A Jolly Spiegletent

There are caterpillars tickling my tummy. They crawl around inside & I feel a little giddy with anticipation.....I check again....I have the tickets...

It starts with your lips curling up & then turns into a little giggle. It warms up your tummy & those curled up lips become a definite smile & you release a slightly louder giggle. 

I greet my fellow adventurers. We are ready for an entertaining night out. It is cold but we are warm in such good company.  The caterpillars are cacooned & for the few minutes of social chit-chat the feeling quiets .... We line up .... the feelings back ..... we check our tickets.

Eyebrows raise & shoulders rise & fall, your mouth falls open -  you release a boisterous heartfelt chuckle...

Catapillars turn into butterflys & moths. They dart around my stomach. Anticipation is now excitment, the line is moving & I hope we don't end up in the front row. The usher checks our tickets....We are in the second row....phew....wait ....there is no-one in front of us!!  The butterflys & moths weave & dance hitting the walls. How did this happen? 

Though I have not turned round, I give all of those behind us the look of death - where is their sense of courage??? Why did they lack the bravery of the required front row sitters???? I feel excitment or possibly fear - I'm not sure which. Why did we buy these tickets???

Your body heaves forward & backwards, small tears of happiness roll down your face & your cheek muscles joyously ache along with collapsing & painfully expanding, "stop, stop, it hurts so much" ribs....it's hysterical, wonderful, magnificent, "couldn't stop if I wanted to" laughter!!


It's April, it's Melbourne & the International Comedy Festival is in town! For 4 entertaining weeks, we laugh & cry & marvel at the skill, & on occassion lack of skill (but outstanding bravery) of comedic performers involved in over 500 shows playing across 121 city venues. 

It is an amazing time. 

Strangers smile as they pass in the street. Cheap cheerful food & rich hot chocolates send fragrant steam into frigid air punctuating vibrant conversations amongst friends. And over the course of the festival we find ourselves at my very favourite of venues...the Famous Spiegletent - a place worth blipping if ever there was one :) 

Memorable moments include : 
* Dave Callan - a 6 foot hairy biker exploring the world of dance. 
* Everything at the mysterious & dodgy venue, Tuxedo Cat....what just happened?
* Felicity Wards' head-on approach to mental illness & her ability to take us along for the ride! 
* Peter & Bambi Heavens - The Magic Inside... words cannot describe the magic. ...really they can't ..... or maybe shouldn't - great show! 
* Yettis Demon Dive Bar - The first comedy show we've ever walked out on & which lead to an hysterically funny recount over wine and cake! It had to be seen to be believed... or should that be not seen?
* The genius of the Pajama Men - if you ever get the chance see them - so clever! 

Hope laughter comes your way soon fellow blippers :) happy blipping!