What’s on this week at Sydney Comedy Festival?

Sydney Comedy Festival is enjoying its biggest year yet, with sold-out shows and laughs all over town. Here’s what you can find across Sydney this week.

If you’ve not yet booked a ticket to one of the many shows taking place at this year’s Sydney Comedy Festival, what are you playing at?! Last week’s gala performances warmed crowds up, as did performances from the likes of British comedian Nish Kumar and Kiwi girlie Hayley Sproull. This week brings a range of fresh new faces and the festival’s first full take over of The Joan in Pentrith.

READ MORE: The ultimate guide to Sydney Comedy Festival 2025.

Sydney Comedy Festival Week 2 Highlights

1. Break Out

The future of Australian comedy will take to the stage at The Factory Theatre across ten dates, starting tomorrow, Wednesday, April 30. Four up-and-coming comedians are primed and ready to break out into the limelight. Frankie Rowsthorn may only be 22 but she isn’t even the youngest of the four. Currently working at Triple J as a radio host, she’s opened for the likes of Maria Bamford, Monty Franklin and Rhys Nicholson, and has appeared at Melbourne Comedy Festival’s Comedy Zone showcase last year. Alan Fang, meanwhile, is part of the OG Crew which has more than 950,000 subscribers on Youtube, and he’s previously performed at the Comedy Store and Enmore Theatre. Stella Wu is a 2024 RAW Comedy Grand National Finalist whose experiences in Hong Kong and Australia form the basis of her unique blend of humour and cultural insight. Finally. Toby Berwone is the 18 year old Sydney-based comedian whose career only started 18 months ago, but has already seen him perform at Newtown Hotel, the Bank Hotel and Newcastle Comedy Club. These are the newcomers to keep your eye on—see them in action at this showcase series.

Where: The Workshop, The Factory Theatre, 105 Victoria Road, Marrickville NSW 2204.
When: Wednesday, April 30 to Sunday, May 11. Wednesday to Saturday at 8:15pm, Sundays at 7:15pm.
Price: Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday from $27, Friday and Saturday from $30.

Find out more here.

2. Adam Kay

Back by popular demand following a sell-out tour of Australia and New Zealand last year, Adam Kay is the doctor turned BAFTA-winning comedian who brought us This is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor. His multi-million-selling book of diaries is the inspiration for his live show that has been seen by more than 300,000 people, including 50 sell-out shows at London’s West End. He’ll perform two shows at Enmore Theatre this week.

Where: Enmore Theatre, 118-132 Enmore Rd, Newtown NSW 2042.
When: Tuesday, April 29 and Thursday, May 1 at 7pm.
Price: $69.

Find out more here.

3. Sammy J – The Kangaroo Effect

His career has had more eras than Taylor Swift, and now Sammy J is back with a time-bending memoir about a recovering attention seeker. How apt. The comedian, author, composer, broadcaster and one half of the man/puppet duo, Sammy J and Randy, uses song, stories and VHS tapes in this weird and wonderful live show. You can catch him at Concourse Chatwood or Factory Theatre this week.

Thursday, May 1: 7pm at Factory Theatre, 105 Victoria Rd, Marrickville NSW 2204. Adult from $48, student from $45.
Friday, May 2: 8:30pm at The Concourse, 409 Victoria Ave, Chatswood NSW 2067.

Price: Adult from $48, student from $45.

Find out more here.

4. All Killa No Filla

Hot off the back of a sold-out UK tour, Rachel Fairburn and Kiri Pritchard-McLean are bringing their true crime podcase to Australia. To avoid becoming the type of women who write to serial killers in prison, they, as anyone would, began a podcast. Exploring their shared passion, they take an un-salacious dive into the weird and macabre world of killers, and have a laugh while doing it.

Where: Factory Theatre, 105 Victoria Rd, Marrickville NSW 2204.
When: Saturday, May 3 at 9pm.
Price: $59.

Find out more here.

5. Jenny Tian – Jenny’s Travels

Jenny’s not like other girls. She moved from Australia to London. What?! Now she’s frozen her eggs, re-downloaded Hinge and is ready for another totally unique experience. From phone snatching to cultural oddities, Jenny shares her stories of life abroad. If you’re wondering why she looks familiar, you may have seen her on Taskmaster Australia or Guy Montgomery’s Guy Mont Spelling Bee.

Friday, May 2: 7:15pm at Enmore Theatre, 118-132 Enmore Rd, Newtown NSW 2042.
Saturday, May 3: 9pm at The Concourse, 409 Victoria Ave, Chatswood NSW 2067.

Price: $44.90.

Find out more here.

6. Daniel Muggleton – You May Be White, I May Be Crazy

He’s the Aussie comedian in a tracksuit. Daniel’s live shows frequently sell out at comedy festivals around the world and have earned him numerous five-star reviews and industry awards. Of this latest show, Daniel says: “I just wanted to let you know that unlike previous years there’s a chance this show is about something. If I had to choose a word to describe what that is I’d say ‘family’ but remember, the Fast & Furious franchise is also about family so there’s an equal chance this show is about street racing or about me finally becoming a father. If not, I promise it’ll be the usual fresh hour of race, politics and dicks that you’ve grown accustomed to. Cheers.” Take from that what you will.

Thursday, May 1 and Friday, May 2: 7pm at The Comedy Store, 122 Lang Rd, Moore Park NSW 2021.
Saturday, May 3: 8:45pm at The Concourse, 409 Victoria Ave, Chatswood NSW 2067.

Price: $36.50.

Find out more here.

7. The Joan in Penrith

For the first time in the festival’s 20-year history, it has taken over The Joan in Western Sydney’s Penrith. The Sydney Comedy Festival Gala will bring laughter to the Richard Bonynge Concert Hall tonight (April 29) before 19 other performances complete the week’s lineup.

Other highlights include Hip Hop Ha Ha by locals Marty Bright and Esky Escandor, who host a unique mash up of comedians, rappers and musicians from across Australia (April 30 at 6:15pm, $25.50). Gladys – A Musical Affair is a musical comedy about Gladys Berejiklian that has sold out across NSW but will show at Q Theatre on Thursday (May 1 at 6:30pm, $39). Pasifika Hysterica is among the weekend’s highlights, celebrating Maori and Pacific Island comedy talents such as Uce Gang and Havea 676 as well as Taskmaster NZ star Kura Forrester (Saturday, May 3 at 8:45pm, $49.90).

Where: The Joan, 597 High Street, Penrith NSW 2750.

View the full program for the week at thejoan.com.au.

Sydney Comedy Festival

When: The Sydney Comedy Festival runs until Sunday, May 18 2025.
Where: Venues across the city, including Bondi Pavilion Theatre, Comedy Store, Enmore Theatre, Foundry Theatre, Randwick Ritz and The Joan.

For more information visit sydneycomedyfest.com.au.