JUST FOR LAUGHS LINE-UP ANNOUNCED

Sydney Opera House, Just for Laughs and Adrian Bohm Presents have announced the 2013 line-up for the Just For Laughs at Sydney Opera House Comedy Festival to be held from 16-20 October.

The global comedy festival is loaded with yet another world-class line up of international and Australian comedians.

Minister for Tourism, Major Events and the Arts, George Souris said: “The NSW Government is pleased to support the international comedy festival, Just for Laughs, a celebration of comedic talent garnered from all corners of the world. As Australia’s global city, Sydney is well placed to host this much-anticipated event at our world-renowned venue, the Sydney Opera House.”

“According to the 2012 Live Performance Ticket Attendance and Revenue Survey, NSW’s market share of comedy revenue continues to perform well, with greatest growth in attendance last year than the rest of Australia.”

Some of comedy’s biggest names will converge on Sydney over five days for the annual festival now in its third year in Australia. Returning home to host the International Gala is Australia’s own Rove McManus, who most recently has been making Americans laugh with his regular appearances on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

This will be Rove’s first Australian live show in five years. The International Gala is a highlight of the festival where for one night only the audience will experience a plethora of comedic talent from here and across the globe on one hilarious stage.

Further highlights include the eternally brassy and incredibly sassy Kathy Griffin, returning to Australia ready to unleash her signature brand of humour onto her very suspecting audiences. Rob Schneider, best known for his starring roles in Saturday Night Live, Deuce Bigalow and Grown Ups will also appear in his unmissable solo stand-up comedy show.

Adding to this already impressive line-up of talent is Ireland’s number one comedian, Tommy Tiernan, Whose Line Is It Anyway? stalwart Colin Mochrie and his partner in crime Brad Sherwood, and England’s multi-award winning stand-up comedian Mark Watson, regular on BBC’s Mock the Week and Never Mind the Buzzcocks and veteran of the international comedy festival circuit.

Foxtel’s Comedy Channel will be filming the very special Sydney only shows, Just For Laughs: The Stand Up Series hosted by Australia’s Dave Thornton, for an exclusive six-part television series. Dave who himself has also appeared at major comedy festivals around the world, including Edinburgh Fringe and the invitation-only Just For Laughs Montréal Comedy Festival, will lead the pack of yet to be announced Australian and international comedians in the intimate Studio of Australia’s most prestigious venue.

Successful comedian, writer, director and actor Peter Helliar will be at the helm of Date Night: The Relationship Show with special guest Greg Behrendt, author of the best-selling book, He's Just Not That Into You. The show will see a group of still-to-be-announced romantically dysfunctional comedians explore the craziness of human coupling who are bound to have the audience in stiches as they leave no embarrassing story untold.

For more information, including tickets, please visit sydneyoperahouse.com/jfl