Rhys Nicholson is no stranger to the comedy scene, and in 2020 he, his partner Kyran Wheatley, and their friend Alex Dyson decided to expand it just a little bit.
When they opened Melbourne's Comedy Republic amid the worst time in recent history, their goals were simple: create a space designed for comedians by comedians. And that’s exactly what they did.
With the ethos of a 'home of comedy', Comedy Republic aims to be a venue where comedians can live, breathe and work comedy. Regular shows are on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and during the upcoming Melbourne International Comedy Festival (MICF), comedians from all around Australia and the globe will be trotting through.
The venue has already seen its fair share of acts. Celia Pacquola, Cal Wilson, Joel Creasey, Denise Scott and Dilruk Jayasinha are among some of the first to grace the Comedy Republic stage since its opening.
“It’s not just stand-up,” Rhys Nicholson says, “we do podcasts. We’re working on a line-up of shows to do after the festival that is less comedy based, more talks. It’s a place for comedians to work and develop.”
“Some of the best performers, for me, have been when I didn't know who I was going to see!”
Lockdowns throughout the country meant creating new access points from comedians to the audience with strong and inclusive line-ups. Now, thanks to the power of livestreaming, someone in Ballarat can view a sold-out comedy show from the comfort of their laptop. And this means that comedians can keep working, earning, and honing their craft.
With little help from the government in this crisis, the arts community has had to fend for itself. However, with a little bit of ingenuity from brilliant and creative minds such as these, Comedy Republic has not only survived but flourished.
Development is a huge part of the venue. Comedy Republic not only showcases recognisable names, it also fosters emerging talent. The team sources comedians from all over to invite to Comedy Republic, which helps to grow a community that they love so much.
Melbourne is known as comedy central in Australia, in part due to the yearly MICF. It’s where comedians of all walks of life cut their teeth and make a name for themselves. It only makes sense to hit the largest hotspot of comedic culture right in the middle.
“Kyran and I have been running gigs for years, and we wanted to do more gigs in Melbourne for years,” Nicholson says. “We lived with Alex for a while, and it’s something we all wanted to do.”
This year, Comedy Republic welcomes a number of acts during the MICF. Claire Hooper, Cameron James, and Danielle Walker are just three of the names Nicholson dropped who are appearing at Comedy Republic this year for the festival. They’ll also be running a late-night show with people from all around.
“We want to be the type of venue that people come to during the festival,” Nicholson says.
“We had a pretty incredible run last year [at MICF] where three or four of our performers were nominated for major awards, performing in our venue. At the awards ceremony the Director of the festival made a point of thanking Kyran and the team at Comedy Republic for being a pretty big part of the festival last year.”
“We want to be one of the more diverse groups. We want people to trust what we put on.”
After running for two years, especially in such a tumultuous time for the arts community, Comedy Republic has more than earned its reputation as a home of comedy. Check out their website for their MICF line-up (and beyond).
