Wollongong Comedy Festival director Riley Jones is working hard to build a vibrant arts culture in the Illawarra.
A 26-year-old comedy enthusiast from Port Kembla, Riley is a technical officer at UOW by day, but by night you can often find him at Side Door Theatre on Crown Street, Wollongong, writing hilarious scripts, running comedy nights or even behind the bar serving drinks.
Riley told The Flame how he came to create the Wollongong Comedy Festival, which started on Friday, June 30 and runs until Sunday, 9 July.
Please tell us a bit about yourself and your comedy background.
I am an incredibly amateur stand-up, less amateur writer, and an enthusiast for all things in media. I have done radio shows, podcasting, video live streams, stand up, zine publishing, and almost everything under the sun, because I love having a laugh at myself, and finding out what I can and can’t do. I love comedy and, as cliche as it seems, laughing, in any form.
What inspired you to start the Wollongong Comedy Festival?
Wollongong is a big city, and big cities should have a variety of arts and culture festivals. We don’t need to live in the shadow of Sydney, and we should be carving our own identity and culture.
I wanted a comedy festival for a long time in Wollongong, and then last year I finally decided that I should just do it. So, I did, and it went really well, and I am doing it again.
What was the process of establishing it? Any challenges or entertaining moments? People who helped or got involved along the way?
The process of officially establishing was surprisingly easy, it was the challenge of selling tickets and building community support for it. I genuinely believe that comedy is for everyone, even if not every comedian is for everyone.
People like to laugh, and be entertained, and comedy is that in its purest and rawest form, and just trying to get that message and idea out is what has been hardest.
Entertaining moments are to come, when the festival begins, and I get to see all the hard work in action.
As for people who have helped, the festival wouldn’t be where it is now without Jarrod Riesinger, who has worked tirelessly to help bring this to life, twice now. And, of course, to everyone who hung posters, or stickers, or shared and liked, or even bought tickets in support, I owe so much.
What are you excited about for this year's line-up?
There are a lot of great acts this year, and I don’t want to show any favouritism, but we have a second Improv act this year, “The Newlyweds”, and I am excited by the prospect of the festival growing to include more styles of comedy.
We have great showcases, which I love putting on, both as someone with a short attention span, and as someone who loves value for money. And all our acts are incredible comics – it is hard to go wrong really!
How can people get involved and buy tickets?
Visit our website wollongongcomedyfestival.com or our Facebook page, or Instagram, or even just Google it. If you want to get involved, feel free to come to any event and talk to anyone working, and they can probably direct you to me or Jarrod.
The Newlyweds, performing on 7 July, are married couple Eleanor Stankiewicz and Marcel Blanch-de Wilt. Eleanor is an award-winning actor who has toured the country for some of Australia’s biggest theatre companies, and Marcel is a stand-up comedian who has performed all around Australia and overseas.
Get your tickets to see them and many other amazing acts at wollongongcomedyfestival.com
And read our review of Friday night's show at Society City here