25 Years Later, Melbourne is still lauging

This year, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival (MICF) celebrates it’s 25th year, and as one of the 3 biggest comedy festivals in the world, it’s no wonder comedians from around the globe are popping in for a part of the action.

Started by Barry Humphries and Peter Cook in 1987, the festival now attracts more than 500, 000 punters yearly making it Australia’s Largest Cultural Event.

This 3 week long barrel of laughs has over 380 different shows playing in Melbourne during April, and one such ‘international’ artist Mr Sonny Spells, as well as his creator, Blair Martin spoke to AussieTheatre.com this week.

Sonny Spells, who has no geographical homeland and prefers the catch phrase “Honey, I’m from Television” is a brash, camp and fantastic character. His new show Are You Game? is a 45 minute extravaganza – where every expense has been spared to bring audiences a slice of cheesy, camp frivolity – previews on Sunday April 3 and opens Tuesday April 5.

This is Sonny’s first time at the Melbourne Comedy Festival, and he is “absolutely pumped” to say the least.  Part interactive game show, part feel good barrel-of-laughs, this one act show is about “being game, and having fun”, he says.
“Leave your ego at the door – there is only room for one ego… me!”, he quips, with a mischievous tone. “It’s a show with everything – fun, laughter and prizes. And I can let you in on a little secret: someone’s going to “score” on the night. That’s all I’m saying!”

Actor Blair Martin, creator of Sonny Spells, is the recipient of the ‘Brisbane Pride Festival Queen’s Birthday Community Awards 2010 Entertainer of the Year’. A long and cumbersome award title which says, as one reviewer put it “…do not try to out-funny this man!”

Martin stresses that Sonny’s show is not about making fun of an audience or embarrassing people who participate. It is about stepping out of a comfort zone and realising what’s within – with a crowd of onlookers!

So get along to see Sonny Spells in Are You Game at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. You know you want to. He has great hair!

Visit: Sonny Spells at the MCIF