comedy

Rachael Sue Ragland is a self-confessed Feral. That’s what she has named her stand-up comedy show. Depending on your definition of the word, she may well be, and that’s a compliment. It’s used to describe someone wild and fierce. After seeing her performance at The Factory in Marrickville Sydney, I would agree with Rachael, and add the words “untamed” and “authentic” to round out the honesty of her show.

Ragland’s shared storytelling of some deeply personal health issues was delivered in a way that allowed the audience to collectively bond together. Her recount of a certain wholistic physiotherapist had everyone voicing their indignation, and with the timing of a good comedian, her next sentence had us laughing. The push and pull switch was done seamlessly.

This was not the first time her experiences with health professionals had us groaning at the unfiltered and unprofessional things that had been said to her on life’s path. The stories were not for sympathy grabbing, more of a recalling and sharing of her life’s journey, and her responses to those rude people that had me cheering for her.

Ragland was unafraid to highlight physical attributions about her own body. Performing her set in a bikini under lights, in front of an audience takes some confidence indeed. She embraced her natural attributes in a way that was very admirable. In her own words, she referred to her ‘thick thighs’, her ‘oak tree legs’ on multiple occasions. But instead of lamenting on them, she told the audience how she turned her thighs to her advantage, making them star in their own show!

Originally from the United States, Ragland told stories about living in Australia. Of course, beach volleyball and sweaty sandy backs featured which was relatable to her audience members. She told us that being the only girl in a predominately male family made her competitive. Quite a few times, she shared golden nuggets of advice from her father, Tom Ragland.

When attending a comedy show, it’s a gamble to sit in the front row. Some comedians mercilessly pick on people in the front row. Ragland went gently on them! She did involve her audience by asking us to close our eyes as she recounted a dream. She even gave out Squishy Mallows to the audience to hug, to set the scene of gently falling asleep, a sweet gesture.

There were moments of clever wordplay – “clench my clam” – and visual pictures painted for the audience. After her show, I can still see this flame red, long haired beauty in a hospital bed, with a shaved head and three cornrows close to the head, and it makes me smile.

Rachael was part of Sydney’s biggest annual event, the Sydney Comedy Festival which runs from early April to mid-May. She is not the usual punchline joke telling comedian. Instead, Rachael took us back to her childhood, her sporting life, to her doctor’s appointments and beyond, and invited the audience warmly in, to sit there with her. There is a vulnerability shown that is uncovered during her time onstage, it is all Rachael Sue Ragland, bare and fierce. Proudly Feral.

Rachael Sue Ragland – Feral
Saturday 2 May 2026
Performance time: approximately 70 minutes
The Matchbox at The Factory
107 Victoria Road, Marrickville
The Sydney Comedy Festival 2026

To book tickets to Feral, please visit https://www.sydneycomedyfest.com.au/event/rachael-ragland-feral/.

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