Chips in the Night | MICF2026

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https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/browse-shows/chips-in-the-night/

Date Reviewed: 09/04/2026

For a show titled Chips in the Night, there are, bafflingly, no chips. Not as a prop, not as a payoff, not even as a sustained metaphor. It’s a strange omission for comedian Chris Demos, whose premise leans so heavily on the snack as a framing device. You keep waiting for the chips to land. They never do. 

Demos kicks off with 2am anxiety: spiralling thoughts, imagined illnesses, and cultural observations. There are sharp lines, including one about his grandmother: “What’s the point of a clean, cancer-free colon if you have no one to share it with?” he asks. 

There are also flashes of clever satire, particularly in his reality TV riffs, though some references feel niche and risk losing parts of the audience.

Demos has been building momentum on the festival circuit, with past runs at Melbourne Fringe, Sydney Fringe and the Geelong Comedy Festival. But on preview night, the performance struggled to hold together. He loses his place, leans on crowd work that doesn’t quite lift, and momentum slips. Instead of building energy, audience interactions often stall it. At times, promising moments feel underplayed or left to pass without payoff. (There was missed potential with the blonde lady in the audience who asked what Grindr was).

The Greek material is good but could be stronger. Demos touches on his heritage, but it lacks specificity. Key cultural details feel just out of reach: his grandmother is never a yiayia, the “monster” never quite becomes the baboula, and there’s not even a koutala in sight. These are small details, but they’re the ones that create instant recognition, authenticity and texture, particularly for a Melbourne audience familiar with Greek culture.

The mythology, too, has potential but feels underdeveloped. His Oedipus bit about “a guy who accidentally sleeps with his mum” is one of the stronger moments. It hints at a deeper idea, that Greek myths are about fate and consequence, not just shock value, but the payoff doesn’t quite land.

There’s a sense that a stronger through-line could elevate the material, giving these ideas more structure and clarity. Demos is likeable, and there are glimpses of a distinctive comedic voice, especially when he leans into vulnerability and sharper observations. But right now, those moments feel intermittent in a show that is still finding its shape.

He calls it a “preview”, consistently, even apologetically, and it shows. The performance feels scattered, like crumbs at the bottom of a chip bag, with good ideas not yet fully connected.

Either way, Chris, if you’re going to promise chips, bring the chips.

Highlights 

 • Mythology material shows real promise, particularly the Oedipus segment
• Greek heritage thread has depth though it needs sharper cultural detail
• Strong moments of dark, self-aware humour
• Demos is very likeable on stage
• The friend I brought with me gave me some Greek tsoureki at the end of the performance (better than chips)
• Intimate setting at Storyville’s upstairs stage suits the confessional tone. 

Who’s it for? 

 • Adults over 18
• Fans of introspective, anxiety-driven comedy
• Audiences who enjoy cultural and identity-based humour
• Viewers comfortable with loose, preview-style performances

Reviewed by Mary Sinanidis