The Melbourne International Comedy Festival today announced $9,754,400 in box office for the recent 2008 Festival, an increase of 6% on last year’s record breaking Festival.
With a total attendance of 455,059, and paid attendance of 380,239, the Festival consolidated its position as Australia’s largest cultural event.
Festival Director Susan Provan said: “There is a real tendency at this time of year, to think about the Comedy Festival’s success only in numbers. The reality is theatres, tents, bars, and broom cupboards all over Melbourne were bursting for a month with the most eclectic and dynamic Comedy Festival program yet.
“There were superstars with sold out shows, newcomers to discover, kids’ stuff, free stuff and weird stuff - all marvellous reasons for hundreds of thousands of eager comedy lovers to go out and enjoy a Festival that transforms Melbourne in a way that no other event can. Knowing our audiences are ready, willing and able to take risks, spend money and participate for 28 days over Easter is a great point to start our planning for 2009.”
As well as being an incredibly strong year for Australian talent, international artists from Shanghai, UK, Ireland, US and Canada were also represented. The finals of Raw Comedy and Deadly Funny sold out, along with The Great Debate and Upfront.
For lovers of numbers, there were 298 shows, with 4,146 performances, by 1,765 performers.
For comedy lovers unable to get to Melbourne, Raw Comedy and Class Clowns heats were held in every Australian capital city and lots of regional centres. The indigenous comedy competition, Deadly Funny was expanded to encompass South Australian, Western Australia and the Northern Territory, in addition to Victoria. 1 million people around Australian watched the Melbourne Comedy Festival Gala on Network Ten.
The Comedy Festival is currently showing off the best of Australian and international comedians in every far-flung corner of Australia, on The Comedy Festival Roadshow.
The 2009 Melbourne Comedy Festival runs from 1 – 29 April 2009.
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