A Beginner's Guide to Ancient Egypt - AJ Lamarque |MICF 2026

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https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/browse-shows/aj-lamarque-a-beginner-s-guide-to-ancient-egypt/

Date Reviewed: 19/04/2026

Returning to the Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2026, AJ Lamarque presents A Beginner’s Guide to Ancient Egypt, promoted as a journey into the illuminating world of pyramids, pharaohs, and curious spells. Delivered in the fittingly whimsical surrounds of Storyville—a CBD hideaway framed by towering bookshelves and red velvet curtains—the show feels right at home.

We wonder whether this adults-only hour will deliver on its promise of a hybrid history lesson and stand-up comedy, laced with gods, gossip, and more than a few gloriously questionable ancient customs. Few civilisations grip the imagination quite like ancient Egypt: a world steeped in mystery, magic, and undeniably peculiar burial habits.

Lamarque’s fascination with the ancient world feels genuine rather than gimmicky. He recalls how, while studying biomedical science at the University of California, Berkeley, he casually enrolled in a hieroglyphs class—an academic sidestep that spiralled into a full-blown obsession. That curiosity anchors the show’s tone: relaxed, informed, and intent on making history feel lively rather than locked between the pages of a book.

The sold-out closing-night crowd responded warmly, clearly taken with both the material and Lamarque’s assured delivery. His comedic voice is confident and engaging, which was especially fun during a True and false session, however at times the comedy plays second fiddle to the density of the historical detail. The balance occasionally leans closer to lecture than laughter, with stretches that prioritise information over entertainment.

A Beginner’s Guide to Ancient Egypt is an inviting call to “get nerdy for an hour” with a richly textured subject. It also speaks to Lamarque’s wider creative ethos—cultivating passions beyond comedy and folding them into his work with genuine enthusiasm. With a tighter emphasis on sharpening the show, this already engaging hour could land even more decisively as both extremely clever and side-splittingly funny.

Reviewed by Vivien Lynch