20 January – 14 February

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This show belongs to the FRINGE WORLD Festival 2026 season. This season is now over.

A man with a dark, greying beard and short curly hair smiles and looks to the side. He wears a navy blazer over a black shirt against a light background.
A man with a greying beard and curly hair looks ahead with a calm expression. He stands outdoors in a city street with blurred traffic and historic brick buildings behind him.
The performer as a young graduate in a cap and gown leans against a balcony, smiling softly. Behind him are rows of old brick buildings and leafy trees on a bright day.
FRINGE WORLD Festival 2026

Gordon Southern: A Brief History of History

All history. One Hour. With jokes. And no omissions.

Former nerd Gordon Southern is delighted to report he’s had a relapse, and is bringing his acclaimed show back, in a version suitable for ages 12 and up. 

From 2012 to 2014 the orignal 5-star show toured extensively, receiving Best Comedy award nominations in Edinburgh and NZ.

This updated version astonished and amused a packed crowd in a site-specific special at The Museum of South Australia in 2023 and since then Southern has been deep diving into the past to cram even more jokes and facts into this much loved comedy.

“An edu-tainment marvel that has sold out around the world …a breezy, bright and exuberant show that zips along, utterly engaging the audience and educating them in a wonderful and manic hour of comedy.” – ThePunch.com.au

Presented by: Gordon Southern

Gordon Southern is a multi-award winning UK comedian and screenwriter, and a headline act in over 30 countries. The winner of a Best Comedy award at the 2022 Adelaide Fringe, Southern has been splitting his time between Europe and Australia for over 20 years now and is well known in both hemispheres as a stellar performer. Besides being on our stages, radio and screens, he's also written for TV, and is the co-creator of 'The Skydiver and the Scarecrow' short film which picked up six awards across Australia. His live stand-up comedy shows have won three FRINGE WORLD Weekly Awards; been nominated for Best International Act twice in New Zealand; and received Best Show nominations in Edinburgh and Dubai.
Comedy • Educational
United Kingdom
Reviews
  •   3
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Suitability & warnings

Content rating: PG
Family friendly: No
Coarse Language: Occasional
Audience Participation: Occasional

Please note

References to war

Presenter

Presented by: Gordon Southern

Gordon Southern is a multi-award winning UK comedian and screenwriter, and a headline act in over 30 countries. The winner of a Best Comedy award at the 2022 Adelaide Fringe, Southern has been splitting his time between Europe and Australia for over 20 years now and is well known in both hemispheres as a stellar performer. Besides being on our stages, radio and screens, he's also written for TV, and is the co-creator of 'The Skydiver and the Scarecrow' short film which picked up six awards across Australia. His live stand-up comedy shows have won three FRINGE WORLD Weekly Awards; been nominated for Best International Act twice in New Zealand; and received Best Show nominations in Edinburgh and Dubai.