Laugh off your blues in Melbourne

Serious giggling is on the programme during the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, which will take over the city from 1-26 April 2009. Having established its reputation as one of the world’s three largest comedy festivals (along with the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Montreal’s Just for Laughs), this year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival will feature over 300 shows starring more than 1,200 performers.

The Festival showcases the best of Australia’s best-loved local acts as well as some of the world’s finest comic talents; the 2009 line-up includes UK favourites David O’ Doherty, Steven K Amos and Mark Watson.

With performances in venues of all shapes and sizes and an average ticket price of AU$22 (£10), there is something for every comedy lover: the Festival features an enormous programme of stand-up comedy, cabaret, theatre, street performance, film, television, radio and visual arts.

Launched in 1987, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival has grown markedly to become nowadays one of Australia’s most popular events, attracting over 455,000 comedy lovers in 2008.

For the full line-up of the 2009 Melbourne International Comedy Festival and to book tickets, log on to Comedyfestival.com.au.

To see for yourself what Melbourne and Victoria have to offer, go to Visitmelbourne.com/uk-tv.