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Tell us about your act and what you plan to bring to the stage.
Melbourne's alternative comedy competition
FRESH — The Future of Alternative Comedy
A competition for sketch, character, clown, musical comedy, magic, mime and everything beyond stand-up.
What if there was a comedy competition...
...where stand-up wasn't the default?
SKETCHCHARACTERCLOWNMUSICALMAGICMIMECHAOS
This is FRESH.
Why FRESH exists
Built for comedians who colour outside the lines.
Melbourne has a thriving alternative comedy scene, but performers working outside traditional stand-up are still too often left out of the mainstream.
FRESH gives new and emerging alternative comedians a dedicated stage, a live audience and a chance to build meaningful connections within the comedy industry.
The stranger and more original, the better. Bring a song, a sketch, a character, a clown, a magician, a prop act or something we do not yet have a name for.
See it live
Tickets to FRESH.
Watch Melbourne's newest alternative comedy acts bring their best five minutes to the stage.
Next FRESH night
Event details coming soon.
Ticket sales, event dates and full venue information will be announced here.
DateTo be announced
TimeTo be announced
PriceTo be announced
How it works
Five minutes.
One chance to surprise a room full of people. No safety net.
00:00
Your best five minutes.
Perform
Selected acts perform their strongest five minutes in a curated line-up.
Be judged
An anonymous panel of industry professionals assesses originality, structure, humour and performance.
Grow
Receive private feedback, filmed footage and opportunities to connect with other performers.
Why enter?
More than five minutes onstage.
01
Free to enter
Talent should not have an entry fee.
02
Professional feedback
Every contestant privately receives constructive feedback from the judging panel.
03
Performance recording
The night is professionally filmed, and contestants receive a copy of their performance.
04
Cash prizes
First, second and third place receive monetary prizes.
05
Career opportunities
Actionable prizes may include mentorship, venue support, creative sessions and industry opportunities.
06
Championship qualification
First and second place progress to the FRESH championships near the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
The prizes
Serious prizes.
Seriously stupid awards.
First place
Ice-block immortality
Your name carved eternally into an ice block. Freezer not included.
Second place
FRESH face tattoo voucher
A real voucher, should anyone be brave or foolish enough to use it.
Third place
Inflated whoopie cushion
Squeeze it and it gets taken away.
Last place
A well-done steak
Because some things are worse than losing.
Original beats safe.
Different belongs here.
Bring us something we have never seen before.
Previous nights
The first chapter starts here.
This archive will grow with every FRESH competition—celebrating the acts, winners and wonderfully strange moments from each night.
01
Photos coming after our inaugural event.
02
Winning acts and highlights will live here.
03
Behind-the-scenes chaos, eventually.
FAQ
Questions, answered.
Is FRESH really free to enter?
Yes. There is no entry fee.
Can groups enter?
Yes. Solo performers, duos and groups are welcome, provided the act fits within the performance time and competition requirements.
Is stand-up allowed?
Traditional stand-up is not eligible. FRESH is built for comedy beyond stand-up: sketch, characters, clown, musical comedy, magic, mime, physical comedy, multimedia and other original formats.
How are acts judged?
An anonymous panel of industry professionals considers originality and creativity, structure or story, overall humour and engagement, and performance prowess.
How long is each performance?
Each selected act performs their best five minutes.
Applications
Ready to bring something different?
Applications are open. Tell us about your act and show us what you want to bring to the FRESH stage.
Apply nowThe application form opens in a new tab.