International stand-up comedian Des Bishop will return to Australia this November for his first tour in nearly seven years, with shows scheduled across five major cities.
Beginning in Brisbane on November 5, Bishop will then head to Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide and Perth. Tickets for all shows are now on sale.
Bishop, a New York-born comic who built much of his career in Ireland, last performed in Australia in 2019. Speaking to Starts at 60 ahead of the tour, he said the extended absence was partly due to circumstances around the pandemic and a serious knee injury.
“I haven’t been in Australia since 2019,” he said. “I was supposed to come back in 2020, but I tore my ACL five weeks before.”
The comedian added that the pandemic ultimately reshaped his personal life.
“I went to New York and as a result, I met my now-wife. I don’t think that would have happened otherwise.”
Bishop’s upcoming shows will not carry a specific tour title, reflecting what he describes as a broader, more universal approach to his comedy. After years performing primarily in Ireland, he said his recent focus on touring the United States has influenced his material.
“My comedy has definitely become a bit more universal, so it’s really just a more stereotypical stand-up comedy show about anything and everything,” he said.
The tour will include a return to Sydney’s Comedy Store, a venue Bishop praised as among the best in the world.
“I would say the Comedy Store Sydney is one of the world’s top 10 great comedy rooms… there’s something about it,” he said.
With a career spanning more than two decades, Bishop has built an international following through stand-up, television and podcasting. His credits include specials such as Made in China and One Day You’ll Understand, as well as television projects documenting his experiences learning languages and immersing himself in different cultures.
That global perspective, he said, has shaped both his life and his comedy.
“Learning a language brings with it an ability to understand a culture more. I feel like I’ve had a better life as a result of having those experiences,” Bishop said.
Despite his international background, Bishop said he sees fewer differences between audiences than is often assumed, noting that Australian crowds are particularly receptive to a range of comedic styles.
“I don’t think I’ve ever really witnessed somebody coming from somewhere else and it just not being compatible with an Australian audience, if it’s funny,” he said.
The upcoming November tour will mark Bishop’s first opportunity to reconnect with Australian audiences since the pandemic, with the comedian also pointing to a growing online following as a potential new audience base.
“I’m hoping this time around, I’ll just get some people that found me over the last two years via social media,” he said.