Current Shows
virgin in a knife fight
2026 Tour dates
GOSFORD EARLY PREVIEWS JAN 9 - 10
PERTH FRINGE JAN 21 - 28
MANDURAH JAN 30
ALBANY JAN 31
ADELAIDE FRINGE FEB 13 - MAR 8
AVOCA BEACH MARCH 15
CANBERRA COMEDY FESTIVAL MAR 19
BRUNSWICK HEADS MARCH 13
COFFS HARBOUR MARCH 14
NEWCASTLE FRINGE MAR 20
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MELBOURNE COMEDY FESTIVAL MAR 26 - APR 5
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virgin in a knife fight
This is a one-hour live storytelling show featuring four true stories from Rob Carlton.
1. Virgin in a Knife Fight (Opener + Finale)
At 18, Rob finds himself in a bizarre three-person knife fight on the backstreets of Salzburg — despite never having used his travel knife on anything tougher than cheese. The story pauses here and returns at the end, landing somewhere surprisingly tender.
2. Ibsen’s Ghosts
A night of university triumph unravels when Rob does something he regrets and spirals into guilt and paranoia. His English essay on Ibsen’s Ghosts suddenly becomes uncomfortably relevant.
3. Allsop Versus the State
Rob’s mate faces a high-range drink-driving charge, and the courtroom defence that unfolds is as absurd as it is strangely effective. It’s a story of loyalty, larrikin logic and the fine line between stupidity and triumph.
4. Spidey Senses
Rob worries his teenage son is coming under some darker influences. What begins in suspicion ends in quiet pride, revealing more about fatherhood than Rob ever expected.
WILLING PARTICIPANT
This is a 1 hour, one man show. Perfect for comedy festivals, arts festivals, and theatre events!
Actor, writer, and exceptional storyteller, Rob Carlton tells four true stories: sexual taboos, big lies, deep heartaches, and blind hope. Directed by theatre and comedy legend Darren Gilshenan, Rob’s four stories deliver every emotion.
Story 1: Rob investigates the rights and wrongs of cousin love; his best mate got caught.
Story 2: Rob’s employed to fly across the world and onto a film set as a continuity expert; but he isn’t one.
Story 3: After the passing of his father, Rob sets out on a bike ride… with his dad on his back.
Story 4: Searching for a mid-career pivot, Rob steps into the highly competitive world of musical theatre – but can he sing?
Audiences leave in love with the world having laughed and cried and laughed again and, for an hour at least, they’ll feel life is beautiful, even the broken bits.
Contact Rob via the form below to request access to the Willing Participant Production Pack.
What People Are Saying
“I’ve never seen anything like it, this thing of simple storytelling beauty and humour nudging so regularly on the profound. Every word has been microscopically inspected by Carlton and that’s why it comes out so damn natural and easy and true. The laugh stuff comes thick and fast – I howled until my cheeks hurt. But it was the heart stuff that I took home with me. All those sweet and real bits he buried like apple tree seeds in the cracks of his comedy. The friendship stuff. The struggle stuff. The dead-father-and-the-new-dad stuff. The human stuff. The nothing-less-than-the-meaning-of-life stuff. Life is short. Love is eternal. Laughter, too.”
— Trent Dalton
“Rob Carlton might just be the best storyteller on the planet”
— Nigel Marsh
“LOVED my logie award winning mate @robbyjcarlton show WILLING PARTICIPANT. An hour of beutifully crafted stories that will make you laugh and moments that will make you cry. Get along and thank me later!”
— Peter helliar
“I was lucky enough to see ths show on Tuesday night. It really is sublime story telling. Heartwarming, funny insightful and poetic. It’s rare you can recommend something that you are pretty sure everyone would enjoy and get something out of, but this is that show!”
— WIL ANDERSON
“There’s nothing I love more than being held in the palm of a great storyteller. This show is brilliantly written, honestly hilarious, completely relatable and immensely engaging. There’s a joy in riding the rollercoaster of storytelling done by someone at the top of their game, and Rob Carlton is right there. Just superb. Go and see it. You’re welcome.”
— Michala Banas
“Rob Carlton’s one-man show is completely riveting and a masterclass in narrative performance. From the first moment to the last he transported me, using superior storytelling, expert stagecraft and acute humour, leaving me totally spellbound.”
— Samuel Johnson OAM
“I simply cannot rate this show - WILLING PARTICIPANT - highly enough. Beautiful, funny, heartbreaking, illuminating stuff from one of the world’s most beautiful story tellers, Rob Carlton, and directed by the equally brilliant Darren Gilshenan. This deserves a long life on multiple stages. Please see it if you can.”
— kate mulvaney
“With his deft writing and commanding performance, his stories shoot you through an emotional pinball machine, bouncing effortlessly from heartwarming to heartbreaking.”
— Josh Lawson
Bravewords live
Bravewords Live — true stories told well.
Hosted by Adrienne Ferreira and Rob Carlton, Bravewords Live is really simple: true stories told by 6 great storytellers.
Bravewords Live is on the last Sunday of the month on the Central Coast of NSW.
Relaxed and interesting, brave and bright, come and enjoy Bravewords Live.
