By Nick Pilgrim
Celebrating forty glorious years, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival is bigger, bolder, and more diverse than ever.
From the acrobatic daring of Circus Oz to the frenzied competition of IKEA Wars, put simply, there is indeed something for everyone.
My biggest takeaway from attending the world’s second largest annual celebration of its kind, is witnessing first-hand how comedy’s very definition continues to change, develop and grow.
Julian O’Shea is an online presenter with dedicated fans and followers on YouTube (125K), Instagram (85K) and TikTok (85K). As these numbers continue to climb, what makes his brand of entertainment special is a life-long love for facts and figures.
In 2024 I had the pleasure of reviewing M Is (Mostly) For Melbourne. Told in alphabetical order, that piece highlighted which local icons, landmarks, places and people truly stood out.
Last year, O’Shea broadened his horizons with One For The Record Books. In it, he detailed a passion for The Guinness Book of Records, its history, and the determination to set some personal goals of his own.
For this newest outing, O’Shea triumphs yet again.
As the title suggests, Maps is about all things cartographic.
From St. Kilda’s origin to the location of Melbourne’s exact starting point, who knew history could be this fun?
Like a quirky family photo album brought to life, Maps is a celebration through the eyes of Generation X, Y and Z.
Keeping in the spirit of his previous presentations, O’Shea’s seventy-five-minute journey covers a vast range of topics. These include:
- The development of hit computer games like Sim City and Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego, and their wide-reaching appeal.
- Why Swanston Street isn’t worthy of naming as a major thoroughfare.
- How the Bolte Bridge pylons are only for decoration.
- Offering his own design suggestions for a new City of Melbourne
- Australia’s obsession with all things big (from the diabolical Big Potato to the nightmare-inducing Big Koala)
- How our southernmost state seems always to be forgotten, and a warning why the Map of Tasmania should never be Googled.
- Why a certain rural location has its own time zone.
- Submissions for a new Melbourne landmark to rival Sydney’s Opera house. One outrageous entry which O’Shea milked for all its worth, had Saturday evening’s audience in absolute stitches.
Much to the delight of his packed crowd, the notorious Montague Street Bridge rated a special mention as well.
The list goes on.
Like M Is (Mostly) For Melbourne and One For The Record Books, O’Shea has clearly done his homework. That he can string what appears to be a series of unrelated topics into a strong and cohesive whole, underscores this show’s wide-ranging appeal. It must be said that everyone in attendance, from eight to eighty, was kept both entertained and informed.
Furthermore, Maps showcases O’Shea’s evolution as an outstanding presenter. Energetic and affable, someone out there in television land needs to snap him up ASAP. He is that good.
While Maps has concluded its sold-out run at this year’s MICF, here’s hoping a repeat season is considered very soon.
