A funny quest

The comedy competition with the biggest prize haul - the Roxbury Hotel's Quest for the Best series - is on right now.

By Sarah Norris
"It’s a gruelling process to be the funniest comedian in Sydney. First there’s months of intense competition, a series of heats and then finally the grand final – the big daddy – an event the organisers predict will this year attract around 600 people who will be on the edge of their seat waiting on the jokes and puns of the ten finalists.
But the payoff and rewards are big. Snagging first prize in the Quest For the Best competition sees you handed a massive wad of sweaty cash, $5,000, which in comparison to the usual comedy prize on a usual weekly comedy event, is like winning first prize in Monday night Lotto.
“Most comedy competitions offer cash, though nothing comes even close to getting five grand,” exclaims last year’s winner, 24-year-old Liverpool comic Oliver Phommavanh. “Plus I got to hold a giant novelty cheque – that’s pretty impressive.”
What’s also remarkable is the rise and rise of Quest for the Best in such a short time. The brainchild of Kathryn Benball (she’s also organiser of the Glebe Roxbury Hotel comedy nights, a major supporter of local and up-and-coming comedians) and now in its third year, the event seems to have outgrown its home. “Last year we could have sold at least 600 tickets to the grand final so the pub has agreed that the final night will be held in an external venue. We just can’t hold enough people. It’s been a fantastic success and obviously the pub is through the roof about the whole thing. The first two years we did 400 people.”
So, what does she see as the attraction? “It’s new talent coming through – a lot of people turn up because they are curious to see who will be the next crop of comedians. It’s true a lot of people don’t come until the heats because they don’t want to sit through the bad ones, but some people really love it.”

Read the full article from Time Out here.