If like me, you wondered how walking around haunted spots in the Melbourne CBD would make the perfect backdrop for a comedy show could possibly ever work, you will be happy to know walking and laughing is the perfect way to spend the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in 2024.
Our host is comedian and bachelor Matt Bell, who made his Melbourne International Comedy Festival debut in 2021 at Open Bike – a comedy show in a spin studio where the comedians ride bikes while performing stand-up He also had sold-out runs of his first two debut shows Stop Looking (Melbourne Comedy Festival 2022) and Plenty of Fish (Melbourne Fringe Festival 2022).
If you are an elder millennial like me, you will appreciate the full walking tour experience, complete with a large guide red flag and the necessary headsets that are pumping out bops as you walk through each haunted location around Melbourne city. Much of the humour revolves around dating and, in particular, the phenomenon of being ghosted (or doing the ghosting if that is your vibe!) The stops around the city during the 1km walk are hilariously infused with tales of lost love, breakups, make-ups, and exploring the art of being ghosted.
Doing a comedy ghost walking tour is a highly ambitious undertaking. The description of the show and what it entails is really hard to describe. Fortunately, Bell is not only an extremely talented comedian, he also knows how to put on a show and keep the momentum going as you walk between stops. Bell holds a giant red flag akin to what you would see on a typical walking tour in any major capital city and the addition of glowing blue headsets really immerses you into the experience.
Dead To Me : A Comedy Ghost Tour is the most innovative experience you will have at this year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival. If you are visiting from outside of the state, it is a great way to see some of the highlights of the city, while laughing your face off along the way. Bell is an accomplished comedian and entertainer who can bring the big laughs, poking fun at modern dating.
You can join the waitlist for last-minute tickets to the next sold-out shows here
FIVE STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Reviewer attended 5th April, 2024
