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Twelve Funniest Shows at Brisbane Comedy Festival

2026

Updated: May 25, 2026

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Get ready to see an amazing line-up of Australia’s funniest at the Brisbane Comedy Festival!

With a mix of brand-new shows and comedy superstars it is guaranteed to have you doubled over! Don’t miss the chance to see an incredible line up of shows at Brisbane Powerhouse, The Tivoli and the Princess Theatre that all promise a great night out! Here are the 12 funniest shows to see at this year’s festival:

Celia Pacquola - Gift Horse

Brisbane Powerhouse 8-10 May

Celia wasn’t planning on doing a show in 2026, then her boyfriend gave her an inflatable kayak for her birthday… So here we are.  A show about the people we love and the things they give us that we hate!  
Celia Pacquola is a multi award winning stand up comedian and one of Australia’s best-loved comics, back with a new hour of hilarious observations and incriminatingly honest stories that she will definitely regret sharing.

Claire Hooper - fun show xx

Brisbane Powerhouse 14-17 May

Claire just wants to have fun. But she’s the least fun person she knows, so she’s got her work cut out for her. 

This is going to involve time, energy, sweat and tears, and probably some lists. 

One thing’s for sure, it’s not going to be fun. 

She’s gonna discover how to have fun. Or she’s gonna ruin fun for everyone.

Dave Hughes - Cooked

Brisbane Powerhouse May 22 & 23

There is no one else that comes close to the phenomenon that is Dave Hughes. Behind that cooked looking facade is a mind that works like no other.

Dave has carved out a large place in the Australian cultural landscape for good reason. His take on the world around him is unique, ever changing, and not to be missed. His shows are events that live long in the memory.

Now more brutally honest than ever, not only is he Australia's best stand up comedian, he is as good as it gets anywhere on the planet. Book today.

As seen on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here and Taskmaster Australia.

Dave Thornton - More or Less

Brisbane Powerhouse 14-17 May

A seasoned performer whose shows have been described as ‘devastatingly effective’ (Chortle), Dave is back with a brand-new hour of stand-up, focusing on the small things that frustrate him and the large things that get on top of him… more or less.

Dave played to audiences all over the country last year and continues to garner fans with his accessible, grounded comedy.

Denise Scott - Ticketyboo

Brisbane Powerhouse 7-10 May

After more than a decade away from solo performance, beloved Australian comedian Denise Scott is making a triumphant return to the stage with her most personal show yet.

Famous for her razor-sharp wit and unflinching honesty, Scotty promises audiences a show unlike anything she's delivered before. So much has happened recently, so boy does she have a lot to tell you.

Tickety Boo promises to be Scotty at her authentic best, blending her trademark observational comedy with reflections on sanity, resilience, and the truly unexpected places where laughter can be found. In a cancer ward for one, who knew? Also, why is she feeling so goddamn positive all the time?

Geraldine Hickey - A Weight Off My Chest

The Princess Theatre 14-17 May

Geraldine had breast reduction surgery, but they took them all. She didn’t want them, they were big and heavy and she wanted it to be easier to find clothes that would fit. She wanted to believe in the possibility of doing a handstand...without hitting herself in the face.  

Geraldine Hickey is a regular on our screens, appearing on I’m A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, Spicks & Specks, The Cheap Seats and Have You Been Paying Attention? 

Josh Thomas - Jiggle Jiggle

Brisbane Powerhouse 13-17 May

"This year I just want to have fun. Jiggle, jiggle" – Josh Thomas.

Josh started doing stand up 20 years ago. In that time he's won some prizes and lost a lot of celebrity versions of reality TV shows. His shows Please Like Me and Everything’s Gonna Be Okay were international sensations. They dealt with lots of important * issues * but this year he just wants to be silly.

Lizzie Hoo - Says Hoo?

Brisbane Powerhouse 30 April - 3 May

Says Hoo? is a brand-new hour of stand-up comedy from Brisbane’s own Lizzy Hoo (now with short hair, yep she’s in her bob era). 

Are there moments in your life where you’re like “how did we get here?” Well Lizzy is. There are a few things she really just can’t get her head around. Her dog has a step mum – yep she shares custody of her rescue greyhound and now he (Owen best boy in the world) has a step mum – what a lucky dog! 

Lizzy is now obsessed with golf. She calls it prepping for retirement. And somehow she is getting paid to eat and travel. Oh and she broke up with someone at a cake shop – petit fours anyone? And she just updated her dating profile to say “big second wife energy”.  

Lloyd Langford - OK, I Believe You

Brisbane Powerhouse 13 & 14 May

A brand-new stand-up comedy show from a man that sounds like a YouTube video played at half speed. Come along and hear about Lloyd’s problems with every other single person on earth. May contain jokes about giraffes, clouds and salt.  

As seen on Have You Been Paying Attention?, Thank God You’re Here, Guy Montgomery’s Guy Mont Spelling Bee, The Hundred With Andy Lee. 

Nath Valvo - Okay, I Believe You

The Princess Theatre 3 May

A brand-new stand-up comedy show from a man that sounds like a YouTube video played at half speed. Come along and hear about Lloyd’s problems with every other single person on earth. May contain jokes about giraffes, clouds and salt.  

As seen on Have You Been Paying Attention?, Thank God You’re Here, Guy Montgomery’s Guy Mont Spelling Bee, The Hundred With Andy Lee.

The Tivoli 8- 10 May

After a decade of being fuelled by whiskey and adrenaline, Tommy decided it was time to treat his body to some wellness. Even he couldn’t have predicted just how badly it would go.

Tommy Little has a gift for turning life’s mishaps into riotous comedy gold. With his mischievous grin and irreverent charm, Tommy delivers laughs with a bold and irrepressible sense of fun.

Seen on Taskmaster Australia and Talkin’ ‘Bout Your Gen.
Winner – Weekly Award, Adelaide Fringe 2024

Pete Helliar - An International Kerfuffle

The Princess Theatre 16 & 17 May

What happens when a well-meaning comedian makes a cheeky joke about ISIS… during a live interview with Tim Cahill… on national TV… right before a World Cup qualifier against Honduras? 

A full-blown international incident, apparently. 

In this hilariously outrageous true story, Pete Helliar finds himself at the centre of a media firestorm after a throwaway line on The Project goes global.  

It’s a wild, hilarious deep dive into intent, outrage, and the terrifying power of one well-timed punchline. Was Pete off side—or just ahead of the game? 

Token is a valued partner of Must Do Brisbane.com

Brisbane Comedy Festival 2026

Brisbane Powerhouse

Princess Theatre

The Tivoli

Apr 24-May 25

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