Apart from being a writer and comedian, he’s also directed comedy shows, music video, mini-documentaries and has appeared on film, TV and radio.
In 2000, he was in the National Grand Final of Raw Comedy. He came second. In 2001, he was handpicked by the Melbourne Comedy Festival to be part of the Comedy Zone.
Lawrence is best known for his storytelling comedy, hardcore whimsy and acclaimed solo shows SUCKER (Best Solo Show Award, Melbourne Fringe 2001), SKEPTIC and THE MARVELLOUS MISADVENTURES OF PUZZLE BOY and LAWRENCE LEUNG LEARNS TO BREAKDANCE (The Age Critics’ Award for Best Australian Show, 2007 MICF and 2008 Sydney Comedy Festival's award for Best Local Show) and also a duo-show LAWRENCE LEUNG & ANDREW McCLELLAND’S SOMEWHAT SECRET SECRET SOCIETY SHOW. He has directed two comedy shows COURTENEY HOCKING’S FOOLISH IDEAS AND CRACKPOT INVENTIONS SHOW and ANDREW McCLELLAND’S SOMEWHAT ACCURATE HISTORY OF PIRATES (Comics’ Choice "Piece-of-Wood" Award, Melb Comedy Festival 2004). His 2009 double act show with Andrew McClelland, TIME NINJAS won the Jury Prize at the Sydney Comedy Festival
He has toured his own shows at the Melbourne Comedy Festival, Melbourne Fringe, Edinburgh Fringe, Dublin Fringe, Adelaide Fringe, Adelaide Cabaret Festival, New Zealand Comedy Festival, Perth International Arts Festival, London’s Soho Theatre and two seasons at the Sydney Opera House.
He made a fun 6 part documentary/adventure series called LAWRENCE LEUNG’S CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE that appeared on ABC1 in March/April and ABC2 in November 2009. The series is nominated for an AFI Award for Best TV Comedy Series. www.abc.net.au/lawrence
Lawrence won the GQ Australia Man Of The Year award for 2009 Best Comedic Talent. He is also adept at Poker cheating sleight-of-hand, did a bit of ghosthunting in Scotland and can solve any Rubik’s Cube in under a minute.
If you want to contact Lawrence for a gig speak to his manager. He’s a nice guy:
Geoff Ring
Australian Comedy Management
geoff@comedymanagement.com.au
Website
lawrenceleung.com
TV Shows
2009 Lawrence Leung’s Choose Your Own Adventure, ABC1
2009 Talkin’ Bout Your Generation, TEN, guest & winning team EP1.4
2007 The Chaser’s "War On Everything", Season 2, contributing writer
2006 The Chaser’s "War On Everything", Season 1, contributing writer
2006 Australia Stands Up (thecomedychannel)
2005 C4 (New Zealand)
2005 Room To Lounge (H2, pilot with Justin Kennedy & Emma Race)
2004 In Siberia Tonight, (SBS TV), mini-docs, writer/presenter
2004 George Negus Tonight (ABC TV)
2003 Postcard From Edinburgh (thecomedychannel)
2003 On the Streets (thecomedychannel)
2002 The Edinburgh Show (BBC2, UK)
2002 Open House (RTE, Ireland)
2002 The Today Show (Channel Nine)
2001 Headliners, series 7, (the comedy channel)
2001 Trash Palace (pilot with Leigh Whannel and Michael Chamberlin)
2000 Raw Comedy 2000 (ABC-TV)
Films
2009 The Last Supper (short, dir: Angus Sampson)
2007 God’s Algorithm (short, dir: John Pace)
2006 I Could Be Anybody (short, dir: Lorin Clarke)
2005 Rats & Cats (feature, dir: Tony Rogers) upcoming release
1999 The Long Lunch (feature, dir: Antony Redman), Singapore Film Festival, Perth Film Festival.
Lawrence Leung, Gentleman Comedian's Interests
Music
Andrew Bird, The Arcade Fire, The Clouds, Darren Hanlon, Emma Heeney, The Falling Joys, Jeremy Fong, Joanna Newsom, The Lucksmiths, Mirah, The Motifs, The Postal Service, Stars, Sufjan Stevens, Surrogate Turnip.
I'm doing in-store appearances if you want to say hi, get some Rubik's Cube advice or get a body part signed! It's going to be fun, so see you there...
Friday May 8th - 12.30PM ABC Shop QVB Building NSW
Saturday May 9th - 11AM ABC Shop Brookvale & 2PM ABC Shop Macquarie NSW
Sunday May 10th - 11AM ABC Shop Miranda NSW
Friday 15th May - 1PM ABC Shop Melbourne GPO VIC
Saturday 16th May - 12PM ABC Shop Chadstone VIC
Saturday 30th May - 12PM ABC Shop Chermside QLD
We are holding FIGHT CUBE battles at these events, so if you can solve the Cube, bring it along and race me to win prizes!
SEE ME LIVE! I'm up in Sydney May 5-9 performing my LIVE show onstage for the Sydney Comedy Festival. Come see me:
http:?/?/?www.?sydneycomedyfest.?com.?au/?index.?php??view=?details&?id=?121
ON AIR: My 6-part documentary/comedy/adventure TV series "LAWRENCE LEUNG'S CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE". Six adventures over six weeks. Wednesday nights, 9:30pm on ABC1 in Australia, on air now. Watch episodes, play the games (allow pop ups) and competitions on the OFFICIAL TV SERIES WEBSITE abc.net.au/lawrence To get updates and to join the adventure, become a Facebook Friend of my Adventures
NEWS FLASH: I was nominated in the category of Best Performing Artist at the Inaugural 2008 SMAC (Sydney Music Arts and Cultural) Awards. The guy who won played Hamlet. So fair enough. Earlier in 2008, my live show "Lawrence Leung Learns to Breakdance" won BEST LOCAL COMEDIAN at the Inaugural Time Out Cracker Comedy Festival Awards 2008. Um... I think it means most likeable Australian show, as opposed to Overseas act OR does it means I'm a Sydneysider now? I am told I was meant to get a Golden Chicken, but I couldn't make it along to the awards night because, ironically, the Best Local recipient was in Melbourne.
See the show at the
SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE, April 15-26, 2008
Edinburgh season August 2007
London season september 2007
Part stand up comedy, part documentary, this brand new show is Lawrence's personal yet awkward quest for "coolness".
Lawrence Leung had a bunk bed until he was 24. It's fair to say he's never been 'cool'. Join him as he explores the hysterical history of 'hip' and finally settles the score with his older (infinitely cooler) bass guitar-playing brother.
It's a search that sends a kid from the wrong side of the trackydacks stumbling into the finals of a hardcore breakdancing championship.
What is "coolness"? Is it all a myth? And does doing a show about the notion of cool ultimately make one uncool? You decide.
"Of course, dorks trying to act cool is always going to be funny – just look at all the unhip white comics who talk like rappers for a quick laugh - but Leung takes it further than this. ‘Breakdance’ is a show with real heart, an uplifting message and hilarious lines that come thick and fast. What could be cooler than that?"
Chortle UK
www.lawrenceleung.com
NEWS FLASH: My short film "HOWARD FLU" wins the Audience Favourite Award at the Comedy Channel Short Film Festival
The official website for my Choose Your Own Adventure TV series http://www.abc.net.au/tv/lawrence just won two ABC Digital Media Awards. Congrats team!
Hi Lawrence. Thanks for coming to Totoro's Teahouse during TiNA (tea-na). I have a zine that may interest you: it's called Adventure Time and has been described by triple j's Craig Schuftan as 'a sober analysis of fun.' Would you like me to post you a copy? Message me your postal address.
Hey Lawrence, I just saw your show at the Carnival's Edge. It was sweet as man, good job. Was gunna come find you after the show, but didn't. Even though I saw you run out to get the espresso before, haha.
Good, job with the show, and you should do some comedy shows in Mackay, would be awesome.
Heya, we're going to be up in Sydney this Saturday 12th for a show at the Vanguard, Newtown with Epicure. We'll be playing songs from our brand new album! Hope to see you there. SP
Hey Mr. Leung, i know you get like a thousand comments a day, but if you happen to skim across this comment then i would love for ya to check out my tunes.
your last show was funny as, i regard you as one of australias brightest talents. best regards, NEXUS.
I've been invited to perform "SUCKER", one of my past shows, at the Brisbane Arts Festival in September. It's nothing like the TV show, but has won an award and has played in London's West End and the Sydney Opera House - so people quite like it.
