Since its sold-out premiere at Vivid Ideas in 2022, the hilarious comedy show ‘Are You Pulling My Leg?’ has played at comedy festivals and venues in NSW and QLD and now it’s set to tour Australia in 2024.

Showcasing some of Australia’s funniest comedians with disability or chronic illness, this raucous accessible comedy event boasts a line-up of award-winning performers with entertaining and uncensored insights into disability and much more.

With razor-sharp wit and undeniable charm, these talented comedians share hilarious and uncensored insights into disability and oh so much more! From awkward encounters to side-splitting observations that cut to the quick, no subject is off-limits.

MC’d by the fabulous Madeleine Stewart, the changing line-up will feature comedians including Bec Charlwood, Sam Kissajukian, Alexandra Hudson, Bea Barbeau-Scurla, Jamal Abdul, Irene Nicola, Oliver Hunter, Loz Booth, Robyn Reynolds, Sam Wade, Tom Elphick and Elliot McLaren.

Please see venue listings for details on the artist line-up for each show.

Access

 

This show will be live captioned and Auslan interpreted to help everyone get the punchlines. Auslan interpretation is available upon request at the time of booking. Please note that we require at least 72 hours’ notice for Auslan requests.

To discuss any access requirements you may have, please contact the venue you wish to book tickets for via the links below.

Patrons’ Advice: Strictly 18+ (It’s a bit naughty).
This show contains coarse language, sexual references, drug references, adult content and dangerously good-looking people.

Touring Dates and Venues

Brisbane Powerhouse
23 May – 26 May

Civic Theatre Wagga Wagga
Thursday 6 June at 8pm

Glen Street Theatre, Belrose
Saturday 8 June at 7.30pm

Blue Mountains Theatre
Saturday 15 June at 8pm

Darwin Entertainment Centre
Thursday 11 July at 7pm

Riverside Theatres, Parramatta
Saturday 20 July at 8pm

Bondi Pavilion Theatre
Wednesday 7 August at 7.30pm

Hamilton Performing Arts Centre
Friday 9 August at 8pm

Red Earth Arts Precinct, Karratha
Saturday 24 August at 7pm

Capitol Theatre Tamworth
Friday 18 October at 7.30pm

About the Comedians

Madeleine Stewart (MC and Crips & Creeps Producer)
Disability advocate and award-winning comedian Madeleine Stewart charms audiences everywhere with a sweet demeanour, veiling razor-sharp wit. You may have seen Madeleine perform with Adam Hills, Rove McManus, or Reuben Kaye or caught her episode on Dylan Alcott’s Listen-Able podcast. Her viral sketch on Marriage Equality for ABC iview reached 2.7mil views on insta, showcased her ground-breaking exploration of disability and Centrelink. Practicing what she preaches, Madeleine won the AMP Tomorrowmaker award for her production of inclusive, accessible comedy shows- specifically Crips & Creeps and her short film Inspire Me has just won Best Documentary at the Australian Independent Film Festival (AIFF). 

Bec Charlwood
Bec Charlwood is a comedian, podcaster and writer. She has opened for big names such as Alan Carr, Wil Anderson, Joanne McNally, Jay Pharoah (SNL) and Josh Thomas. She’s appeared on the Project & as a panelist on the most recent season of Spicks and Specks, which she was also a writer on. She is currently a host on Triple J and released her most recent special ‘Bipolar Baby’ on Youtube this year all about being diagnosed with Bipolar Type II and the parts of mental illness that you probably won’t hear about on RUOk? day. She’s performed at the Sydney Opera House, Splendour In The Grass and The Enmore Theatre many times. 

Sam Kissajukian
Imagine entering an altered mental state for 5 months and documenting your mind solely through painting. This was the reality for award winning comedian Sam Kissajukian who made 300 paintings during his Bipolar manic episode. Sam had been working professionally as a stand-up comedian for 10 years. He created a show called “300 Paintings” where he tells the story of his experience, fusing comedy and visual art to explore the Bipolar mind. The show was the winner of “Best Comedy” and “Directors Choice Award” at the Sydney Fringe Festival 2022. Sam then won “Best Comedy” again at Sydney Fringe in 2023 as well as winning the “New Zealand touring Award” and being nominated “Best Comedy” at Melbourne Fringe. At the end of 2022 Sam began exhibiting his art which led to solo exhibitions in 2023 at Sydney Fringe, Brisbane Powerhouse, Maitland Regional Art Gallery and upcoming 2024 solo exhibitions at Summerhall in the UK, Light Adelaide Gallery and a second exhibition at Brisbane Powerhouse. Sam has recently become an ambassador for the mental health peak body, SANE Australia and works with them on various projects to raise awareness and facilitate platforms that provide aid for those living with complex mental health issues.

Loz Booth
Loz Booth is an international comedian, accomplished content creator, writer, and devoted mother of two boys residing in Sydney. Last year Loz showcased her comedic talents at the Sydney Fringe Festival (2023) and has since become a regular presence in various comedy venues across Sydney. Her influence extends beyond Australia, as she presented her one-woman show in Covent Garden, London. Beyond her success on stage, Loz’s engaging #mumlife content has amassed an impressive 30 million views across multiple platforms, leading to her recognition as a finalist in the UK’s Funny Women awards. In addition to her achievements in comedy, Loz has pursued studies in screenwriting. Her long-term vision involves contributing to the evolution of the Australian screen by developing narratives that provide a nuanced portrayal of “disability” characters in three dimensions. Loz Booth stands as a fierce up-and-coming comic, seamlessly blending humor and a commitment to challenging societal norms through her craft.

Jamal Abdul
Born into an ethnically diverse family to his Italian mother and Arab father Jamal, at three months old was diagnosed with a rare eye condition which is the cause of his blindness. From the very beginning He was an outsider observing the world and the people around him from a perspective not many would share with him. It’s Jamal’s I’m not weird, your weird attitude that makes his stand-up comedy performances so unique. Jamal began making waves in the Sydney comedy scene after winning the Stand Up and Be Counted Comedy Competition in 2017. He then became a RAW Comedy State Finalist in 2018 further legitimising himself as a Sydney comedy mainstay. Now a regular at the Sydney Comedy Store and Happy Endings Comedy Club Jamal has begun to attract a diverse audience with his straight out style of stand-up comedy. He has since gone on to self-produce his own sell out shows at the Sydney Comedy Festival.

Alexandra Hudson
Alexandra Hudson shares entertaining little musings about her experiences as a disabled woman and her observations about the mostly foreign non-disabled world she lives in. Alexandra took out joint first place in the National Final of the Raw Comedy Competition at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, 2022. Alexandra performed in So You Think You’re Funny at Edinburgh Fringe in 2022 and was a member of Comedy Zone at the MICF in 2023 and performs all over Australia. Alexandra debuted her first solo “Making Lemonade” in 2024.

Bea Barbeau-Scurla
Bea Barbeau-Scurla is a stand-up comedian, screenwriter and producer. She is a regular face on comedy club line-ups all over Sydney and Melbourne and has opened for amazing acts such as Wil Anderson and Geraldine Hickey. Bea’s first one-woman comedy show “HOUSE” which was developed in conjunction with PACT’s Centre for Emerging Artists and the Adelaide Fringe Artist Fund, about the selling of her childhood home and toured in Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney in 2023. Her voice has been described as manic, unique and sharp. Darkly funny and disarmingly beautiful (her secret is she’s mixed race, which is very trendy now), Bea is absolutely one to watch!

Oliver Hunter
Living with cerebral palsy and using a wheelchair, Oliver’s has a different view of the world around him (literally- he’s lower) Performing stand up comedy- although he’s never actually stood up- Oliver has been cracking jokes about disability for over 8 years. Entertaining crowds from all major cities in Australia to Dallas and L.A in the United States. While not wearing his comedian hat. Oliver is a disability awareness consultant and advocate, keynote speaker and podcast host. Always aiming to breakdown barriers and improve the lives of all people living with a disability. In other words: “the guy you get when you can’t afford Dylan Alcott”.

Robyn Reynolds
Robyn Reynolds (UK) is an award-nominated comedian and writer. Bubbly and loveable, in a few short years Robyn has become one of the freshest new voices in the Australian comedy scene. As heard on ABC Radio Sydney, and as seen on SBS Viceland’s The Swiping Game. Robyn has been nominated for Best Comedy at Sydney Fringe Festival, Newcastle Fringe Festival, and was recently awarded a Judge’s Pick at the Melbourne Fringe Festival.

Sam Wade
Sam Wade is a comedian, content creator and based in old Sydney town. After selling out his debut hour Inner World at Sydney Fringe in 2018, he has gone on to crush at the Sydney Comedy Festival with Mind Cave in 2021 and Vs The Void in 2022-23. He has guest starred and script consulted for hit DnD-based web series 1 For All, garnering a cult following amongst its 700k-strong audience. He also has Autism, loves talking about neurodivergence, and has a laugh that has been described as “an obnoxious honk, like a goose being used as a bagpipe”. Whether on stage, on screen or just laughing in the back of a room, Sam Wade is a guaranteed good time!

Irene Nicola
Irene Nicola is Sydney’s joyfully chaotic clown of burlesque, musical comedy and cabaret. Having written and performed her own original work for over a decade, Irene is a delight on any line-up. Irene has performed in the cabaret and burlesque spaces independently across Australia with her original one-woman cabaret variety-style shows, A Postmodern Striptease (2013-2017) Revenge (2018), and the multiple award-nominated Apocalypse Please (2019-2023). Irene was a finalist in the Sydney Cabaret Competition (Sydney Cabaret Festival 2019) and performs regularly at Bamboozle Room’s Talk and Tease. She’s also working on a brand new musical, ‘Mary Mary’, as composer, musical director and script consultant.

Tom Elphick
Despite a life-changing spinal cord injury 10 years ago, Tom’s spirit remains unbreakable, and his wit sharper than ever. Currently in the final stretch of his medical degree, he’s not just studying the human body; he’s proving that laughter is the best medicine! Although a newcomer to the comedy scene, Tom was a formidable NSW state finalist in the 2023 Raw Comedy competition. His unique blend of clever wordplay and analogies leaves critics raving and audiences wanting more. Embracing his identity with pride, Tom weaves his experiences as a gay man into his comedy, delivering punchlines that resonate and uplift. His ability to blend authenticity, personal stories with universal humour takes the audience through a process of hilarious derailment to queer empowerment. He proves that comedy can be both deeply personal and universally enjoyable. Get ready to be treated to a dose of doctor’s orders! Because when it comes to laughter, he’s not just playing; he’s prescribing!

This show is presented by Accessible Arts and Crips and Creeps in association with Arts on Tour with support from Create NSW and Playing Australia.

Image description: A collage of 10 headshots of comedians performing in the national tour of ‘Are You Pulling My Leg?’ From top left to bottom right: Irene Nicola, Sam Kissajukian, Madeleine Stewart (photo by Monica Pronk) Jamal Abdul, Bea Barbeau-Scurla, Alexandra Hudson, Loz Booth, Bec Charlwood, Robyn Reynolds and Sam Wade.

Video footage: ‘Are You Pulling My Leg?’ filmed at Bondi Pavilion. Featuring Madeleine Stewart, Bec Charlwood, Tom Elphick, Sam Wade and Loz Booth.