Stand Up Summer
3 – 15 February 2026
Australia’s sharpest and funniest voices take over the Opera House this summer, as a powerhouse lineup of female and non-binary comedians hit the stage from 3 – 15 February.
The season kicks off with the riotous Stand Up Summer Gala, headlined by Celia Pacquola, before each comedian steps into the spotlight for their own stand-up show. Expect fresh perspectives, razor-sharp wit and laugh-out-loud sets from Denise Scott, Geraldine Hickey, Jenny Tian, Lizzy Hoo, Lou Wall, Mel Buttle and Zoë Coombs Marr.
Upcoming events
Stand Up Summer - The Gala
3 Feb 2026
Celebrate the launch of the Sydney Opera House’s summer of stand up with a gala line-up for the ages. Start 2026 as you mean to continue it—laughing your way through an incredible night of stand-up comedy. Hosted by Geraldine Hickey and headlined by Celia Pacquola, this one-off event brings together comedy superstars and surprise guests for a night not to be missed. Book early, it will sell out.
Denise Scott
4 & 5 Feb 2026
Famous for her razor-sharp wit and unflinching honesty, Scotty promises audiences a show unlike anything she’s delivered before. So much has happened recently, so boy does she have a lot to tell you. It’s no secret that the last three years has involved one hell of a time for Denise: “It’s a very powerful thing that’s happened in that it feels like anything I’ve talked about on stage, before cancer, is now pretty irrelevant”.
Geraldine Hickey
6 – 8 Feb 2026
I love a good meander, a nice big walk where your mind gets to wander, and you think about the big things in life. Sometimes after a while you find yourself asking questions like “Is this the same path I started on?” and “Why can’t they have more signs?” also “Shouldn’t I be back close to where I started by now?” Then you find yourself reaching out to those you love and asking them questions like “Could you come and pick me up?”
Jenny Tian
12 – 14 Feb 2026
Jenny’s had one of the most original experiences ever: moving to London as an Australian. She’s frozen her eggs, re-downloaded Hinge and is ready for an adventure. Join her as she shares her stories of phone snatching, cultural oddities and ~finding herself~.
Lizzy Hoo
4 – 6 Feb 2026
Lizzy Hoo is back with a brand new hour of stand up… actually it’s just the same 10-minute set on repeat. Jokes! Okay, so have you ever felt like you’re just going through the motions? You have trouble savouring the moments when everything is so transient? You’re kind of stuck on repeat? This show is about the things we do (okay, maybe the things I have done) to get out of that: golf lessons, piano, pickle ball, overcommitting, overnight hikes, scuba diving, bungee jumping, first dates, dinners at fancy restaurants, jobs I’ve never dreamed of and romantic holidays all on my own.
Lou Wall
7 & 8 Feb 2026
Featuring Wall’s signature meme-fueled PowerPoints, and pop musical comedy, Breaking the Fifth Wall is a forensic and frankly ludicrous deep dive into the space where performance and reality collide. Nothing and everything is as it seems. Fresh off a sell-out season at Edinburgh Fringe and about to take on New York – Lou Wall’s genre-defying, internet-fuelled comedy is not to be missed. Directed by Zoë Coombs Marr. Presented by Sydney Opera House and Token Events
Mel Buttle
11 – 15 Feb 2026
Mel Buttle is a busy bee. From juggling a toddler to sold out shows across the country to appearances on The Project and Taskmaster and keeping her millions of fans online happy, as the creator behind Australia’s favourite online mum character ‘Lyn’ – she needs a lie down. Lucky for you she’s very good at comedy too. You remember how it felt when the Bookclub brochure arrived at school? She’s hoping this show brings you even just a sliver of that amount of joy/bliss/hope/happiness.
Zoë Coombs Marr
14 Feb 2026
Pop on your poncho for a full ball, pedal to the metal, embarrassingly silly display of going all in, pulling out the stops, leaping before looking and let’s be honest here, just trying to make you laugh. Which is good for you, because it’s a comedy show. Just dumb, splashy fun in the form of “stand up comedy”, with jokes, stories and goofiness from your favourite chaos imp, Zoë Coombs Marr.
