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Funny Coast Comedy

Rizal van Geyzel

Arrested

  • Malaysia

In his highly anticipated new show Arrested, Rizal tells the infamous story of the Crackhouse Comedy Club in Kuala Lumpur, and how he, as the owner, was put in jail for telling jokes about his Islamic heritage. After a year under fire from right-wing extremists, a hostile government and a sedition hearing, Rizal is out the other side with one hell of a story. What does this mean for the future of comedy and the impact it has on freedom of speech in Malaysia? 

This all sounds a bit heavy but don’t worry, Rizal has years of comedy experience and the skill to make the show really funny.

You can’t talk about comedy in Malaysia without hearing the name Rizal van Geyzel, he’s an integral part of the scene. Not only is he the founder of the Crackhouse Comedy Club in KL, he’s also one of the country’s brightest comedic stars.

Rizal’s atypical ancestry of Malay, Chinese, Turkish and Dutch culminate to make him the most typical Malaysian, which is something he acknowledges and puts to great use in his comedy. His mixed descent and upbringing give him the insight and perspective to poke fun at the various quirks of multicultural Malaysia, ultimately reminding us that race alone does not define the human spirit.

Suitable for audiences 15+

Political, religious or racial themes

Language – mild language

Back to Listings

In his highly anticipated new show Arrested, Rizal tells the infamous story of the Crackhouse Comedy Club in Kuala Lumpur, and how he, as the owner, was put in jail for telling jokes about his Islamic heritage. After a year under fire from right-wing extremists, a hostile government and a sedition hearing, Rizal is out the other side with one hell of a story. What does this mean for the future of comedy and the impact it has on freedom of speech in Malaysia? 

This all sounds a bit heavy but don’t worry, Rizal has years of comedy experience and the skill to make the show really funny.

You can’t talk about comedy in Malaysia without hearing the name Rizal van Geyzel, he’s an integral part of the scene. Not only is he the founder of the Crackhouse Comedy Club in KL, he’s also one of the country’s brightest comedic stars.

Rizal’s atypical ancestry of Malay, Chinese, Turkish and Dutch culminate to make him the most typical Malaysian, which is something he acknowledges and puts to great use in his comedy. His mixed descent and upbringing give him the insight and perspective to poke fun at the various quirks of multicultural Malaysia, ultimately reminding us that race alone does not define the human spirit.

Suitable for audiences 15+

Political, religious or racial themes

Language – mild language

Back to Listings
Melbourne International Comedy Festival acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands upon which we work and live. We acknowledge the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' spirit, imagination and rich history of storytelling and humour that is an inspiration to all Australians.

We accept the invitation to walk together with First Nations people towards a more positive future for Australia, as described in the Uluru Statement From The Heart.