Comedian tells his great-grandfather’s story
Melbourne comedian David Rose will bring his warm, personal stand-up show, Nepo Great Grandbaby, to Sydney’s Bondi Pavilion as part of the Sydney Comedy Festival, following sell-out runs at the Adelaide Fringe Festival and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
In the show, Rose explores the legacy of his great-grandfather, Julian Rose, a vaudeville comedian who performed in the early 20th century under the name “Our Hebrew Friend” and appeared at major venues including the Royal Variety Show and the BBC. Drawing a line between past and present, Rose reflects on comedy, Jewish identity and what it means to be a comedian in 2026.
Rose said the show grew out of his discovery of his family history and his questions about identity. Brought up as an atheist, educated at a Catholic school and only recently aware of his Jewish roots, he said his wife, a New Jersey Jew, helped him dig deeper into that history.
He said he wants audiences to leave his shows with more than just a few laughs, describing comedy as a way to connect ideas and offer a fresh perspective. “I’d love people to walk away feeling they’ve got a new perspective on a topic, or that they’ve learned something that they didn’t know before,” he said.
David Rose performs Nepo Great Grandbaby at the Bondi Pavilion Thur 7 and Fri 8 May at 9pm
Tickets: from $28 Visit www.davidrosecomedy.com
