Side Splitter Comedy Festival is back for 2019, returning to Memorial Hall in the suburban heartland of Hamilton Hill. Now in its fourth year, the festival’s line up is as strong as ever, showcasing nearly 20 international, national and home grown stars over the two weekends of October 11-12 and 18-19.
Leading the big names this year is one of Australia’s most in demand comedians Fiona O’Loughlin. As well as a critically acclaimed stand-up comedian, O’Loughlin is an accomplished writer, TV presenter and media personality who has starred in programs I’m a Celebrity Get me Out of Here, Good News Week, Spicks and Specks and more. Most recently, the award-winning national documentary series Australian Story filmed an episode on O’Loughlin, which rated over 1.3 million viewers. She has also recently overcome a well-documented ‘battle with the bottle,’ which like the other aspects of her life, has become ‘material’ for her stand-up. Sources have verified she is even funnier sober.
Heath Franklin (pictured) is a Logie-nominated Australian actor, comedic performer, improviser and writer. Since making his television debut on the sketch show The Ronnie Johns Half Hour, his character, ‘Chopper’, a comedic impersonation of real-life criminal Mark ‘Chopper’ Read, has gone on to become an international cult hit. Franklin has gone on to star in movies such as Predicament in 2010 and Chopper’s Republic of Anzakistan in 2015.
Other highlights include male cabaret trio Suns of Fred, media comedy personality Ciaran Lyons, local comedy supergroup Wild Men Of the West, Mandy Knight and more.
You can even get a bite-sized taster of the entire festival in one glorious night at one of the nightly Galas; featuring short scripts from Fiona O’Loughlin, Suns of Fred, Ciaran Lyons, Heath Franklin and many more.
Side Splitter Comedy Festival goes down at Hamilton Hill Memorial Hall on October 11-12 and 18-19. Download the full program here. For more info and to buy tickets head to www.sidesplitter.com.au
