Laughter is the best medicine, and the Adelaide International Comedy Gala served it in the perfect dose.

A staple of the Adelaide Fringe, the Gala returned to Woodville Town Hall in 2025 and delivered a night of epic laughs. Renowned for its diverse lineup of local and international comedians, this year was no different.

Irish-born Adelaide-based comedian Eddie Bannon returned as the charming emcee. A star in his own right, Bannon was a delight as he guided the sold-out event and packed the stage with top-tier comedy and endless laughs for almost three hours. Mixing a planned set and off-the-cuff audience interactions with the enthusiastic Sean and the HBITAH (Hot Btches In The Adelaide Hills), he generated some of the biggest laughs while keeping the show running on time.

The three-act performance kicked off with the legendary Moon Man, Lawrence Mooney. Mooney brought his dry, politically incorrect brand of humour and had the audience in stitches. The Chaser’s Andrew Hansen then introduced us to the digital age and his (lack of) looping skills. While Lindsay Webb, in his nineteenth year at the Fringe, concluded Act One with a hilarious set full of zingers and exceptional comedic timing.

Act Two opened with Jay Michael sharing his wisdom on why non-alcoholic beer is like having an adopted child. Then Emily Grace discussed towel challenges. Gordon Southern explained his allergy issues which included choosing to remain allergic to cats. And visually impaired Joshua Warrior described how he and his friends were denied entry into a venue for pretend parking a pretend car in a no-parking spot. It was laughs aplenty.

Romanian-born Nona Mona slayed with the opening set of Act Three. Her stories of life living in Salisbury and singledom were entertaining and relatable. Cameron James blended comedy with music as he sang his soon-to-be classic songs, You and Me (and Greg) and Medium Dck. Comedy genius Venezuelan Ivan Aristequieta wrapped up the Gala by highlighting the language challenges associated with prepositions ‘in’, ‘on’ and ‘at’. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house at the end of his set.

Every year, the Adelaide International Comedy Gala is a highlight of the Fringe. If you’re reading this review, sorry, but you missed a brilliant night of comedy!