Award-winning comedian and amateur Egyptologist AJ Lamarque is inviting you to unwrap the myths, as part of this year's comedy festival season.
“'A Beginner’s Guide To Ancient Egypt' is a comedy hour that blends history, storytelling and humour to tour one of the world’s most fascinating civilisations,” AJ describes. “It's the history class you wish you had in school.”
Few civilisations have captured the imagination throughout history quite like Ancient Egypt. It's something AJ has his own fascinated history with. It all began during his education, and had nothing to do with what he was even studying at the time.
“I’ve been obsessed with Ancient Egypt ever since enrolling in a hieroglyphs class during a year abroad at UC Berkeley. What started as academic curiosity in a class completely unrelated to my Biomedical Science degree, turned into a long-term passion.”
“With my comedy and presenting background, this show felt like the most natural way to talk about Ancient Egypt, not as a dry lesson, but as something warm, funny and genuinely entertaining.”
AJ has already enjoyed sold-out seasons at Sydney Comedy Festival, Melbourne Fringe and Brisbane Comedy Festival.
You can expect gods, gossip, and a few historically questionable practices in this show. . . And it's all in good fun. There are even links to queer representation in the show.
“One of the things I find most compelling about Ancient Egypt is that it resists modern binary thinking,” AJ explains. “Its religious and cultural beliefs often held contradictions in tension without needing to resolve them. Within that, there are stories and representations that feel strikingly fluid, and I bring those into the show in a way that’s both humorous and quietly affirming for queer audiences.”
“I’m excited to play to rooms full of people who want to laugh, but are also happy to lean in and learn something along the way.”
“Firstly, I hope people have fun. Secondly, I hope audiences leave seeing both history and modern life a little differently. Ancient Egypt was full of contradictions, competing beliefs and social tension, and there’s something very comforting about realising humans have always been like this. Times change, people rarely do.”
‘A Beginner's Guide To Ancient Egypt' Tour Dates
7-19 April – Storyville Melbourne (Melbourne International Comedy Festival)
30 April-3 May – Brisbane Powerhouse (Brisbane Comedy Festival)
14-15 May – Enmore Theatre (Sydney Comedy Festival)
