Karen Koren: The comedy is warmer Down Under

JUST when you think winter is coming to an end we get flurries of snow and ice. I have been trying to travel up north to Inverness for the past week and have not managed.

Ross Noble. Pic: Comp

It is sensible not to travel unless you really have to, under these conditions. Seeing the traffic queues in the snow on the A9 near Aviemore is enough to put anyone off.

We have been lucky so far this winter and it should not be too long before spring is upon us. Here’s hoping. I know so many people who travel away to the sun in winter, I would love to be able to live six months in a warmer climate and six months here, where a summer’s day is like winter in many parts of the world.

Australia is where many performers, more or less move to for half of the year. They start off at the Perth Fringe, in January/February, then move on to the Adelaide Fringe in February/March, after that the Melbourne Comedy Festival in March/April, then the Sydney Comedy Festival April/May and if that is not enough, they can then travel on to New Zealand where there is a Comedy Festival in May/June.

There are comedians like Stephen K Amos, Ross Noble and many others who have been dividing their careers between Australia and the UK.

In Ross’s case he met a beautiful Australian girl and married her and they now have two children - all the more reason to live in two countries.

I am very lucky to have been invited this year to the Adelaide Fringe where they have asked me to be a judge for all the shows.

There are quite a few Awards to judge, so it will be a busy week and I may not get the opportunity of enjoying the heat.

Though I will have a few days after Adelaide to travel to Melbourne and the Comedy Festival, which starts a week after.

That will be my little piece of R & R before a week of seeing non-stop comedy shows in Melbourne.

Can’t wait!