The Aboriginal Comedy Allstars Are All About Bringing The Funny

Some of the biggest comedy stars under the Milky Way are heading to Brisbane this festival season for what is arguably the most 'Aussie' show of them all. The Aboriginal Comedy Allstars are back in town and one of their number, the joyously ridiculous Kevin Kropinyeri, is particularly delighted to be dishing out mischief and belly laughs with his contemporaries again.

Performing comedy for a little under a decade now, Kropinyeri has been a firm favourite among comedy fans, winning over audiences with his warmth, silliness, keen observational style and untempered physicality. "You can expect to see a lot of physical comedy and quick-wit comedy — we've all got our different styles," he says of the Allstars.

Joining Kropinyeri on stage are Andy Saunders, a man of many voices (including beatboxing) who will disarm you with charm; Matt Ford, who brings a fresh take to being a decidedly self-deprecating and trendy young urbanite; and special guest Dane Simpson, an up-and-coming stand-up comedian with a unique, cheeky style.

"A lot of the feedback I get back from non-Indigenous people is, 'Wow! You're so warm and inviting, absolutely hilarious, and we learnt a lot'."

After sweeping the country with a historic 75-date tour last year, the Allstars have seen audiences grow along with their brand. Each comedian brings their unique perspective on life in modern Australia to their craft, and their top-shelf humour has been known to dispel any qualms about whether any "whitefellas" in the room will get a laugh, while also giving a nod to the shared experiences of Indigenous people. Kevin describes it as a "hilarious cultural education into Aboriginal Australia".

"We get a lot more non-Indigenous people come to our shows now, which is great. A lot of the feedback I get back from non-Indigenous people is, 'Wow! You're so warm and inviting, absolutely hilarious, and we learnt a lot'."

As a founding member of the Allstars, Kropinyeri describes the show as "the flagship of Aboriginal comedy in this country". Each Allstar has a smattering of television credits, festival performances and awards to their name. It was through bumping into each other around the country that Kropinyeri and Andy Saunders came up with the idea to bring together the stand-up supergroup.

"To bring an Aboriginal comedic supergroup together to bust through on the Australian comedy scene is awesome," says Kropinyeri, reflecting that just a decade ago there was only one Indigenous comedian on the professional circuit. "But, first things first, it's about being funny. We wouldn't be making a living off selling out shows if it wasn't funny."

Describing his own comedic style, Kropinyeri says: "You can expect a bit of music… stories about kids, family, exes… laughing at the expense of the dysfunctional pain of my past." While many comedic acts are looking to play off the heightened political atmosphere of the time, the Allstars will be doing what they've always done: serving up punchy, high-energy five-star quality comedy, sharp wit and out-there physical humour. "As comedians, we see things differently, we always see the funny in something."