless, witty observational style of humour and diverse subject matters such as race, culture and sexuality. If you're unlucky to have yet to witness Amos live, we suggest you do it in 2014.

Bob Saget

Television host turned recurring Entourage cameo player, Bob Saget's stand up routine is much closer to the latter than it is the former. An festival exclusive for the Sydney event, the Full House actor (yeah, we're going back to the '80s there) is bringing his 'Dirty Daddy' show to Australia so if you're not familiar with his current stand-up work we suggest you do a bit of research. And if you are familiar with his more recent TV appearances as a sex-fuelled stoner parody of himself, you'll already know to get along to his shows.

Jim Jefferies

Australian comedian Jim Jefferies has been absolutely killing it in the US over the past couple of years, scoring his own TV show Legit on FX last year and getting that show renewed for a second season, which started airing just over a week ago. He is flying the flag for Australians on the international comedy circuit and we couldn't be happier about it, but we're equally stoked that he will be back in the country to perform dates as a part of the SCF in 2014.

Frank Woodley

If you think Frank Woodley's only shtick is when he's in the Lano & Woodley duo you obviously need to go back 15-odd years and re-watch his appearances on ABC Olympics parody The Games. One of Australia's most enduring comedians, his solo work is going strength-to-strength in recent years and he's still one of the finest slapstick comedians going around. His last major project was the ABC show Woodley, so he'll be relishing the opportunities to let loose on stage and get into the flow of live performances again.

Chris Taylor & Andrew Hansen

It's the 'One Man Show' with two of The Chaser's finest presenters. If you've ever been to an APRA Awards or Screen Music Awards hosted by these two then you'll know that off-the-cuff comedy comes enviously easy for them (Hansen's currently going through a defamation case against a News Limited columnist for that 'dog sex' segment in The Hamster Decides last year, so we're looking forward to seeing how he broaches that). Even though they can't catch people unawares with The Chaser anymore, their creative juices are flowing as strong as ever… and they'll share juices for this show.

Mike Epps

This is the first time the popular US comedian and actor will be venturing to our shores to showcase his slick stand-up routine, making him a massive draw-card for the SCF. Known to a lot of movie lovers for his turn as “Black Doug” in The Hangover series, Epps' breakthrough came when he appeared during the US Def Comedy Jam tour  in the mid '90s. He hasn't looked back since, appearing in other films such as Next Friday, Friday After Next, Resident Evil: Apocalypse and Resident Evil: Extinction – and he's racked up plenty of television appearances too, most notably his involvement in HBO's Def Comedy Jam series.

Steve Hughes

Another Aussie comedian who has been dominating in overseas markets for a while now, Steve Hughes brings his brutal brand of hilarity to Sydney for the festival again this year, this time with his show While It's Still Legal. He'll play the massive Enmore Theatre this year, which is good for his fans given all the shows on his Aussie tour last year sold out, and it's bound to be another very popular show for comedy fanatics, metal heads and those who aren't afraid to question some of societies so-called norms.

Ronny Chieng

You've probably seen him on TV over the past year or so, things are really happening for Ronny Chieng right now. He's been pegged as one of the best up-and-coming comedians around, he's appeared in great Aussie productions like It's A Date, Problems and Have You Been Paying Attention? and his The Ron Effect Podcast is bizarrely educational as well as being pretty darn funny. He brings his Chieng Reaction show to SCF in 2014 after picking up a nomination for best show at last year's event.

Matt Okine

A budding young comedian plucked to join the triple j Breakfast team, Matt Okine's lost none of his touch on stage despite the early mornings. Sitting along Alex Dyson on the breakfast desk, there's probably not many more high-profile spots for young comedians these days – and there's probably not many better ways to hone one's craft. We're expecting this will be a break out year for his profile and performances, so say you were there 'when…'.

Mel Buttle

Brisbane comic Mel Buttle's Bring A Plate show is one of the somewhat under the radar shows we're mighty excited about at SCF this year. Over the past few years Buttle has dazzled us with her hilarious stand up shows as well as her hilarious, somewhat off-the-wall podcasts with Patience Hodgson from The Grates – The Minutes and You're Welcome and her humourous writings in Brisbane's The Courier Mail. You can be guaranteed there'll be hilarious anecdotes aplenty in this new show, which ought to prove one more that she's one of our best up-and-coming comedic talents.

Milton Jones

With his deadpan style of comedy and eccentric look – if you consider Hawaiian shirts eccentric of course - Milton Jones is a fascinating addition to this year's festival and one that is not to be missed. This guy packs a great punchline and some wacky hair so we get exactly why he's very adored, particularly in the UK. Jones' stand-up work isn't the only string to his multi-award-winning bow – he's an esteemed radio host and has appeared on plenty of television panel and variety shows over the years. He's also penned a couple of books during his career so he is in every sense of the word, an all-rounder.

Mike Goldstein

Another international comic who can probably claim to be a bona fide Aussie considering the amount of time he's spent here – actually, Mike Goldstein is a current resident of the country so yeah, he's fair dinkum in our books. The American-born funnyman is one of those laugh a minute kinda comics – you're entertained from start to finish with his solid, refreshing and cheeky humour – what more could you want out of a comedy show? He might not possess as big a profile as some of the other internationals at this year's SCF but Goldstein is a name that just might creep up on you in the best kind of way. 

Veronica Milsom

Sydney-based Veronica Milsom is making her solo stand-up show debut at this year's festival. You probably recognise Milsom from Shaun Micallef's Mad as Hell series and triple j listeners would be familiar with the part-time radio announcer's voice so we're intrigued to see her in stand-up mode. An emerging, local talent to keep a look out for during SCF.

Sarah Kendall

Newcastle-born, UK-based comedian Sarah Kendall has been a regular on the circuit since the turn of the millennium and her profile's one the rise once again. Sexism will likely once again be a key theme of Kendalls' set as she blasts through middle age with stories of being angry and inappropriate, which, and let's be completely honest here, is just the way we like her.

I Love Green Guide Letters

One of the Australian underground comedy scene's most loved podcasts will record a live episode at the Sydney Comedy Festival again this year, and while we don't know who the guests are at this stage we are pretty confident that they will be able to rustle up some pretty funny people to join in. What is I Love Green Guide Letters? It's pretty simple really, it's a review of the letters sent in to The Age's Thursday Green Guide liftout.

Head to the Sydney Comedy Festival website for more information on where and when each of these many amazing shows will take place. Tickets are available from the website as of tomorrow (Tuesday 11 March) from 9am.