The 16th Australia wide RAW Comedy Competition in Cairns is just around the corner. Run by the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, this competition is best known as the incubator for keen comic newbies.

Previous winners that have shot to TV, film and theatre stardom include Josh Thomas, Hannah Gatsby, Mike McLeish (Keating! The Musical) Tim Minchin and Chris Lilly.

RAW Comedy runs nationally every year between January and April and will be coming to Cairns for the first time.

12 regional performers will bare all, and give their all, to tickle the funny bones of the judges and audience members for their chance to compete in the state and national finals.

The winner of the Cairns final goes directly into the QLD state final then onto Melbourne and the national winner gets a trip to Edinburgh Fringe to perform.

The Cairns heat of RAW will be hosted by TV comic celebrity Troy Kinne and is the opening show of the comedy season at the Cairns Sit Down Comedy Club.

Everyone is encourages to come along and have a laugh on and with the locals.

Dates and Times: Friday February 17. Doors open 9 pm, show starts at 9.30 pm
Venue: Velvet Underground
Tickets: $17 to $25.
All details and tickets at the Festivals Up North website  

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