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Melbourne International Comedy Festival Tour Diary: Lightning, Big Hair, Auslan & Kitson


If it weren’t for energy drinks and Melbourne coffee, I would be in a coma right now.

Highlights of the past few days:

– undoubtedly doing a guest spot in Spanzac Ballet, a late night glam rock gig at the HiFi Festival Club last night. I sang Skyhooks. I covered my poor lyric recall with a stunning lightning bolt across my face. I then proceeded to be approached by half of Melbourne’s tipsy wildlife on the walk back to the car. It was pretty damn epic.


Lipstick. Is there anything you cannot do?


– being joined by the wondrous Ruth Sullivan to interpret two shows this weekend. I LOVE HER SO HARD!


Ruth! Melbourne! Jen! Three of a kind!



Ruth, Matt and I at The Butterfly Club. Go team!


I am so loving having these guys onboard, it really makes it feel like a SHOW, you know? Plus I have a brilliant behind-the-scenes crew of Eden (Tech) and Belle (Stage Manager). Which brings me to my next highlight…

– walking into The Butterfly Club yesterday to see Belle wearing a creation she organised all on her own volition:


HOW CUTE IS SHE?! PS That's a chuppa chup in her mouth. And again, I say HOW CUTE IS SHE?!


– still having my mind blown by the ridiculous awesome “eccentric grandma’s house” flavour that is my show’s venue, The Butterfly Club.


This is just another *yawn* typical view of any particular square foot at The Butterfly Club.


– having my hair done nightly – and me avoiding brushing it out daily – by none other than our incredible pianist, Matt Hadgraft. He really is the full service musician. I think he should start up his own freelance business offering musical accompaniment and hairstyling and it “Tease and Keys.” Amazing.


Misbeehiving.


– seeing Daniel Kitson live for the very first time ever. My mind is still reeling. I would utterly love to get my hands on a transcript of the show just so I could actually take the time to digest it properly. It seems wrong to describe such a beautiful work of language with “it was so so so good” but that’s all my little brain can muster up right now. That and “Kitsonian.” I think I’ll just stop.