Madeleine Swain

Melbourne

Managing Editor at Australian Design Review

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Articles

Reuben Kaye, The Party's Over, Comedy Theatre MICF 2025

1 week ago | artshub.com.au | Madeleine Swain

Aston Villa got knocked out of the UEFA Champions League this morning, going down 4-5 on aggregate to Paris Saint Germain. Wait, what? Why are you reading about a football score when this should be a review of Reuben Kaye’s latest one-man spectacular, The Party’s Over? Well, simply, Villa came into the second leg match 1-3 down and PSG quickly scored two further goals.
Funny Tonne - part two, MICF 2025

1 week ago | artshub.com.au | Madeleine Swain

As part of ArtsHub‘s partnership with the Melbourne International Comedy Festival (MICF 2025) this year, we will again be sharing round-ups of some of the best reviews from the 2025 Funny Tonners. As we did in 2024, this year the ArtsHub team will be judging the very best of all those reviews, as well as publishing selected entries here.
Exhibition review: Blak In-Justice, Heide Museum of Modern Art

1 week ago | artshub.com.au | Madeleine Swain

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are advised that the following review contains the names of deceased persons. Some exhibitions are pretty much review proof, and Blak In-Justice: Incarceration and Resilience is certainly a case in point. Curated by Kent Morris, Barkindji artist, curator and Creative Director of The Torch, the exhibition is the very definition of small but mighty.
Comedy review: Wankernomics: Just Touching Base, Athenaeum Theatre, MICF 2025

1 week ago | artshub.com.au | Madeleine Swain

Just when you think they can’t possibly mine any more comedy gold from their conceit, The Shovel‘s James Schloeffel and The Chaser‘s Charles Firth dig deep and come up with a whole new hour of pitch perfect satire, sticking a knife in the world of corporate speak, meaningless meetings and email trails that disappear up their own fundaments.
Comedy reviews: Rhys Darby: The Legend Returns, Athenaeum Theatre, MICF 2025

1 week ago | artshub.com.au | Madeleine Swain

You’d have to have some fairly sizeable cahunas to give your show a title like this, but fortunately Rhys Darby has the goods to back it up. The Legend Returns sees the Kiwi comedian, actor and star of such terrific screen hits as Hunt for the Wilder People, Flight of the Conchords and Our Flag Means Death is also a gifted stand-up performer – highly skilled in the arts of mime, vocal effects and other elements of physical comedy.
Comedy review: Blak Holes, The Greek, Paw Paw Jump, MICF 2025

2 weeks ago | artshub.com.au | Madeleine Swain

Dane Simpson and Isaac Compton are a great pairing – in that it feels very much like an experienced stand-up veteran (Simpson is celebrating a decade of stand-up this year, having made it to the national finals of Deadly Funny in 2015) acting as a bit of a mentor and protector to Compton, who’s much newer to the game. Their debut show Blak Holes comprises some straightforward gags, comic songs (with Compton singing and playing guitar) and a couple of sketches.
Funny Tonne - part one, MICF 2025

2 weeks ago | artshub.com.au | Madeleine Swain

As part of ArtsHub‘s partnership with the Melbourne International Comedy Festival (MICF 2025) this year, we will again be sharing round-ups of some of the best reviews from the 2025 Funny Tonners. If you’re unaware of this component of the Festival, here’s how MICF itself describes it:“Since 2005, Melbourne International Comedy Festival has challenged die-hard fans of funny to dive deep into the Festival program and pen engaging and enthusiastic show reviews.
Comedy review: Ting Lim: What I Really Think, QT, MICF 2025

2 weeks ago | artshub.com.au | Madeleine Swain

Personable and engaging, Ting Lim has been on the up of late, with appearances in season 2 of the wonderful Fisk and shows likeHave You Been Paying Attention? and Thank God You’re Here. The Singaporean stand-up comedian is now based in Brisbane and is one of those performers who genuinely seems to appreciate the audience, warmly voicing her gratitude for our attendance.
Why radical hope is so much more than passive optimism

2 weeks ago | artshub.com.au | Madeleine Swain

Madeleine Swain is ArtsHub’s managing editor. Originally from England where she trained as an actor, she has over 30 years’ experience as a writer, editor and film reviewer in print, television, radio and online. She is also currently President of JOY Media and Chair of the Board.
Comedy review: Flo and Joan: The Joan and Flo Show, Lower Town Hall, MICF 2025

2 weeks ago | artshub.com.au | Madeleine Swain

Imagine if you were Eddie Izzard and every time you did a stand-up gig the audience would cry out for The Deathstar Canteen. Indeed, if a stand-up comic were to repeat a story or segment you’d seen before you’d be rightly feeling shortchanged. So why is it different with comedians who perform comic songs?