Aboriginal comedian, writer, and queer rights activist Annaliese Constable will debut her deeply personal and darkly funny solo show Mad Constable at the Sydney Comedy Festival this April and May.

Known for blending tragedy with humour, Constable's whip-sharp delivery and brutally honest storytelling bring to life real moments from her past - messy, confronting, and often hilarious.

A proud Aboriginal queer woman with Indigenous heritage on her father and grandfather's side, Constable speaks openly about being disconnected from culture and community due to the impacts of the Stolen Generations.

"I'm connected in some ways but also disconnected in a lot of other ways," she said.

That tension, between connection and disconnection, survival and humour, runs through all her work.

Her comedy journey began in the drag scene under the moniker Fisty Scent, where she started hosting shows before stepping into storytelling nights and comedy events such as Story Club, Erotic Fan Fiction, and the Sydney Writers' Festival.

She later won the Sydney heat of Deadly Funny in 2022.

"I'd always been a writer, but I'd never really performed my writing," she said.

"Honestly, my stand-up is storytelling… it's genuine stories from my life and my experiences out and about in the world."

Mad Constable takes audiences through diary entries spanning from Constable's childhood to her 30s, revealing awkward moments, hard truths, and the strange, sometimes absurd experience of growing up with little guidance.

The show includes hand-drawn diagrams from her adolescence being hilariously inaccurate illustrations of sex and relationships.

"I've never been more wrong in my life," she remarked.

"But my favourite part about myself is that I can laugh at myself and even better if others want to join in."

The material is layered and political without being preachy.

Ms Constable's lived experience as a queer, disabled, Aboriginal woman living in social housing naturally informs her comedy.

"It's inherently political because I'm always coming from a perspective of being who I am… I'm talking about money, access to health, or the irony of systems that are supposed to help but often make things worse," she said.

She also doesn't shy away from the discomfort that can come with her presence on stage, particularly with her fair skin and surname.

"I think being a blackfella with the last name Constable is some kind of sick joke," she said.

"Am I supposed to arrest myself on suspicion of being deadly?"

For Constable, comedy isn't just about laughs, it's about connection, reflection, and redistributing power.

"I do get on stage to be funny but also because I want to redistribute power," she said.

"And hopefully, people will go home feeling better about their own lives after hearing about mine."

Mad Constable will be performed at the Factory Theatre on Wednesday, 30 April and Friday, 2 May 2025 at 8:00 PM.