The silly season has well and truly hit Canberra’s arts scene, says “Arts in the City” columnist HELEN MUSA.

“FINUCANE & Smith’s Travelling Dance Hall” is coming to town. It’s a cabaret jam-packed with songbirds and showgirls, disco divas and dancing stars, local legends, burlesque twirlers and go-go groovers. Tuggeranong Arts Centre, November 30-December 3.

“A VERY Canberra Comedy Festival, Christmas 2022” will be a two-hour comedy gala event featuring some of the premier acts from Canberra Comedy Festival’s coming 2023 event. Canberra Theatre, December 3. 

“THE Chaser’s” Charles Firth, “The Shovel’s” James Schloeffel and ABC TV’s Mark Humphries have teamed up again to stage “The War on 2022”, an end-of-year live show with Australia’s leading satirists. Joining the tour will be Gabbi Bolt, a musical comedian who’s become one of Australia’s biggest TikTok stars. Firth says: “This year, we’ll touch on hilarious topics such as the war in Ukraine, the impending climate apocalypse, destruction of women’s bodily autonomy in America and how to be as charismatic as Peter Dutton.” Canberra Theatre, November 30.

“A Celtic Christmas” billed as a feel-good Irish music and dance feast will feature a company of more than 15 Irish dancers and musicians, including a seven-time world champion, Alliyah, and “Donegal Lord of the Dance” stars, twins Niamh and Gavin Shevlin. The Q, Queanbeyan, November 27.

ON a more solemn note – but always great fun for music lovers – Canberra Choral Society heralds the festive season with Handel’s “Messiah,” performed under the baton of Graeme Morton, Llewellyn Hall,  December 3.

AN exhibition called “Pictures of You” adopts a unique approach to self-portrayals of people with physical and mental health issues. At Belconnen Arts Centre, December 2-February 5.

ALSO marking International Day of Persons with Disabilities as the exhibition does, the Stellar Company and Liz Lea present “A Stellar Lineup”, involving Canberra’s most engaging community dance companies celebrating inclusion and excellence, Belconnen Arts Centre Theatre, December 2-3.