Looking for a school holiday activity that will have the kids — and probably the parents — laughing out loud? **The Listies are coming to Bondi Pavilion this October with their hilarious new family show, This Show is a Joke! **
Australia’s much-loved kids’ comedy duo Matt Kelly and Richard Higgins are bringing an hour of slapstick, songs, ridiculous gags, bubbles, bananas and complete chaos to the Bondi Pavilion Theatre.
Recommended for ages 5+, this could be a great one to add to your spring school holiday calendar.
Prepare for Some Serious Silliness
This Show is a Joke! is a one-hour comedy extravaganza filled with the kind of absurd humour The Listies have become famous for.
Matt and Rich combine some fan favourites with brand-new antics inspired by their latest joke books.
And what exactly can families expect?
Apparently, quite a lot.
- The world’s ugliest baby
- The solar system’s silliest cowboys
- The universe’s best toilet paper cannons
- An enormous number of bubbles
- Even more bananas
- Plenty of slapstick and ridiculous jokes
- And possibly even a cameo from Batman — if he replies to their text
Don’t bring the kids expecting an educational experience. The Listies are promising no educational value whatsoever — just an hour of wonderfully ridiculous family entertainment.
Who Are The Listies?
If your kids are already Listies fans, they’ll know exactly what they’re in for.
Richard Higgins and Matt Kelly, aka The Listies, have become a favourite on the Australian family entertainment scene with their unique mix of physical comedy, storytelling, silly songs and very, very bad jokes.
The comedy duo began performing together in 2008 before moving into children’s comedy full-time in 2011.
Since then, they’ve performed for families across Australia and the UK and can also be seen on ABC iview in shows including Art Blast and What’s With The Listies.
Their work has picked up a string of awards along the way, including Best Children’s Show at the Melbourne Fringe Festival, a Sydney Theatre Award and the Golden Gibbo Award at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
A Heads-Up for Parents
The show is recommended for children aged five and over.
Parents should also be aware that the performance includes some sudden loud noises, lasers and smoke effects.
And there’s one more warning: you may get a little wet!
Add This One to the School Holiday List
If your kids love silly humour, slapstick comedy and shows where absolutely anything can happen, This Show is a Joke!looks set to deliver plenty of laughs.
With several daytime performances across Friday 9 and Saturday 10 October, it’s also an easy one to work into a family day at Bondi during the school holidays.
See the show, grab something to eat and, weather permitting, finish the outing with some time at Bondi Beach.
This Show is a Joke! at Bondi Pavilion
📍 Where: Bondi Pavilion Theatre
📅 When: 8–10 October 2026
⏰ Duration: Approximately 60 minutes
👧 Recommended age: 5+
🎟️ Tickets: From $20
Ticket Prices
Full: $25
Concession: $20
Mob Tix: $20
Family of four: $80
More information: www.bondipavilion.com.au
Performance Times
Thursday 8 October
6:00pm–7:00pm
Friday 9 October
11:00am–12:00pm
2:00pm–3:00pm
Saturday 10 October
11:00am–12:00pm
1:30pm–2:30pm
