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Lauded Australian Comedian Hannah Gadsby Is Coming to Portland on Her First-Ever American Tour

Her critically acclaimed Netflix special "Nanette" was the most discussed comedy show of 2018—maybe of the decade.

Hey, Portland, get ready to…laugh, maybe?

Acclaimed Australian comedian Hannah Gadsby has announced dates for her first-ever American tour, and it includes a stop at the Newmark Theater on May 15.

Though she's worked in standup for over a decade, Gadsby earned international attention last year with her Netflix special Nanette, a set centered around her desire to quit comedy.

Despite its relative lack of traditional "jokes," the show was a critical sensation—it was so successful, in fact, that Gadsby decided not to quit comedy after all.

Instead, she's written new material predominantly about the overwhelming and unexpected response to Nanette. She's calling the tour Douglas, named after her dog.

"After what I did with Nanette, I'm not going backwards; I'm going to keep pushing forwards—and probably upsetting some comedy purists again," she told The Hollywood Reporter. "We can't please everyone!"

Tickets for her Portland show go on sale this Friday, Feb. 8.

Matthew Singer

A native Southern Californian, former Arts & Culture Editor Matthew Singer ruined Portland by coming here in 2008. He is an advocate for the canonization of the Fishbone and Oingo Boingo discographies, believes pro-wrestling is a serious art form and roots for the Lakers. Fortunately, he left Portland for Tucson, Arizona, in 2021.