There are plenty of spooky locations around Melbourne, places said to hold the spirits of those poor souls who previously passed through this mortal realm including The Old Melbourne Gaol, Melbourne Central Cemetery, Princess Theatre, Kew Asylum and even Hosier Lane. The uninitiated don’t even realise the dark histories of these CBD landmarks.
Comedian Matt Bell has a terrifying past of his own. His story may not involve murder or accidental deaths, but it does involve a few lunatics! As an openly gay man in his early thirties, he has had his fair share of nightmarishly awful dates which rival any ghost story. As an openly gay stand-up comedian, Matt’s job is to turn these tales of woe into a night of comedic genius.
This is where ‘Dead to Me: A Comedy Ghost Tour‘ comes in. For an hour, Matt took us, his crowd of ghost hunters, on a trip around Melbourne’s CBD as he retold the story of the second most scariest night of his adult life! NONE WILL BE SPARED the gory details of Matt‘s multi-location date from hell with a deranged stalker.
The sold-out audience was given a pair of mini portable headphones for a better experience to hear the horror. Upon meeting Matt at our starting point outside Melbourne Town Hall, introductions are made and it’s off to the races. As a gay man Matt naturally walks faster than straights, but thankfully he has thought of that. Utilising an ironic device for us all to be able to keep track of him. Ironic, as it’s a huge red flag clear for all to see, much like the many red flags Matt was confronted with on his fateful date, only to completely ignore them. You see, Matt is a people pleaser to a fault!
The idea of taking the format of a ghost tour through the city and turning it into a comedic trek retelling a bad date is a BRILLIANT one. From horrific theatre shows, Matt‘s nervous disposition is not suited for to restaurants where Covid check-ins reveal even more invasions of privacy than usual! Bowling alleys where arguments ensued… with the child in the next lane to niche bars, magic tricks, and dirty dicks!
Yes, this isn’t your father’s type of ghost tour, which is to say it’s not a ghost tour in the slightest! It’s a story told from an approachable and endearing man with an infectious energy and awkward personality. Like hanging out with your friend who tells you about that one totally fucked up night on the town with a date that they never ever want to see again for as long as they live!
Matt Bell has taken this show across cities from here to Sydney to Adelaide, has been nominated for Melbourne International Comedy Festival – Golden Gibbo awards, been involved in fringe festivals, comedy festivals and has performed sold out shows the whole time! This show really speaks to people and it’s easy to see why, it’s an inventive and unique take on stand-up comedy as a whole. We don’t just hear the story of Matt‘s jaw-droppingly embarrassing adventure, we see the sites of where it all happened, all while onlookers wonder what the hell these 20+ people are doing with their headphones, standing in the middle of an alleyway laughing away!
It may not be a show for everyone as Matt is the first to tell us himself. Some of the gags have a more ‘you had to be there’ feel and it gets a little blue… and gross. Not for the faint of heart or those with weak stomachs as the night (both ours and Matt‘s) gets to its inevitable and messy conclusion. I’ll give Matt this though, he’s a brave guy not at all worried about telling these stories aloud out in public!
Matt had his audiences’ full attention the entire time, even if you may be wondering by the end of the hour, “Did this date ever end?!”. He kept his composure, staying in character and sticking to his act. This despite the COUNTLESS disruptions which come from trying to take two dozen or so people for a guided comedy tour through the heart of the city on a Friday night!
It doesn’t matter if this all really happened or not (Matt must go on a lot of dates around Australia with stalkers if it did), much like actual ghost tours, there’s a bit of playing along. But Matt Bell is a likeable and charming storyteller, guaranteed for big things on the comedy scene.
Bring your comfortable shoes and swipe right on Matt Bell if you’re looking for an entertaining and unique comedy show.
Dead To Me: A Comedy Ghost Tour is currently playing as part of the 2025 Midsumma Festival until February 1.
For more information and ticketing, visit:
https://www.midsumma.org.au/whats-on/events/dead-to-me-a-comedy-ghost-tour
https://www.instagram.com/mattbellcomedy