newy.com.au – Newcastle comedian Huw Rogers will bring his dry humour about blindness and awkward social encounters to the Newcastle Comedy Festival as part of a locally produced showcase of emerging Australian stand-up.
Rogers, Newcastle’s 2026 RAW Comedy competition heat winner and a NSW State Finalist, is one of three performers in Doing Great (Considering), a comedy festival show at The Newcastle Comedy Club on August 2. The line-up also features Central Coast comedian Brandon Duff and north coast performer Scott Fowler.
The show is billed around the idea of keeping it together through life’s quietly absurd and unhinged moments, with the three comedians bringing different styles across stand-up, storytelling and musical comedy.
For Rogers, who was nominated for 2025 Comedian Of The Year by The Comedy Writers Group, those moments often come from his lived experience with blindness. His comedy pokes fun at social mishaps with strangers, the daily ironies of a sighted world and the assumptions people can carry around disability.
“One thing you can count on when you have a disability is that weird things will happen to you today,” Rogers says.
“Comedy lets me normalise disability in a relatable and empowering way — helping audiences relax, drop their assumptions, and hopefully laugh harder than they could’ve expected.”
Rogers will be joined by Fowler, a co-host of the Presenting Problems podcast, whose deadpan and observational style turns personal disasters and small victories into social commentary. Fowler was nominated for Best Out-of-Towner at the 2024 Newcastle Comedy Club Awards.
Duff, who was described by Dave Hughes as a “tall, talented asshole”, reached the National Final in 2026 RAW Comedy, representing NSW at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. His act combines musical comedy with punchlines that sit between cheeky and edgy.
While the Newcastle Comedy Festival is known for attracting major national acts, Doing Great (Considering) puts the spotlight on emerging performers with strong links to the region and nearby comedy scenes.
“Welcoming this locally-produced show into its programme is a statement by the festival,” Rogers says. “That Newcastle’s comedy scene isn’t just a stopover town for a tour, it’s also a thriving launchpad for fresh talent.”
He says the show’s title reflects the way each performer approaches their own setbacks and odd moments on stage.
“Everyone has their own challenges going on,” Rogers says. “But honestly we’re all doing great (considering).”
Doing Great (Considering) is on August 2 at The Newcastle Comedy Club, which is wheelchair accessible. Tickets are available at newcastlecomedyclub.com.au.
