Stand Up Summer Is Bringing Comedy Gold (Like Jenny Tian) To The Opera House

An A-List of Australian talent are assembled to bring the most hysterical stand-up shows at the Sydney Opera House for two weeks in February. Contagious laughter is guaranteed as Stand Up Summer brings comedians Denise Scott, Lou Wall, Zoë Coombs Marr, Lizzy Hoo, Jenny Tian, Geraldine Hickey, Mel Buttle and Celia Pacquola to the stage.

Chinese-Australian Jenny Tian is excited to be performing in her hometown again after extensive tours in the UK and the US. Her comedy focuses on her observations in life such as relationships and cultural differences. She draws the stories from her own life and enjoys sharing them. She’s a funny storyteller who makes audiences laugh at life’s silly moments.

“This show is an encore to my previous stand-up Jenny’s Travels. It’s all about my journey moving to London and all the trials and tribulations that come with living in a different country. I went on a bunch of adventures including sharing a place with a weird housemate, getting laid and having my phone snatched (but don’t worry, I got it back!),” laughed Tian.

She is known on TikTok, YouTube, has appeared on television and podcasts. When asked whether performing stand-up is the most rewarding comedy she was quick to respond.

“They’re all rewarding in their own different way. I think because with stand up, you get immediate feedback from the audience, it feels the most instantly gratifying. With other stuff like TV or podcasts, you never really know exactly how an audience has received it.

“You might know the number of viewers or listeners, but you never really know how they responded in the moment. You do however get to work with more people which is nice. When you get in the flow and you’re bouncing off each other, it’s amazing!”

Tian’s show is recommended for the 15+ crowd and if audiences love stand-up comedy this is definitely the show for them.

“But there will be dirty jokes…so…don’t say I didn’t warn you!” laughed Tian. “I do a little bit of crowd work at the beginning but not too much. I’m very conscious that some people don’t like being spoken to so I’ll only approach if they respond and are open to chatting.”

Tian is currently in the process of co-writing a comedy series peculiarly called Dupermarket. It’s a comedy YouTube series that focuses on the exploitation conducted by supermarkets during the cost-of-living crisis and hopefully it will commence production this year.

When asked what advice she would give people who would like a career as stand-up comedians Tian paused momentarily.

“If you have not yet performed, start now. Google an open mic in your city then get up and do a set. Watch lots, perform wherever you can, record your sets, listen back to them and improve. There’s no barrier of entry and there’s nothing holding you back so go for it! I believe in you!”

Feb 3 – 14. Sydney Opera House. Bookings: sydneyoperahouse.com/stand-up-summer