⭐⭐⭐⭐☆
18 August 2025 | 11:55pm | Big Yurt @ Hoots – Potterrow | ★★★★☆
I caught “The Big Naked Comedy Show” at the Big Yurt on the 18th of August. As a late-night show starting at 11.55pm it was EXACTLY as wild, unpredictable, and funny as the name and time slot suggests. Hosted by Paul Savage, the show featured a lineup of five different comedians every night. On this night I was lucky enough to witness a great lineup from the likes of Ty Gray, Henry Bretz, Mads Watson, Lukas Meintjes and Paul Himself.
From the start, Paul set the tone with some naked crowd work, interacting with a random audience member and balancing humour with respect. Highlights included a hilarious story about his upbringing as the son of a preacher, his ADHD, and losing only the essentials – keys, wallet, and phone chargers in life’s chaos.
Henry Bretz brought “big dick energy” (which he joked was more aspirational than literal) and shared clever tales about friends getting engaged, teaching as a substitute, and Australian quirks like breakdancing at the Olympics.
Mads Watson, a completely brand-new comedian, non-binary and Australian with ADHD, wore black Crocs and shared absurdly funny observations, including the Australian government losing a war to emu’s and the story of Harold Holt, a missing prime minister commemorated with a pool after his suspected drowning. I was most impressed that Madz decided to tackle her first comedy spot in a competitive industry fully naked which takes “big” guts.
Lukas Meintjes leaned into the surreal, joking about fairy customs, granting wishes, and small penis anxieties, while Ty Gray spun darkly comic tales of high school teaching, audience-spotting at Melbourne festivals, and reverse-stalking students online as well as stories about his mother’s adventures on Ketamine while he acts as the babysitter.
The show was bold, bizarre, and unapologetically honest. Nudity added a layer of vulnerability, but the real laughs came from clever storytelling, personal anecdotes, and the fearless energy of the performers. By the end, it was clear that The Big Naked Comedy Show isn’t just a gimmick but a showcase of raw, experimental comedy.
