jks: a comedy(?) at Melbourne Fringe 2025

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A new play from Tom Ballard that asks The Big Question: what is comedy even for?

Longlisted for the 2025 Griffin Award.

A weekly stand-up gig. Backstage.

In between their sets, a group of comedians are laughing, bitching and talking shit.

It’s all fun and games – until they hear the news. A comedy legend has died. Depending on who you ask, he either leaves behind a lifetime of laughter, or a legacy of bigotry and pain. Or maybe both. Or neither.

The comics get stuck in: was this guy actually funny, or just embarrassing? Is being “funny” all that matters, anyway? What’s even the point of telling jokes? How much harm (or good) can they ever do? How dark and fucked up can you go? Who can say what – and who decides?

As the gig carries on in the background, these idiots go to war on The Big Question: what is comedy even for?

A new (funny) play about what it means to be funny.

Written by Tom Ballard (Deadloch, Tonightly).

Directed by Ben Russell (Thank God You’re Here, The Grub).

Praise for Tom Ballard:
“Will have you laughing till it hurts.” ****½ – The Age
“A raucous performance that is political as it is personal.” ***** – Time Out
“Absolutely packed with elite gags.” **** –  The Scotsman (UK)
“Tom Ballard runs on anger.” – The Australian

 

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Me & Dil LIVE at Geelong Comedy Festival

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Look out comedy lovers – Dilruk Jayasinha & Tom Ballard are coming to Geelong!

Dilruk is renowned as one of the most beloved stand-up comedians in the country. His comedy is a delightful blend of charm, energy, and uproarious humour that guarantees a night full of laughter. He has filmed a stand-up special for Amazon Prime, appeared on Utopia, and Celebrity MasterChef Australia.

Tom is an award-winning Australian stand-up who’s trying to save the world with comedy – he will make you laugh, cry, ponder things then laugh some more. Tom appeared as lovable sweetheart/terrible cop Constable Sven Alderman in the hit Prime Video series Deadloch and cohosts political podcast Serious Danger.

Book now to avoid missing out!

FRIDAY OCTOBER 31st 2025 

 

Book here!

Comedy @ 3806 Brewery Berwick

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Get ready for another night of laughs at 3806 Brewing featuring Tom Ballard

Hosted by Oliver Hunter

Also featuring:
Nick Schuller
Nicky Barry

Doors open at 6pm
Show kicks off at 8pm

Wednesday August 27th

3806 Brewing
12 Enterprise Avenue, Berwick Vic 3806

 

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Serious Danger Live in Brisbane

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“I’ve always considered the Greens to be a real, serious danger to Australia” – S. Morrison

BREAKING: COOL LEFTIST PODCAST RETURNS TO BRISBANE TO DO A LIVE SHOW

After another insane year of #auspol and a wild election, filthy commies EMERALD MOON, TOM BALLARDand producer THE GRIFFare returning to Good Chat in the heart of “Greensland” (maybe?) to discuss what’s just happened, and what’s next for green-left politics in this country.

Come along to hear them cover ALL the big questions: did we just get seriously owned? How much longer do we have to wait for The Green Revolution? Does Labor still suck*? WHAT IS TO BE DONE?!

And hear from our special guest (to be announced soon).

This show will sell out – BOOK NOW!

linktr.ee/seriousdanger

(*yes)

 

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Watch REMOTELY

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Throwback to that crazy time during the pandemic when we were all going crazy in our houses and me and my Tonightly mates make a home-based satirical comedy pilot for a bit of fun.

The Queer Kingdom: A Staged Reading

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Experience the first full reading of The Queer Kingdom by Tom Ballard, winner of the 2024 QPAS Award. Be part of the development process towards presenting a premiere production in 2026, meet the artists and share your feedback.

In 2004, a group of radical queer activists boarded a fishing trawler they’d christened The Gayflower, flew 200 nautical miles off the coast of Queensland and landed on a tiny patch of sand and grass in the middle of the ocean. It was here that Emperor Dale Parker Anderson I would plant his rainbow flag and officially declare the claiming of “The Gay & Lesbian Kingdom of the Coral Sea Islands” – a gay nation independent of homophobic Australia, where there was marriage equality for all, the currency was the pink dollar and the national anthem was Gloria Gaynor’s I Am What I Am.

Playwright, Tom Ballard says: “I want to write a funny, joyous play that tells the story of this fascinating queer protest – its history, its characters and its politics – and interrogates what it means for Australian queers today. Would we all just be better off escaping to our own separate queer paradise?”

 

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Stand Up For Refugees 2025

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After two years of total sell-out shows at Max Watt’s to raise buckets of cash for the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, co-hosts Wil Anderson & Tom Ballard are back to do it all again this Melbourne International Comedy Festival – and this time, they’re graduating to the big and fancy Comedy Theatre.

For one early-afternoon only, don’t miss this special line-up of A-grade comedy excellence, featuring the best comedians in the world donating their time and talents to support the ASRC’s vital work: providing material and legal assistance to people seeking asylum and refugees, and fighting back against Australia’s cruel immigration policies.

Most of the line-up will be kept super-secret until the day. Previous years have featured the likes of Anne Edmonds, Daniel Kitson, Sam Campbell, Geraldine Hickey, David O’Doherty, Guy Montgomery, Josh Thomas, Sam Pang and more – the only way to find who’s taking to the stage this time around is to grab yourself a ticket.

So come along and laugh good, feel good and do some good.

Co-hosted by Wil Anderson & Tom Ballard.

 

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