Normally you wouldn’t dream of laughing at a funeral, however, at Cameron Ribbons’ funeral, you are encouraged to. A comedy show like no other, Eulogiser Bunny showcases the light side of death as you watch one man perform his own funeral service at The Q – Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre on Saturday 16 March.

Within moments of meeting Cameron Ribbons, you know you are in for a good time, he is charismatic, charming and has a wicked sense of humour. Unfortunately, this gathering isn’t about meeting him, it’s about saying goodbye.

The quasi-realistic funeral takes you through his life and requests you to investigate the circumstances around his death, yes, this comedy show is also a murder mystery!

“It’s very subtle, I drop little hints through the show like maybe this person could have done it. But for most people, I won’t reveal anything, I’ll just tell you a story,” says Mr Ribbons.

Through stories told during the service, you are tasked with unfolding the mystery. Before the big reveal, Mr Ribbons collects the pages with the audience’s guesses on them, only one person has been successful so far.

“I know who the suspects are going to be from what stories I’m telling. I’ll just tell an offshoot story and watch people scribble notes and I’m like ‘What are you doing, it’s not going to be the possum in my backyard’,” he smiles.

A sixth-generation showman, Mr Ribbons grew up on the show grounds traveling around to regional shows. He was fulfilled with the life of a travelling showman, owning and operating bungee trampolines, inflatable slides and games. However, aged about 26, one day he woke up and wanted a taste of something new.

Moving to Canberra to live with his brother, being a Kamilaroi man, Mr Ribbons and his brother started a First Nations catering company, Ribanas Catering. It took a few years for Mr Ribbons to try his hand at comedy. He admits he wasn’t very good at first, as is the case for almost everyone when they initially take the stage.

“Then I thought ‘You know what’s a real smart idea even though I haven’t been doing comedy for that long, I’ll just do a whole show’.”

That show is Eulogiser Bunny, where the funeral service is overseen by clergyman Pastor Fastor. The idea was sparked by the Fasta Pasta fast-food chain that was popular in Victoria when Mr Ribbons was a child.

“I just thought wouldn’t it be funny if there was a pastor called Pastor Fastor and he created Fasta Pasta then it would be Pastor Fastor’s Fasta Pasta. I just wrote that down, kept looking at it and was like I could do something with that,” he says.

The piece has had some changes made to it. Originally it was around the death of Mr Ribbons’ father and trying to have fun with that concept.

“He said ‘How could you? I’m disowning you,’ but eventually, I got him to laugh about it. But I thought about what’s a way that I could really make this interesting. What if it’s about me? All the photos you see are me but I’m also on stage and in videos and all these different people all the time.”

As the crowd is the nearest and dearest of the deceased, a few will be invited to the podium to share a few words. No two speeches are ever the same, Cameron writes the audience members short speeches on the morning of the show.

“I get people to come on stage and read these ludicrous things that I’ve written. One of the ones that would always go really well was elephants are too short, I wish they were longer. I get people to ad-lib, singing the ABCs and sometimes to watch them flail. I wouldn’t give them anything and say, tell us how you knew him,” he smiles.

There is no serious undercurrent or hidden message to the show, Cameron just wants everyone to have a silly, good time.

“I’ve had a few people say it is going to be a bit morbid because it’s about death and they go ‘It’s a nice surprise, I thought I was in for a sad night’ or even surprised that there’s no morbidity at all.”

The second installment in the Q the Locals 2024 Season, Mr Ribbons is thrilled to be performing at one of the Canberra region’s most beloved establishments.

“It feels excellent to come here, it is a prestigious space. To be in a big theatre like this, it is the biggest, best theatre that I will ever get to,” says Mr Ribbons.

Already planning his own funeral, not this one, the real one, Mr Ribbons has been inspired by videos of African funerals.

“They’ll get the deceased person and put them doing their favourite activity. I was watching one and it’s a guy in a full tuxedo but on a Harley Davidson. All his family are coming past and saying, ‘It was good to know you’.”

What does Mr Ribbons envision for his own? Frozen in a mini shark tank, although he doesn’t like sharks, he thinks it would be something for his family to remember him by.

“I’d like people to ask did he get killed by sharks? My family would have to go ‘No, he just had an aneurysm one day, he just thought this would be fun’. People would go, ‘This must have been a huge undertaking of cost’ and they’re [family] like ‘Yeah, we’re seriously in financial debt right now’,” he smiles.

See how fun a funeral can be in Eulogiser Bunny at The Q – Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre on Saturday 16 March 7:30pm; theq.net.au

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