Denise Scott - Tickety Boo

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https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/browse-shows/denise-scott/

Date Reviewed: 28/03/2026

I had heard the legend of Denise Scott, knowing she’s considered a national treasure, an icon of Australian comedy, and the actress who bravely stepped into the shadow of Ruth Cracknell in Mother and Son. 

I didn’t know what to expect—but from the moment she walked on stage at the Comedy Theatre, bright and beaming  after finishing treatment for triple positive breast cancer, I understood why she is revered. There’s a raw honesty in her presence that hits you straight in the chest: she’s lived, she’s fought, she’s human and she is brilliantly funny.

Tickety Boo is extraordinary in its honesty. Scotty as she affectionately refers to herself, takes us through her cancer journey and its after-effects, introduces standout members of her medical “dream team,” and shares the absurdities of recovery be it colouring-in, talk-back radio, even the small panic of getting financial affairs in order, which in unison deliver countless belly-aching, vein pulsing laughs. 

She gives us a peek behind what often feels like an uncomfortable curtain yet every moment lands as relatable and real. There’s nothing heroic here, nothing glossy or distant. Life, as Denise Scott presents it, is lived—burps, rants, laughs, tears, awkwardness, all of it. And somehow, she turns it into comedy that lands as tickling as it is cutting.

Her brilliance is in her ordinariness. She doesn’t aim to impress or overwhelm; she simply tells stories with warmth and insight. After decades of career highs she could rest on her reputation. Instead, she gives the audience something priceless: presence. Timing, observation, empathy, and sheer comedic skill combine to make the audience feel seen, heard, and lighter by the end of the night.

For anyone struggling, whether with illness, loss, or the heavy weight of the world right now, Tickety Boo is a gift. Denise Scott doesn’t erase hardship, but she allows us to sit with it, laugh at it, and feel less alone. She delivers hope, joy, and shared humanity in full force. Tickety boo indeed—this is a show that reminds you how vital laughter is, how healing presence can be, and how comfort can come in bursts of hilarity in the simplest, most authentic stories.

Reviewed by Vivien Lynch