Family violence is no laughing matter. But a bunch of Australians comedians - from both Canberra and interstate - will use their talents both to raise funds for the Domestic Violence Crisis Service in the ACT and to raise awareness of the broader national issue in the Fearless Comedy Gala at the Canberra Theatre on Thursday night.
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Hosted by Jean Kittson, the gala will feature many acts including Penny Greenhalgh, Sammy J, Gretel Killeen, Adam Richard, Jason Chong, Catherine Deveny and Kirsty Webeck.
Also among those performing on the night will be Canberra musical comedy duo Sparrow-Folk, otherwise known as Juliet Moody and Catherine Crowley. Moody was the prime instigator of the Fearless Comedy Gala and formed a committee to set up what she hoped would become an annual event that would spread to other areas and raise funds for their communities.
"When I was performing at the Edinburgh Comedy Festival I saw people raising money for different charities," she said.
Moody decided this was something she could do in Canberra and as someone who had escaped from a violent situation herself 10 years ago in Canberra she decided to establish The Fearless Initiative to run events like this in order to help other victims.
"We made up a list of our favourite people," Moody said - and they landed many of them, both from Canberra and interstate, on the bill, performing comedy to raise money for the cause.
Another initiative was #2funny, a comedy competition for ACT students won by Year 9 Lyneham High School student Bilal Siddeque, who will also be performing at the gala. It will be his first public performance.
Not quite so new to comedy is another Canberra performer, Chris Endrey, who gave up regular work - he used to be employed at the Department of Climate Change - a couple of years ago to throw himself into an artistic life of comedy and music that he said was less lucrative but made him much happier.
Like his comedy colleagues, he said, he was giving his time to the gala to raise money for a good cause.
He said Canberra was a good place for comedians.
"Comedians are very political and politicians are very funny, whether intentionally or not."
The Fearless Comedy Gala is on at the Canberra Theatre on Thursday, August 18 at 7.30pm. Tickets $65/$59 from canberratheatrecentre.com.au or phone 6275 2700.
