Every Thursday - Saturday, 8:30pm

Comedy Republic's signature lineup show! Main Stage has quickly become our biggest show, selling out on the regular with huge all-star lineups and lively fun-loving crowds. Every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, you can be sure to catch a heap of the best comedians Melbourne and the wider world have to offer.

- - - MAIN STAGE FORMATS - - -

Main Stage (120min show, 5+ comedians, inc interval)
Thursday 8:30pm - $26
Friday 8:30pm - $29
Saturday 8:30pm - $36

Main Stage: Express (60min show, 4 comedians, no interval)
Saturday 7:00pm - $24
(Main Stage Express not available every Saturday, check calendar for availability)

- - - UPCOMING LINEUPS - - -

8:30pm THURSDAY 7 DECEMBER with Jordan Barr, Carl Donnelly, Nat Harris, Takashi Wakasugi, Fergus Neal & Chris Demos

8:30pm FRIDAY 8 DECEMBER with Jordan Barr, Carl Donnelly, Bronwyn Kuss, Takashi Wakasugi, Fergus Neal & Chris Demos

7:00pm SATURDAY 9 DECEMBER with Lizzy Hoo, Jordan Barr, Bronwyn Kuss & Takashi Wakasugi

8:30pm SATURDAY 9 DECEMBER with Lizzy Hoo, Jordan Barr, Bronwyn Kuss, Takashi Wakasugi, Fergus Neal & Chris Demos

Coming up in December Greg Larsen, Alex Ward, Lehmo, Hot Department, Kirsty Webeck, Ray O'Leary, Claire Hooper, Daniel Connell & many more

(Lineups are subject to last minute changes)

Saturday 9 December, 4:00pm

A quiz show all about the big, bad animal kingdom.

Kirsty Webeck and Ivan Aristeguieta love animals and all the wild and wonderful facts that come with them. They love them so much that they've put together a quiz show to find out how much their friends know about animals, too.

Join them and two of their mates in their brand new, family-friendly live show for an hour of laughs, education and banter about all creatures great and small.

Whether you're a fan of the flamingo, an emu enthusiast or a lover of leopards, there's something for everyone in this hour of fun.

Come watch some of our best mates and favourite performers battle Ivan for glory while Quizmaster Kirsty poses the tough questions. No cheetahs allowed.

Every Tuesday, 7:00pm

Claire Hooper brings her favourite comedy children to the Republic bar to throw their best new jokes under your non-denominational tree.

Bron Lewis, Rose Bishop, Laurence Driscoll, Grace Zhang, Lauren Edwards and more will be having a catch up with Mama Hoops, plus some big special guests will drop by.

For less than the price of an office Kris Kringle, have your heart filled with seasonal love, your ears with seasonal lols and your orifice of choice filled with delicious drinks from the bar.

5 & 12 December, 8:30pm

Get the crew together to see new comedians doing their best, and the best comedians doing their new.

Cheap tickets, cheap drinks, cheap laughs. What’s not to love!

8:30pm TUESDAY 5 DECEMBER with Kirsty Webeck, Carl Donnelly, Ashley Apap, Leigh Qurban & more

8:30pm TUESDAY 12 DECEMBER with Alex Ward, Jenny Tian, Ray O'Leary, Noah Szto & more

Wednesday 13 December, 6:30pm

Ed Kavalee, is coming in hot with an updated 'Team Effort' live radio play.

Based on even more shocking true stories from the world of radio: Ed, Tony Martin, Ash Williams, Lehmo, Producer/fact checker Jay and a cavalcade of comedy/acting superstars including Ben Knight and Toby Truslove.

This is an event not to be missed. Because it cannot be recorded and all characters will be rightly cancelled at the conclusion.

Fake radio ads? Yes! Sound effects? Yes! Problematic content? Of Course not, how dare you.

Cast:
Ed Kavalee
Lehmo
Tony Martin
Ash Williams
Broden Kelly
Ben Knight
Carlo Ritchie
Amy Ruffle
Producer Jay

Wednesday 13 December, 8:30pm

2023 is almost done! Comedy Republic’s Yearly Wrap is the definitive deep dive into the year that was.

We’ll be investigating the best, worst, and cursed moments – from the rewarding, to the wretched, and even the damn right ridiculous.

Lineup
Tom Ballard
Carl Donnelly
Jordan Barr
Sami Shah
Alasdair Tremblay-Birchall
Nat Harris
Gillian Cosgriff

Saturday 16 December, 6:00pm

MJ Forrest’s “The True Love Tattoo Podcast” is doing it’s first ever live show.

Featuring Little Tokyo’s Rhys Gordon and Blue Lady’s Mike Tea telling the stories that are wildly unsuitable to ever be told on a podcast amongst other surprises.

Never to be repeated or recorded, this is one night only!

Wednesday 6 December, 8:30pm
Saturday 16 December, 10:30pm

Join us for very special Christmas and late night editions of Something Good!

Led by Ben Russell (Second City, iO Chicago) with special guests as well as featured players Lena Moon, Amy Ruffle and Alistair Baldwin. Come and see Australian long form improv at its finest with special big name comedians dropping by.

Not to be missed, be sure to book tickets for this limited show of champagne improv, it's something nice, it's something fancy, it's Something Good.

6 DECEMBER: Christmas Special featuring Broden Kelly (Aunty Donna)
Join us for very special Christmas edition of Something Good! What makes it Christmas you ask? December! And a general sense of good will.

Not to be missed, be sure to book tickets for the final Something Good of the year - it's something nice, it's something fancy, it's Something Good.

16 DECEMBER: One Star Reviews Show featuring Ray O'Leary
Improv comedy inspired by one star reviews. For this loose, late night special edition of Something Good, we’ll leave the power in the audience’s hands to give us the names of companies/places/objects to google in real time on the big screen.

Those one star reviews will inspire completely made up scenes that will never be seen again. For better or for worse.

First Monday Of Every Month, 7:30pm

NEW XMAS SHOW ADDED!!

Monthly drag bingo with your favourite nans.

Edith Vale, Maureen McGillicuddy and Caroline Springs have been hosting their sold out Granny Bingo night for 5 years. The pandemic almost took them out, but never fear; Caroline doesn't think it's real, so we're back live in the Comedy Republic bar!

And yes, you will actually play bingo! Nanna kisses xx

More events: Granny Bingo is on the first Monday of every month.

Tuesday 19 December, 8:30pm

Join Melbournes most notorious bar show with host Tim Hewitt and surprise guests for a Very Special Crabby Christmas

Crab Lab is famous for big acts trying their wildest material and curating the best new comedians in the country. For seven years Crab Lab has built a cult following for punters and comics alike. Come see what made it the worst kept secret in Australian comedy.

Crab Lab regulars over the years have included Anne Edmonds, Ronny Chieng, Daniel Sloss, Nick Cody, Celia Pacquola, Luke McGregor & Greg Larsen. Come to see your favourite acts and stay to find your new ones!

Cheap tix, Cheap booze, bulk laughs. What more do you want on a Tuesday?

Lineup announced closer to the performance date

Wednesday 20 December, 8:30pm

A very special Christmas PowerPoint Comedy Showcase is putting the silly back in ‘Silly Season’ with this festive line-up of clicker-wielding comedians.

With six comedians performing six different presentations, The PowerPoint Comedy Showcase is a line-up show like no other.

Expect a not-so-silent night of laughs with a special PowerPoint set from the North Pole’s most in-demand act (we nearly lost him to Carols by Candlelight).

After sell-out shows at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Perth Fringe, Adelaide Fringe, New Zealand Fringe, Dunedin Fringe (NZ) and Comedy Republic's Replay Festival, the cult classic returns for the first of three shows over the holiday break.

So whether you’ve been naughty or nice, you’ll be getting an early present(ation) at The Christmas PowerPoint Comedy Showcase.

Hosted by the agents of Microsoft Office chaos, Sweeney Preston & Ethan Cavanagh.

Featuring:
Santa Claus
+ More TBA

Friday 22 December, 7:00pm

Kaneez Surka is a comedian from India, born and raised in South Africa and now lives in New York!

You can catch her comedy specials on Netflix and Amazon Prime but for now after sold-out shows in the USA, UK and India Kaneez is bringing her solo STAND-UP show to Melbourne!

The show is entitled “I Found My People!”. It deals with themes of migration as well as forging a home & identity in new lands. All of this is presented in a diasporic, brown womans voice.

3 & 10 January, 8:30pm

The cult classic returns after a sold-out season at the 2023 Melbourne International Comedy Festival and Comedy Republic's Replay Festival, both for the second year in a row.

With six comedians performing six different presentations, The PowerPoint Comedy Showcase is a line-up show like no other.

A picture says a thousand words, and with more slides than Wet’n’Wild, this show offers more words per dollar than any other. And yes, you can also expect appearances from popular animations such as ‘wipe’, ‘swivel’ and ‘random bars’.

Hosted by the agents of Microsoft Office chaos, Sweeney Preston & Ethan Cavanagh.

Acts to be announced closer to the date.

Previous acts have included:
Tom Ballard (Nominee Best Comedy MICF), Andrew Hansen (The Chaser), He Huang (Nominee Best Newcomer MICF), Bron Lewis (Nominee Best Newcomer MICF), Carl Connelly (Nominee Best Comedy Edinburgh Fringe), Guy Williams (Nominee Best Comedy MICF), Emma Holland (Nominee Best Comedy MICF).

Saturday 13 January, 5:30pm & 7:00pm

After travelling throughout Europe, Dahn's returned back to Melbourne to record his first hour at Comedy Republic.

It's 2 intimate shows filled with crowd work, roasts and all the best bits of his 2023 Tour.

This show will be filmed.

9 & 10 February, 7:00pm

After years of performing all over Melbourne, Thomas Jaspers is ingrained in the fabric of the local gay scene... like a stain on a towel at Wet On Wellington.

One third of Granny Bingo, DT’s trivia master and host of hit podcast The Gays Are Revolting, Thomas is thrilled to be bringing back his hit 2020 Midsumma show..

Expect trash. Hilarious, sticky-in-a-good-way, packed-full-of-heart, locally-sourced, organic trash.

“He’ll be a national treasure” Herald Sun  

28 March - 21 April
Tue-Sat: 6:00pm
Sun: 5:00pm

On this, the year of our Lord 2024, it’s a brand new, hour-long, stand-up comedy concert from your ol’ pal Rhys Nicholson!

Only a coward wouldn’t attend.

28 March - 21 April
Tue-Sat: 7:30pm
Sun: 6:30pm

2023 was a great year for Damien Power – He released his stand-up special 'Alone In The Crowd’ and wrote and starred in his own series ‘Expanded Minds Only', released on Grouse House TV.

In 2024, Damien is coming in hot with a new hour of must-see stand up.

Strap in for an electric night of comedy from one of the best!

Three time Nominee – Best Comedy Performer, Melbourne Comedy Festival
Winner – Pinder Prize, Melbourne Comedy Festival 2017

“He’s cooked up his best show in half a decade.” ★★★★1/2 The Age  

“Hilarious gut-punches remain a marvel to behold.” ★★★★ Chortle

28 March - 21 April
Tue-Sat: 9:00pm
Sun: 8:00pm

As seen on Deadloch, Taskmaster Australia and Utopia.

Nina Oyama is a 30 year old comedian who doesn’t really know what she’s doing or where she’s going.

But one thing is for certain. She is coming :)

“Nina Oyama is not a gentle or family-friendly comedian. What she is, though, is filthy, whip-smart and screamingly funny” Time Out  

“A natural at comedy” Chortle

“Male stand-ups have been doing jokes about self-pleasure since, well, forever, and now it’s Nina’s turn to go all in.” The Age  

28 March - 20 April, 10:30pm

A festival night isn’t over ‘til you’ve experienced our Late Show!

Kick on past bedtime at Comedy Republic every Thursday, Friday and Saturday of the festival with raucous line-ups of comedians ready to party. Plus, join us for extra special Easter Sunday edition.

Expect loads of spontaneous late night antics from our special co-host combos. See all your favourites live and loose as they riff together and come up with off-the-cuff comedy gold.

We've handpicked some outrageously hot line-ups, plus, last minute surprise drop-ins aplenty! After the show, the fun continues as comedians and punters enjoy a festival nightcap in the bar.

Past co-hosts include Geraldine Hickey, Luke McGregor, Denise Scott, Randy Feltface, Rhys Nicholson, Claire Hooper and more.

Lineups to be announced closer to the performance dates

17 & 18 May, 7:00pm

When starting out in standup at the age of 19, Sammy Petersen was asked to write a book from a well known publisher titled ‘Why The Long Face: the story of a boy who tried to make people laugh when he can't even smile himself.’

This was not his idea and he never did it but, after over a decade, he can’t stop thinking about it.

This is a debut solo show from the host of ‘Confessions’ about self-worth, heartbreak and if he does in fact look a little bit like a horse.

“A great storyteller and the most comedy adjacent person I’ve ever met.” Wil Anderson