★★★★★
Emma Holland returns to the Melbourne International Comedy Festival with her latest work, The Dog Dies At The Start. It takes a very special artist to draw so much laughter from such a profound emotional loss. But somehow, Holland manages it. Perhaps it’s the 92.93 ATAR.
Holland has been gracing comedy stages since 2018, appearing at festivals around the world. More recently, she has become widely recognised for her regular appearances on popular television programs The Cheap Seats, Have You Been Paying Attention? and Thank God You’re Here. She is swiftly cementing herself as a fixture among Australia’s comedy elite.
At this year’s festival, Holland performs at Melbourne’s iconic venue, Comedy Republic. The building’s art deco-meets-industrial aesthetic provides the perfect setting for this particular show. As the audience enters the theatre, Holland is already at home in the intimate space, comfortably perched on a mustard-yellow armchair atop a checkerboard rug.
A nearby canary in a cage and looping footage of a squirrel in a park signal that we’re in for a quirky, offbeat evening. The kind of comedy for which Holland has become so well known.
So, what do you get in a show titled The Dog Dies At The Start? Genuinely, it tells you on the packet. The show opens with an emotional and poignant retelling of the unexpected death of Holland’s beloved dog, Teddy.
But wait, we’re here for a comedy show, right? In what can only be described as a true stroke of genius, Holland hooks her audience from the outset and leads them through the more absurd edges of grief.
She takes us through outspoken trips to the Swarovski store. First-time sensory deprivation tank experiences. And the karmic chaos of hundreds of baby spiders.
Throughout the show, it is clear that Holland shares an undeniable bond with her family, often weaving in fond, affectionate, and sharply funny stories about their quirks and mannerisms.
By the end of the show, Holland masterfully loops the audience back to Teddy and all the quirky, singular things that made Teddy, well, Teddy. And somehow, against all odds, we laugh. It’s tender, strange, and genuinely lovely.
With The Dog Dies At The Start, Holland has crafted something rare: a comedy show about grief that is as hilarious as it is heartfelt. Tender, eccentric, and unmistakably her own, it is a beautiful reminder that even the deepest loss can still leave room for laughter.
Emma Holland: The Dog Dies At The Start runs to 19 April at Comedy Republic as part of the 2026 Melbourne International Comedy Festival. 231 Bourke Street Melbourne Vic 3000.
Tickets: https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/browse-shows/the-dog-dies-in-the-end/
Website: https://emmaholland.com.au/
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/e.mmaholland/
Images supplied.
