About

Steph Tisdell is one of the brightest stars in Australian comedy.

Steph Tisdell thought she’d be a lawyer before she became one of the brightest stars in Australian comedy, selling out award-winning live shows and having several viral sensations. 

With an ever-growing list of acting (Bump, Total Control, Class of 07, The Deb) and writing (Fisk, Bump, Rosehaven) accolades Steph Tisdell’s star is on the rise. While she is best known - and loved - for cracking us up, an early interest in politics saw Steph enrol to study law. This sense of social justice matched with her formidable intelligence enables Steph to deliver insights that challenge cultural stereotypes in a way that is hilarious, relatable and - importantly as a proud Indigenous woman - powerful.

Steph added “published author” to her resume in 2024 when her debut Young Adult novel “The Skin I’m In” was published through Pan Macmillan Australia.

On stage, critics have showered her with a galaxy-worth of four and five star reviews and hail her as being  “warmly funny, immediately relatable, fast on her feet” (Time Out) and “riotous, audacious and incredibly  smart” (Arts Hub). “Like Hannah Gadsby, she clearly recognises that true vulnerability is a powerful place to  excavate comedy material and her authenticity on stage is remarkable,” said The Adelaide Review of her 2020  show Baby Beryl. 

Her debut solo show, Identity Steft, won the weekly award for best emerging talent at the Adelaide Fringe Festival and was nominated for the illustrious Best Newcomer Award at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.  Her second show, The Pyramid, took out the Melbourne International Comedy Festival John Pinder  Award. 

As a proud Indigenous woman, Steph was also a part of the Aboriginal All Stars line-up, who sold out most  nights during their festival run at the notoriously competitive Edinburgh Fringe, before heading to London’s  Soho Theatre. It’s not just Australian critics impressed that she “never fails to keep the audience laughing”  (The Wee Review). Major daily newspaper The Scotsman described her set as being “a phenomenal twenty  minutes” and said “Steph Tisdell is a glorious powerhouse of First Nation funny”. Broadway World’s enamoured  reviewer admitted “it was a bit of a fangirl moment seeing Tisdell gig live”. 

Before discovering her gift for comedy, Steph’s interest in politics and advocacy saw her enrolling in law and  this formidable intelligence and sense of social justice now permeates her material. As a Ydinji woman she  loves to share her experiences and what her culture means to her, and she hopes that her visibility will  empower other Aboriginal artists to come forward and showcase why they’re the funniest race in the world.  “Aware of her platform, she uses it in a way that both educates and entertains her audience on the nuances of  Aboriginal life – something that many Australians would benefit from” (Arts Hub) 

Steph’s material covers plenty of other ground, as well. She talks with endearing candour about her issues with  mental health and body image, revels in oddball observations (have you ever considered what animals would  look like with eyebrows?) and peppers her sets with some ribald remarks. Whatever the topic, with a wit as  sparkly as the mischievous glint in her eyes, Steph Tisdell is indeed “a joy to watch” (Glam Adelaide).

PRAISE FOR STEPH