Freebairn’s show, Doppelganger, is a one-hour wonder. The audience is taken on a journey beginning with Freebairn’s desire to find his doppelganger and ending with just that. Along the way we’re privy to travel tales, childhood memories and some rather personal thoughts. Doppelganger is comedy meets philosophy. It’s funny meets inspiring. Most of all, it’s honest.

Freebairn is an emerging comedian with the goods. He’s humorous and intelligent. His entire performance was flawless – he never skipped a beat, he never fumbled and he never put a foot wrong. His material – from social parodies to common conundrums, from mistakes to mindless banter – was eloquently delivered.

I’ve never been to a show like it before. I’ve never nodded along with a comedian quite so much. I’ve never found a performer who insightfully addressees so many relatable scenarios. I’ve never clapped for quite as long at the end of the show. Doppelganger was just that good. So jolly good, that if you only get a chance to see one thing at this year’s comedy festival, make it Bart Freebairn.

As soon as Dwayne Robbins (played by Ashley Barnett) bounced on stage, American accent in full swing, I knew it was going to be one brilliant parody of the self-help industry. And oh, how the industry was mocked. The Secret was hit hard, abundance and wealth were focused on, positive thinking and feng shui were highlighted and everything else – from motivation to affirmations – were all highly satirised.

With a PowerPoint presentation and flipchart in hand, Dwayne Robbins’ ‘seminar’ on making money, looking good and owning expensive stuff was rather comical. Not quite as comical as his fake tan and pearly whites, but almost.

The highlight of the Inspiration Hour, for me, was the magic that Robbins, a motivational magician, performed. As we discovered, through the power of positive thinking, anything you want can manifest itself. Robbins busied himself with manifesting all manner of strange material things, and even ensuring the disappearance of some material things. Every trick was an unexpected addition for the audience. Every gag was simple, yet effective enough to draw giggles and gasps.

Whilst a few technical hiccups jolted the show’s flow a couple of times, it was an all-round stellar performance from a one-man show. Check out Dwayne Robbins and be inspired – chances are he’ll even change you, right there on the spot.

Self-deprecating and completely dysfunctional in thought, Crook’s hour long show covers all manner of topics: ageing, cultural divides, history, women, travel, failed relationships, sex and phobias of all sorts.

He is a rambling, mumbling, witty bloke, quick with a comeback and sharp with his tongue. He is also the kind of guy no one really wants to be – riddled with issues, lonely, ordinary looking and generally mediocre. Somehow, though, he manages to turn his seemingly boring life into a show filled with unbelievable stories and incredible failures.

Direct and to the point, his stand up show delivers smirks, giggles and a few belly laughs. Amazingly, he uses no props or notes, just plain old talking and ad-libbing. His show is like listening to a mate having a long yarn. And, judging by the content of his show, this is one forty-something year old man in dire need of a mate. Get along to Crookwit to make Trev a happy man – you might even recognise a little bit of yourself in him. And if you do, that’s perfectly ok.

Initially, only a few minutes into the show, I panicked. ‘Oh dear, is this seriously going to be a whole hour of html and code and IT related stuff?’ Thankfully, it wasn’t. It was, however, a mash up of IT related experiences and events, as well as completely non-IT related stories. The Internet, Facebook and Twitter were all explored, as were cheese, beer and babies.

Willis is an intelligent performer, quick to read the crowd and tailor a show to their needs. His timing is impeccable and his personality is completely affable.

What I loved most about Dan Willis’ show was how well he engaged with the audience. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever been to a show where the comedian has actually interacted with the audience so often. The intimate setting was perfect for his show, and Control Alt Delete is perfect for anyone who loves getting intimate with their computer.

The one hour show is a whirlwind of monologues and accents  – all expertly and brilliantly delivered by the talented five member cast – Libby Ahearn, Cait Harris, Trent Newman, Zoe Norton Lodge and Mark Sutton.

‘Queen Victoria’s Secret Catalogue’ is a cheeky story of family history. Already knowing his mother was Queen Victoria, a very old man sends his four closest pals – his daughter, ex-wife, nurse and best friend – back 112 years in a time capsule to discover the identity of his father, a man he never knew. The four pals deem the father is either Charles Dickens or Oscar Wilde, and so ensues an hour of mishaps, wrong turns and strange scenarios. Some well placed songs, costume changes and daring lines ensure the show is fresh and different.

The pop culture references throughout the show were definitely highlights, as were the Australian-isms that made me giggle. Without a doubt, the quick change between characters from the actors was the most impressive feature of the show, and the quick wit of the script is not to be forgotten – just keep up, because it is quick.

This show is for anyone not afraid to step down a few stairs, or right out of the box. One question: can you keep a secret?

Her show, an hour long re-cap of her life so far, aptly titled ‘Don’t You Know Who I Used To Be?’ is an interesting glimpse into a well travelled life. JoMo, as she affectionately calls herself, is a writer, actress, comedian, producer and television personality, best known for her stand up comedy routines as well as her roles in Full Frontal, In Melbourne Tonight and more recently It Takes Two and those Fitness First ads. Abroad, she has worked for the BBC and has managed to, in her forty years, rack up quite an impressive, and rather humourous, list of experiences.

Her trusty Mac Book guides the audience through a power point presentation, outlining the days, months and individual moments of her life. We see baby photographs, family snaps, school pictures, overseas adventures, wedding day smiles, celebrity sightings and some seriously sunburnt moments.

Never dull, Don’t You Know Who I Used To Be is filled with wisecracks, insights and some fantastic stories. Julia really shone when left unscripted, and animated, rather than following the power point prompts. I would have personally liked more chatting to and with audience, rather than at them. I would strongly recommend this show for any Julia Morris fan.  You are bound to get a much better grasp of who she really is. Or used to be.