The Newcastle Comedy Festival is giving fans one last chance to laugh out loud with the Gala Encore at the Civic Theatre in October.
More than 6,500 comedy lovers flocked to the festival across its 2025 program, cementing its place as one of the city’s premier cultural events. Now, organisers are set to wrap up the year with an all-star lineup that reads like a who’s who of the current Australian comedy scene, alongside a few international flavours.
And we’re not pulling your leg with the lineup either. The list features a handpicked roster of favourites and fresh faces from this year’s festival – It’s a lineup the original Gala would be jealous of.
Hitting the stage for the encore show are Annisa Nandaula, Emma Holland, Takeshi Wakasugi, Tommy Dassalo, Sam Taunton, and Dillruk Jayasinha.
Each brings a distinct style to the stage — from Nandaula’s fierce blend of poetry, politics and punchlines, to Holland’s surreal, deadpan humour, Wakasugi’s bilingual blitz of cross-cultural comedy, and Dassalo’s razor-sharp wit.
Couple that with Taunton’s charming chaos and Dillruk’s buoyant, crowd-winning energy and you’ve got yourself a pretty formidable bill.
Organisers have also just added Nick Cody to the mix. A familiar face from television and festival stages around the world, Cody’s credits include Have You Been Paying Attention?, The Project, Conan in the US and multiple appearances at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Gala. With his trademark blend of relatable stories and big laughs, his appearance is set to be a major drawcard for local audiences.
With a program stacked with talent, the Newcastle Comedy Festival Gala Encore promises to cap off a huge year of comedy in the Hunter with a night of laughs you won’t want to miss.
Newcastle Comedy Festival Gala Encore is happening at the Civic Theatre on Friday, 3 October. Tickets are on sale now through the Civic Theatre box office visit civictheatrenewcastle.com.au to get your hands on some.
