Returning for its seventh year, 'The Breast Of The Fest' has quickly become a staple of Melbourne International Comedy Festival – and for very good reason.
This excellent annual line-up of female and non-binary comedians is a sure bet for a good night out and the 2024 offering is no different, delivering a solid line-up and a full hour of entertainment that left the crowd delighted.
Featuring a changing line-up of talented up-and-coming comics, the array of performers that we were treated to demonstrated that the future of comedy is in very good hands – just in case anyone was worried.
The show got off to a strong start with 2019 Class Clowns winner Patti Fawcett delivering an impressively tight set. It was a joy to hear jokes that were well written, smart, and spanning subjects a little left of centre. I am incredibly excited to see Patti perform again – one of the great things about shows like this, the chance to get excited about heading out and exploring Melbourne’s stand-up scene outside of Festival time, because a great comic you saw is doing a spot at a random bar on a weeknight. Patti is absolutely one to watch.
Bell Woolley was the next to take the stage, providing the crowd with relatable tales of the terrifying dating scene and regrettable career choices. Bell’s set was well-paced, and demonstrated a firm understating of the craft, with plenty of strong laughs throughout. A slick, strong performer, Bell was a natural on stage, absolutely owning the space and holding the audience in the palm of her hand.
Helena Hogan was third in the night's line-up, and broke up the evening with a very goofy and silly vibe. While Helena’s set felt a little looser than the previous tight offerings, she built a good rapport with the crowd who cheered along as she engaged them with her mildly unhinged charm.
Fourth on the line-up was Tarsh Jago, a former Deadly Funny runner-up, a total treat. Tarsh is yet another ‘one to watch’ who delivered a strong set, great material, and a unique take on the world. It will be exciting to see Tarsh further hone her skills and fingers crossed, totally dominate the comedy scene – as she deserves to.
The final performer for the night was Montana Papadinis, a 2024 RAW Comedy state finalist showing the crowd that it is a title she deserves! Montana kept energy levels high as the show ended, having a bit of fun with some crowd work and getting one of the strongest laughs of the evening with a very excellent, silly joke about emasculating male customers in her job as a barista.
Throughout the show it was mentioned a few times how rare it is to see more than a few female comedians on a line-up – let alone a full show’s worth. While of course there is humour to be found in the fact, for this reason, 'The Breast Of The Fest' is a unique and important addition to Comedy Festival. As a punter, getting out and seeing diverse performers is a great way to explore the comedy scene and let producers know that there’s desire out there for more than just the standard fare. The 2024 line-up also features Grace Zhang and Sez amongst the rotating roster, who are sure to be an excellent addition to any evening you might find yourself at for the remainder of the festival.
'The Breast Of The Fest' is a great way to take a punt on something new, while feeling like you’re in very safe hands.
