A journalist, a Mum and now one of the most exciting new voices on the Australian comedy scene, Chris Ryan won Best Newcomer at the Sydney Comedy Festival in 2019 and a Best Newcomer Nomination at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in 2021.
Her laconic take on everything from romance to passive aggressive co-workers earned Chris spots in Galas such as the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Oxfam Gala (2022) televised on ABC, Just For Laughs Gala (2022) on Network 10, Sydney Comedy Festival (2019, 2021 & 2022), Canberra Comedy Festival (2013, 2017, 2019, 2021 & 2022), Floriade Nightfest (2018, 2021) and TEDx Canberra (2018). After feature spots in the 2021 Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Up Front Women’s Gala, the Audible Presents Live event, Chris was invited to tour with Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow across South-West Western Australia, New South Wales, Tasmania, the ACT and Victoria.
Chris was also invited to perform comedy for the Australian troops in the Middle East and has toured from Darwin to Tasmania, through regional New South Wales and Queensland with the Sydney Comedy Festival Showcase. She has hosted and performed at major events including co-hosting the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards in 2020, the Canberra Writers Festival and the RSL & Services Clubs and Leagues Clubs Australia National Conference (2021).
After co-hosting a breakfast show on Canberra’s 2XXFM for two years, Chris is a regular guest on ABC Radio Canberra and appears on ABC Radio Sydney’s Thank God It’s Friday with Richard Glover.
In 2020, Chris taught herself to use semi-automated animation software and produced a six-part online series called Chats with Mum, an unscripted, sometimes outrageous series of chats with her Mum, Wendy Ryan. Chris released the second series of Chats with Mum on her YouTube channel in 2021.
During 2021, Chris debuted her hour solo Big Hair, Big Dreams at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival where she was nominated Best Newcomer. She sold out her runs of the show at the Perth and Sydney Comedy Festivals and filmed her debut special in 2021 in Canberra with thanks to a Homefront Grant, supported by the ACT Government. In 2022, Chris won a Screen Canberra grant to prepare a pilot script and series outline for an original comedy series, mentored by a screenwriter and working with fellow comedian Sarah Gaul.
After her national tour in 2022 with her highly acclaimed second hour stand up show – “Can’t Complain”, selling out multiple seasons, Chris is back touring her brand new hour “Busy” around the country.
TESTIMONIALS
“I loved working with Chris for the first time and look forward to working with her again soon. She was such a delight and we were so happy to have her on the show. Chris Ryan is a legend.”
Ros Bellenger, Talent Producer – Letters & Numbers (ITV)
“She seems to be one of those rare comedians that are so good at what they do, and so comfortable doing it, that they make comedy seem easy. She commanded the attention of the room effortlessly; she evoked waves of laughter without so much as a sweat… Ryan has all the wisdom that comes with life experience with little of the (boring!) maturity, and it’s fantastic.”
BMA Magazine May 2019.
“Chris was in total control from the moment she hit the stage, a comedian with a unique outlook and broad appeal.”
Justin Hamilton, Head Writer Show Me the Movie (Network Ten)
“Chris Ryan was absolutely brilliant, working collective crowd touch points and making the fine line of discomfort and hilarity bleed into one with total mastery.”
Merrick Watts – Grapes of Mirth, 2020.
AWARDS
2021 – Best Newcomer Nominee – Melbourne Int Comedy Festival
2019 – Best Newcomer Winner – Sydney Comedy Festival
LIVE SHOWS
2023 – Busy
2022 – Can’t Complain
2021 – Big Hair, Big Dreams
TELEVISION
2023 – SBS Letters & Numbers – Competitor
2023 – ABC Melbourne International Comedy Festival Opening Night Comedy All Stars Supershow – Spot
2022 – CH10 Just For Laughs
2022 – ABC Melbourne International Comedy Festival Oxfam Gala – Spot
2021 – CH10 Sydney Comedy Festival Gala – Spot
2021 – CH10 The Project – Guest