Multi award-winning comedian, actor & writer

Hall Stories

In the tradition of Damian’s previous community engagement shows (Roadtrip, Town Folk & Mayor for a Day), Hall Stories is a multi-faceted, immersive project that sees Damian spend 3 days in a community to bring the story of their hall to the fore. Involving a Meet & Greet supper, recorded interviews with key locals, a live show & subsequent podcast episode, Damian is intermittently touring the project across Australia intermittently throughout 2025 & 2026. If you’d like to enquire how you can get Hall Stories to your community, enquire here.

Unlikely Friends

Hosted by Damian Callinan, Unlikely Friends is an improvised, live chat show featuring a rotating duo of Australia’s best comedians, improvisors & actors. However, in this chat show, they don’t get to trot out their usual banter. Rather than playing themselves, each guest is attributed an historical character to portray. Defying their own mortality & conflicting timelines, it turns out that they are in fact UNLIKELY FRIENDS.

Upcoming Live Tours & Festivals

I’ll be rounding out 2025 with the last leg of the Victorian Hall Stories tour, Stranger than Fiction on the last Monday of each month, a live Town Criers record in Koroit, A Wine Bluffs Fundraiser for Apollo Bay Rural Australians for Refugees, a Christmas themed Unlikely Friends at Comedy Republic, as well other random gigs here & there. In early 2026, I’ll be performing at Festivale in Launceston & Coonawarra Fringe, before debuting my new solo show, ’Spoons’ at the Melbourne Comedy Festival. Hall Stories is going national in 2026, with tours in Victoria, Tasmania, NSW & Queensland currently taking shape, and I’m also hoping to be touring ‘The Plan & Other Plans’ with Hothouse Theatre & Unlikely friends is coming to the Wagga Comedy Festival.

Substack

The Complete Perks of Damian Callinan on Substack is home to my short stories, biographical meanderings, tour diaries, thematic explorations, potential book ideas, tour and festival news and its also home to my three podcasts – Hall Stories, Unlikely Friends and the Bodgy Creek Roosters Podcast. You can subscribe for free or pay a modest fee to help keep up my supply of raspberry frogs.

Film & TV

If you want to see Damian on screen, you can watch his acclaimed feature film ‘The Merger’, it is currently being streamed on Amazon Prime. You’ll also find it on Apple or Googleplay. You can also see Damian playing the lead guest role of Rosehaven [ABC iView – Season 5 – Episode 4] & his hilarious cameo on ‘Spreadsheet’ [Paramount +] Damian also plays the recurring role of Frank, the Floor Manager on Season 2 & 3 of ‘The Newsreader’ & Uncle Bob in ‘White Fever’ on [ABCTV]. Playing the lead role of Major Meredith, Damian returned to the big screen in 2024 in the AACTA nominated, ‘The Emu War’ (Hot Dad Productions).

Weird School

Damian’s first junior fiction book, Weird School [Penguin Random], has just been shortlisted for the prestigious Russell Prize for Humour Writing for Young People. Created by the State Library of NSW, the award winners will be announced on May 11th of 702ABC Sydney. Weird School is a book of short stories based in Wally Park Primary School, the weirdest school in Australia. A former teacher himself, Damian knows schools inside out. He’ll even come out to your school and do a fun, interactive workshop. Send an to Lamont Books.

Order your copy here

Gig guide

Date	Show	City	Venue
Tour: Red Earth Festival
14/05/26	Damian Callinan @ Red Earth Festival	Karratha, WA	Red Earth Arts Precinct
	Time: 8:30pm. Admission: $35. Address: 27 Welcome Rd. Buy Tickets
Tour: A Good Laugh Festival
16/05/26	Damian Callinan MC – A Good Laugh Festival Gala	Mt Barker, SA	Mt Barker Town Hall
	Time: 8:00pm. Admission: $30-$50. Also starring Alex Ward, Lori Bell, Kevin Kopinyeri & Nona Mona Buy Tickets
Tour: Hall Stories
20/05/26	Damian Callinan in ‘Hall Stories’	Toorloo Arm, VIC	Lake Tyers Beach hall
	Time: 7:00pm. Admission: $20. Address: 1 Mill Point Rd. Buy Tickets
23/05/26	Damian Callinan in ‘Hall Stories’	Johnsonville, VIC	Johnsonville Hall
	Time: 7:30pm. Admission: $20. Address: 1754 Princes Highway. Buy Tickets
27/05/26	Damian Callinan in ‘Hall Stories’	Airly, VIC	Clydebank Hall
	Time: 7:30pm. Admission: $17-$35. Address: 556 Clydebank Rd. Buy Tickets
30/05/26	Damian Callinan in ‘Hall Stories’	Dargo, VIC	Dargo Public Hall
	Time: 7:30pm. Admission: $17-$35. Address: 77 Lind Avenue. Buy Tickets
Tour: Unlikely Friends
05/06/26	Damian Callinan & Guests in ‘Unlikely Friends’	Wagga Wagga, NSW	CSU Riverina Playhouse
	Time: 7:15pm. Admission: $40-$50. Address: 8 Cross St. Venue phone: 0269269688. Guest Stars – Bron Lewis as Mary Magdelene Jamie Way as Harold Holt Buy Tickets
06/06/26	Damian Callinan & Guests in ‘Unlikely Friends’	Wagga Wagga, NSW	CSU Riverina Playhouse
	Time: 5:00pm. Admission: $40-$50. Address: 8 Cross St. Venue phone: 0269269688. Guest Stars – Dane Simpson as Bruce Lee – Nat Power as Olivia Newton-John Buy Tickets
Tour: Hall Stories
13/06/26	Damian Callinan in ‘Hall Stories’	Savernake, NSW	Savernake School of the Arts
	Time: 7:00pm. Admission: $50. Box office: https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1547053. Address: Riverina Hwy. Doors at 6pm Buy Tickets
15/06/26	Damian Callinan in ‘Hall Stories’	Ganmain, NSW	Ganmain Hall
	Time: 7:30pm. Address: 101-91 Ford St. On sale soon
27/06/26	An Afternoon with Damian Callinan – Hosted by Simon Rogers	Carlton, VIC	Motley Bauhaus
	Time: 6:30pm. Admission: $23-$28. Address: 118 Elgin St. On sale soon Buy Tickets
05/07/26	Damian Callinan in ‘Hall Stories’	Caulfield, Vic	Glen Eira Town Hall
	Time: 7:30pm. Address: corner Glen Eira and Hawthorn Roads,. On sale soon
18/07/26	Damian Callinan in ‘Hall Stories’	Woodside, VIC	Woodside Hall
	Time: 7:30pm. Admission: $17-$35. Address: 34 Prince St. Buy Tickets
03/10/26	Damian Callinan in ‘Hall Stories’	Neerim South, VIC	Algie Hall, Neerim South
	Time: 7:30pm. Address: 213 Main Neerim Rd. On sale soon
09/10/26	Damian Callinan in ‘Hall Stories’	Woodleigh, VIC	Woodleigh Hall
	Time: 7:30pm. Address: 86 Woodleigh-St Helier Rd. TBC
14/10/26	Damian Callinan in ‘Hall Stories’	Leitchville, VIC	Leitchville Memorial Hall
	Time: 7:30pm. Address: 6 Hawken St. TBC
17/10/26	Damian Callinan in ‘Hall Stories’	St Arnaud, VIC	St Arnaud Band Hall
	Time: 7:30pm. Address: Dundas Street. On sale soon!
17/10/26	Damian Callinan in ‘Hall Stories’	Port Hedland, WA	Port Hedland Civic Centre
	Time: 7:30pm. Address: 13 McGregor Street. On sale soon

View full gig guide

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