The Greek Festival of Sydney’s second annual Greek Australian Comedy Gala, Paravasis, brought the house down at the Sydney Comedy Store last Sunday, playing to a full house of Greek and non-Greek Australians alike.
Greek and Italian Australian comedian Anthony Locascio curated a lineup of the best young Greek Australian comedians, showing the diversity of humour and wit within the Greek Australian community. Locascio was “absolutely thrilled” with the show.
“I was ecstatic at the audience’s response. We had a predominantly young crowd in who hung off every word each comic said. And they barely said a word about being Greek. The mission to represent Greek Australians in a way that expands the identity was fully accomplished, and I’m now very keen to make it a fully-fledged annual part of the GFOS programming,” he said.
Likewise, Festival Director Tilda Sikes was “delighted” watching the audience laugh along to Paravasis.
“Everyone in the audience had a ball, myself included. We’re so appreciative of Anthony and these young comedians, who were just fantastic, for their support of the Greek Festival. We can’t wait to see more of them at the Sydney Comedy Festival later this year,” she said.
While Locascio kicked off the night and popped in between sets to introduce the comedians and perform some of his own hilarious jokes, he mostly left the laughs to the up-and-comers on the lineup.
First up was Melbournian Con Coutis, whose eccentric, tech-infused storytelling created the perfect offbeat energy to start off the night. His bit parodying smug guitar players who can “say whatever they want” while playing brought some of the first big laughs of the evening.
Afterwards, Montana Papadinis’ set took the humour in a more controversial, but no less funny direction. Pulling off material referencing her dad’s gambling addiction and being kidnapped overseas is no easy feat, but Papadinis managed it perfectly, leaving the audience cringing as much as they laughed.
2025 RAW Comedy runner up Josh Spyro’s frenetic set had the audience roaring, with material ranging from road rage to his Greek dad’s aversion to therapy. Spyro loved performing at the gala, describing the crowd’s energy as “electric” as himself and the other comedians “…dove deep into what it truly means to be Greek – going beyond the souvlaki and the ‘opa!’ stereotypes to explore something richer, something real.”
After a short intermission and a crowd work-heavy welcome back from Locascio, RAW Comedy runner up Mariah Nickolas brought a more reserved, hilarious set to change up the pace. Nickolas’ set included some genuinely heartfelt and funny moments, like her story of coming out as bisexual to her grandmother. But she never compromised on her self-described “introvert” humour, describing her method of flirting as like “when two straight men make eye contact in a threesome.”
The final act of the night was 2025 RAW Comedy winner Peter Josip, who set the tone for his set immediately when he strolled out on stage sporting an Umbro tracksuit and swinging a komboloi. Josip’s hilarious stories from his “hot girl summer” and being mistaken as a Mexican man in the US were the perfect way to cap off the evening, ensuring the audience left with huge smiles.
Josip “…[doesn’t] think it could have gone any better”, and appreciated the “…incredible audience that were really into comedy that all happened to be Greek… as a Hellenic comedian [it’s] refreshing that they were all just as into jokes that had nothing to do about being Greek, as well as jokes about being Greek.”Judging from the laughter that flowed from the audience as they left the Comedy Store, there can be no doubt that Paravasis was a huge success. The stereotypical ‘ethnic comedy’ expected from Greek Australian comedians may be fun; but when they move beyond these conventions and cliches, they access a higher level of nuanced, diverse humour that’s sure to make you laugh till your cheeks hurt.
*All photos copyright Vasilis Vasilas.
