It was in 2012 in Adelaide that the self-proclaimed Maracas from Caracas launched his comedy career. And so, it’s only fitting that the much loved funny man should launch the world premiere of his latest show, All Bangers, No Mash, at the 2025 Adelaide Fringe Festival.
This “best of” show is a highlight reel of the comedian’s last decade of comedy presentations at festivals Australia wide. The inspiration for the show came when a fan approached Aristeguieta at a Melbourne gig and told him he was “there for the sausages”. Fearing that failure to deliver said sausage joke to the sturdily built man may result in a poor outcome health wise, he performed as requested, recognising that his now considerable fan base loves to hear classic jokes from previous shows.
Featuring his trademark commentary on Australian versus South American culture, Ivan waxed lyrical on the many lessons he learned as a new Australian, with particular focus on language and food. His segment on the merits of various swear words versus “the F-word” and ensuing confusion about why some are suitable for children and others are not, will have you reconsidering your casual cursing. He highlighted the contradictory nature of Australian slang and admitted struggling to understand the true meaning of certain phrases but trusted in the wisdom of those who advised “she’ll be right, mate”.
Other topics included his recent marriage and how he and his wife validate each other in their relationship, the joys of a long Spanish name on prescription medication and his wonder at the amazing Australian culture that sees loo paper freely available in public toilets. If you’ve not heard any version of Ivan’s dissection and witty analysis of Australian culture and idioms, you’re in for a treat and, even if you have, it’s still bloody funny. As he so poignantly highlights, if you want to know about a culture, ask a foreigner.
If you have been to previous shows, you’ll know that Ivan is always upbeat and emphasises the importance of human connection across cultures and at events like the Fringe where people come together to enjoy a good laugh. Much agree, Ivan —this is not something obtainable from watching free comedy on YouTube alone and the almost sell-out audience at Friday’s show was testament that many share this view.
If you’ve attended previous shows, you will hear some of the same material. However, having attended many myself over the last decade, I can honestly say that while I recognised some segments and others felt familiar, it was still eminently enjoyable and a great laugh. At half-time, Ivan took requests (I thought only DJs did that, so I stand corrected) and he delivered as requested. In terms of whether this show is for you, if you’ve not previously been to an Ivan Aristeguieta show, then you absolutely MUST go. Ivan is witty, intelligent, charming and, of course, hilarious. If, however, you prefer your jokes fresh, it might not be quite the show for you.
I’ll end on this: What do Volkswagen Beetles in Australia and red headed people in Venezuela have in common? Go to Ivan’s show to find out.