News

Lawrence is an investigator for new ABC show “WTFAQ”

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Lawrence is dusting off his detective skills for ABC’s all-new 8-part fact-finding, myth-busting, truth-seeking show WTFAQ (pronounced What The FAQ).

The premise is delightfully simple. ABC viewers and the public have answered our call-out for Questions. Any Question. About Anything. Then, our team of investigative comedians leave no stone unturned to find you the answer.

WTFAQ’s crack team of presenters – Chas Licciardello, Alex Lee, Lawrence Leung, Lou Wall, Cameron James and Kirsten Drysdale – hit the sweet spot where comedy meets inquisition to answer the questions that have sparked curiosity in the minds of our audience for far too long.

They perform scientific experiments and demonstrations, talk to experts, put their bodies on the line and even answer the odd question with a full-blown musical sequence. They’ll go to whatever lengths it takes to find the answers to questions including:

  • Is it really dangerous to use my phone on the plane?
  • Do dogs really love their owners?
  • Is Centrelink’s hold music deliberately annoying?
  • Are gas stoves bad for your health?
  • Who comes up with the names for paint colours and why are they so weird?
  • Why is yawning contagious?
  • What would a truly representative Federal parliament look like?
  • Are there any names you legally cannot call your children?



I know you have a question. “When is the show on”?

Answer: Wednesdays on ABC, from August 30th, 9pm.

We Built a “Mystery Box” for the Dark Matters Exhibition

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Creative collaborators Lawrence Leung, Dom Chambers and Dr Vyom Sharma have designed a brand new interactive art installation for the DARK MATTERS Exhibition at Science Gallery Melbourne. It’s now on show and bending peoples’ minds.


The installation is a collision of Art, Science, Philosophy and Illusion that explores the theme of the Unknown, the Unseen and the unsettling (yet exhilarating) state of not-knowing.

A glass cube of creepy black liquid sits in the middle of a dark pool of water. Visitors to the exhibit are invited to stare into the black aquarium and asked: “What do you see in the Darkness?”

Visitors write down their single “thought” on a small sheet of paper and place these among the collection of thoughts on the back wall.

Then during scheduled times (various Saturday lunchtimes and monthly Friday Night Parties events) the Mystery Box will be “activated” in a mind-bending and awesome live performance… where the secret of the Box will be revealed.

The Presenters performing the ‘activation’ over the special events of 2023 will be Vyom Sharma, Dom Chambers, Lawrence Leung, Liam Jumpertz, Lachlan Wilde and Caleb Street.

The Creators Lawrence, Dom and Vyom combined their shared backgrounds in magic, illusion design, science communication and storytelling to create this enigmatic immersive experience.

Mystery Box can be experienced at the DARK MATTERS EXHIBITION with free entry until December:

700 Swanston St

Enter via Grattan

St Parkville, Melbourne, Australia.

ANNOUNCED DATES FOR THE SPECIAL PERFORMANCES – “ACTIVATION” OF THE BOX
Sat 19 August 2023: 12:15pm
Sat 26 August 2023: 12:15pm
Friday Night Social Event 1st Sept 2023: 7:30pm
Sat 9 Sept 2023: 12:15pm
More dates to be announced. Check the Science Gallery website for updates for the Special Performances when the Box is activated.

Lawrence hosts ABC TV doco series OUR BRAIN

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Lawrence is the presenter of OUR BRAIN, a 4-part ABC TV science documentary series about the most impressive organ you have… not that one.

Breakthroughs in brain imaging and genetics has made it possible to understand how the interplay of genes and environment affect the mind, and ultimately, tell us how to live better.

The OUR BRAIN series is a TV compilation of knowledge covering the mind, featuring the work of top science docomakers, leading neuroscientists, case studies and fascinating research to give you a user’s guide to the secrets behind that squishy grey matter in your skull. Lawrence might even donate himself as a guinea pig in an experiment or two…

Over 4 weeks, episodes will help us understand CONSCIOUSNESS, become SMARTER, get a better night’s SLEEP and how to be HAPPIER.

OUR BRAIN 9:30pm from Tuesdays 31 May 2022 ABC TV and stream NOW on iView.

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CONNECTED – A special online interactive show for this strange time.

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A live online show that takes place on two sides of a screen: Lawrence’s and yours. Mentalism & mindgames from comedian Lawrence Leung.

A live interactive online performance where you have the best view of the show – at your house. You are invited to be part of the audience for this mind-bending special event that explores strange connections in this strange new world.

Award-winning comedian and mentalist, Lawrence Leung has been busy during the Melbourne lockdown. While people have been making sourdough, he’s been devising a series of fascinating mind games, impossible stunts and immersive experiments to amuse, twist and blow your mind.

From the comfort of their homes, audience members will be guided through mini-experiences where the idea of “connection” will be explored in fun and increasingly surprising ways. Despite being physically separated, participants will have their thoughts “read” through the screen, random strangers may discover remarkable coincidences and – at least for one night – ordinary lockdown life is made extraordinary.

Are we all connected in unexpected ways?

Tickets are limited for this one-off virtual performance, so book your place now. CLICK HERE

”Mindblowing” TimeOut

“Amazing” Herald Sun

Lawrence Leung is an acclaimed writer/performer, creator of the ABC TV series UNBELIEVABLE and a recipient of the Directors’ Choice Award at the Melbourne Magic Festival.

HOW IT WORKS

The live performance will take place online on Halloween night, Saturday Oct 31st. 8pm (AEDT, Melbourne time*). You will have the best seats in the house – in your own home – via Zoom on your laptop or PC. After purchasing your ticket, you will receive an email with instructions and Zoom access details. BOOK YOUR PLACE NOW.

* International viewers, please convert your timezone carefully. The show is AEDT Melbourne Local time, so check whether the “date” might be the day BEFORE in your region of the globe.

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NEW COMEDY SHOW 2019 TOUR – “GROWING CONCERNS”

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We are thrilled to announce that tickets are now ON- SALE for Lawrence’s  brand new stand up comedy show for 2019.

Touring the Melbourne, Sydney and Perth Comedy Festivals – and just added –  Newcastle NSW!

LAWRENCE LEUNG’s GROWING CONCERNS.

MELBOURNE INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL

8 March – 21April  Thurs-Sun

The Melba Spiegeltent

TICKETS: CLICK HERE

Note: *Preview night Tickets are cheaper

PERTH COMEDY FESTIVAL

Two Shows Only: May 3 & 4

State Theatre Centre of WA

TICKETS CLICK HERE

SYDNEY COMEDY FESTIVAL

9-12th May Factory Theatre

Tickets: CLICK HERE

*Early Bird Discount for Opening Night show 9th May Only.

NEWCASTLE NSW

At the glorious venue known as The Spielgaltent

ONE NIGHT ONLY Sat JUNE 8th

Tickets: CLICK HERE

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ABC COMEDY TV PILOT – Why Are You Like This?

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Lawrence plays coder Daniel in the ABC Comedy Fresh Blood TV pilot WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS?

 

 

Best friends Penny and Mia are navigating their 20s in Melbourne. Guided by their own modern day moral code, they confront complex social issues in an outrage-driven world, leaving a path of destruction in their wake.

 

Created by Naomi Higgins, Mark Samual Bonanno and Humyara Mahbub

 

FRESH BLOOD is a ground-breaking ABC and Screen Australia initiative that seeks to uncover the next generation of Australian comedy talent. There are four pilots and only one will be commissioned for full series. Let’s hope it’s this one.

 


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DEBATES, PANELS, SPEAKING & START UPS

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ACMI CONVERSATIONS

Lawrence recounted tales, triumphs and tribulations when it comes to being an Asian Australian working in media. This ACMI panel included playwright/actress Michelle Law (Single Asian Female, Homecoming Queens) with director Corrie Chen (Homecoming Queens, Mustangs FC) and TV showrunner Tony Ayres (Family Law, Glitch).

ANNUAL DIVERSITY DEBATE

Lawrence gave an hilarious and insightful speech at the recent 7th Annual Diversity Debate, presented by the Diversity Council of Australia. Lawrence was on the affirmative team arguing that “It is a good idea to bring your ‘whole self’ to work.”

 

CREATIVE TECH PITCH NIGHT

Lawrence hosted the ACMI X-CEL ACCELERATOR pitch event. After taking their tech ideas through a 12 week boot camp of ‘start up’ coaching, seven teams pitched their creative visions in 5min mini-TED talks to hopefully secure funding and interest.

 

Feel free to drop us an email,  if you would like Lawrence to speak at your event.

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UNTHINKABLE – FIVE PERFORMANCES ONLY

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WHAT IS UNTHINKABLE?

UNTHINKABLE is Lawrence’s new hilariously twisted, mind-bending theatre show and the follow-up to last year’s award-winning “Very Strange Things” (2017 MMF Directors Choice Award 2017, Best Comedy Nominee 2018 Fringe World).

FIVE PERFORMANCES ONLY

JULY 10-14

THE DARK @ 35 Johnston St Collingwood, Victoria.

BOOK TICKETS – CLICK HERE

(Cheaper Preview ticket – Tues 10th July only)

An unbelievable evening of twisted experiments, psychological game-play and intimate investigations into bizarre coincidence and unusual phenomena. The beginning is unexplainable, the ending is unthinkable.

Lawrence Leung is an award-winning comedian, screenwriter, science communicator and designer of illusions for stage and screen. He has spoken about paranormal investigation at science and skeptics’ conferences, lectured on the psychology of magic and lying at universities and made a feature film about con artists (SUCKER). He also created the ABC documentary series UNBELIEVABLE where he travelled the globe, meeting famous sceptics, mentalists, pickpockets and neuroscientists that explored the edge between deception, illusion and the unexplainable.

UNTHINKABLE.

FOR MORE:  CLICK  HERE

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