It's us versus them. It's the forces of light versus the armies of darkness. It's vegans versus pastrami shops. Or... is it all a bit of a joke?

A stand-up show about bringing us closer while we tear ourselves apart. Join David Rose as he unpacks our collective insanity and proves that really, we're all in this together.

'A sharp joke-writer and solid performer.' Chortle (UK)

'His banter is confident and smooth.' ★★★★1⁄2 Glam Adelaide

'Comedy wunderkind.' Theatre Haus

Presented as part of the Bendigo Comedy Festival, this show is held in the Cambrian Hotel back garden. Reserve a seat with tickets available at Pay What You Can pricing.

Content Warning:

Coarse Language (occasional/mild)

Adult Themes

Internationally-touring comedian Jez Watts returns to Bendigo with a brand-new hour! Hot off the heels of his first full-length special White-Rice Supreme (watch it on YouTube now) this is all new dirty jokes, bits and stories. From narrowly escape from US customs, avoiding military prison, and the most dangerous game of all: being in love with an animal-mad, death-obsessed veterinarian, this is his best show yet.

Tour support for Sam Tallent, James Donald Forbes McCann, Duncan Trussell, He Huang, Nick Cody and loads more – he’s been seen on stages across seven countries and 60+ festivals. Expect jokes from his time as a soldier, husband, international traveller and drug enthusiast.

‘The blend of dark, satirical and proper naughty comedy does wonders to bolster his drug-fuelled and sexual encounter stories fittingly, leaving you on the edge of your seat as more outrageous details spill out.’ ★★★★½ Fringefeed

★★★★½ Perth Happenings

‘Watts is a standout.’ ★★★★ The Music

‘Hilarious.’ ★★★★ Whats On In Adelaide

Presented as part of the Bendigo Comedy Festival, this show is held in the Cambrian Hotel back garden. Reserve a seat with tickets available at Pay What You Can pricing.

Content Warning:

Coarse Language (occasional/mild)

Adult Themes

Discusses Mental Illness

Pick-up a book and read during afterhours at the La Trobe Art Institute, Bendigo.

We'll bring a selection of humour writers, and other recommendations, and there'll be a gallery of art to enjoy.

Bring your own book too.

Budget depending we'll have live music playing in the background.

Tickets offered at Pay What You Can pricing. So you choose payment from free to billions of dollars.

Here is a selection of books suggested by comedians at the Bendigo Comedy Festival:

Careless People: A story of where I used to work, by Sarah Wynn-Williams - recommended by Danielle Walker

A Wolf At The Table by Augusten Burroughs - recommended by Mick Neven

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss - recommended by Mick Neven

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilber - recommended by Urvi Majumdar

Doppelgänger by Naomi Klein - recommended by Bert Misery

Greta and Valdin by Rebecca K. Reilly - recommended by Luke Morris

Joy in the Morning by PG Wodehouse - recommended by Luke Morris

Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams - recommended by Luke Morris

Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett - recommended by Luke Morris

Time For Bed by David Baddiel - recommended by Luke Morris

A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole - recommended by Luke Morris (again)

Math Mind: The Simple path to loving Math, by Shalinee Sharma - recommended by Michael Connell

The Right Way, the Wrong Way, and the Railway by Nick Anchen - recommended by Sam Hargraves

Four Little Engines by The Rev. W. Awdry - recommended by Sam Hargraves

Three Hours by Rosamund Lupton - recommended by Amy Ruffle

Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth - recommended by Amy Ruffle

Landfall by James Bradley - recommended by Amy Ruffle

Hyperion by Dan Simmons - recommended by Ben Richardson

The Beach by Alex Garland - recommended by Ben Richardson

Hekate by Nikita Gill - recommended by Ben Richardson

Overstory by Richard Powers - recommended by Lucy Best

Hyperbole and a Half : unfortunate situations, flawed coping mechanisms, mayhem, and other things that happened, by Allie Brosch - recommended by Lucy Best

Timequake by Kurt Vonnegut - recommended by Jez Watts

Running The Light by Sam Tallent - recommended by Jez Watts

Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein - recommended by Jez Watts

The Bible by God - recommended by Rowan Thambar

The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins - recommended by Rowan Thambar

Pokémon Encyclopedia by Simcha Whitehill - recommended by Thomas Begg

Presented as part of the Bendigo Comedy Festival with support from Emporium Creative Hub, and the Benefit Bendigo.

Content Warning:

None… unless the book you choose does

Bert Misery is a solo comedy country and blues musician.

Bert’s world is darkened by years of cynicism and bitterness that gain wryness and a self-deprecating humour from contrasting despair and hope to produce toe tapping blues and country music.

Bert used to be part of a comedy music duo, Bert Misery and the Miserytones, in the outer suburbs of Melbourne, last century.

Bert retired from performing in 2001.

He is a former teacher and freelance writer.

Bert is returning to music comedy as a gigging performer after twenty-five years because, shockingly, it is a more promising industry than tertiary education right now.

In the post-apocalyptic, post AI environment of our contemporary information economy, Bert is on a mission to spread simple undergraduate education disguised as jokes and songs.

Bert sings original songs that poke fun at contemporary society and satirise modern life. (In the style of Tom Lehrer, Alex Horne and the Horne Section, Sammy J and Tim Minchin.).

The Bert Misery sound is a mix of country and blues with a folk rocky accent and a punk attitude. (Imagine Johnny Cash, Slim Dusty, Billy Bragg and Tom Waites… but funny.)

Bert Misery’s songs and dialogue contain adult content.

Trigger warnings for: swearing, suicidal ideation, drug and alcohol use, addiction, mental health issues."

Presented as part of the Bendigo Comedy Festival, this show is held in the Cambrian Hotel back garden. Reserve a seat with tickets available at Pay What You Can pricing.

Content Warning:

Coarse Language (frequent/strong)

Adult Themes

Discusses Mental Illness

After successful seasons at the 2026 Adelaide Fringe and Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Sam Hargreaves is returning to the Bendigo Comedy Festival with "Frustrations of a Railway Enthusiast."

Get ready for more customer service horror stories from Sam's time as a volunteer and passenger on heritage trains. Adelaide Fringe audiences described his show as "enter-training" and "great for both retail workers and gunzels" (Adelaide Fringe website).

Presented as part of the Bendigo Comedy Festival, this show is held in the Cambrian Hotel back garden. Reserve a seat with tickets available at Pay What You Can pricing.

Content Warning:

Coarse Language (occasional/mild)

Adult Themes

Relax.

Grab a beer.

Hang in the beer garden.

Listen to the tunes.

The Festival is over.

Now we chill.

Content Warning:

Coarse Language (occasional/mild)