Daddy Daycare | MICF2026

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https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/browse-shows/daddy-daycare/

Date Reviewed: 04/04/2026

Steph Crothers’ Daddy Daycare is an uproarious success. Obtaining a working with women’s check (as the show claims to provide) should be mandatory across Victoria, not only to deter workplace harassment, but also because, in this case, getting the cert is just a good time.

Even if a “working with women certificate” was a requirement, no one but Steph could get away with running the training. Part tease, part playtime, Steph (or Mommy, as she’s called on stage) embraces her unique background to create something truly innovative. Her audience control is on display from the start. Through a quick, clever hack, she gets the applause going and keeps it up throughout the show.

Daddy Daycare showcases Steph’s wide-ranging background. The authenticity of her childish comedy clearly comes from her time as a children’s entertainer. As for her time as a stripper, maybe someone has stripped to the hokey pokey before, but certainly no one has done so with such panache.

Her presence and command of the room keep everyone’s attention even when running through the rules at “daycare.” The main rule – if you don’t want to do something, cross your arms and say, “No, Mommy.” Once the audience understands everything is optional, a palpable ease settles over the crowd. This ease is key, as Mommy is at her best in improvised moments. She invents raunchy rhymes off the cuff and wholeheartedly engages with the crowd.

While Steph’s improv skills are clearly on display, the show remains cleanly structured. Daddy Daycare is carefully constructed to mirror a real kids’ program. There’s consistent and upbeat musical accompaniment, puppets, toys, and a fake clock that dictates set lessons. Mommy’s mannerisms further cultivate a sense of childlike comedy (her eyes bulge and tick in time with the clock). These clever touches create a sense of nostalgia that further relaxes the crowd.

Steph never uses the show’s creativity as a crutch. The show only works because Steph has serious performing chops. Most notably, Daddy Daycare showcases Steph’s voice. She flips between characters without missing a beat. She adopts a genuinely haunting tone while talking about terrifying moments. Whatever she is doing, no cracks show.

While it might be Crothers’ first solo show, she exudes the presence and rapport of a seasoned professional. Her raw and deranged closing poses key questions about society and explains the show’s thesis without undermining the joy and comedy of earlier skits. After all, Daddy Daycare at its core carries an important message, but its fun, sexy packaging proves that sometimes morals need a bit of frivolity to get the point across.