1. The Mother of All Galas 1 of 10 Saturday, 9 May 2011 The crowd eagerly anticipates a night of light-hearted humour and enlightenment as they attend Sydney Comedy Festival’s Mother of All Galas at National Institute of Dramatic Arts.

2. The Mother of All Galas 2 of 10 Young, old, men and women alike line up to receive a signed DVD from comedian and emcee of the night Fiona O’Loughlin

3. The Mother of All Galas 3 of 10 The microphone is tested and ready for the comedians to light up the stage and entertain the audience.

4. The Mother of All Galas 4 of 10 The audience members take their seats as the beginning of the night draws near...

5. The Mother of All Galas 5 of 10 ...while backstage the comedians do their make-up...

6. The Mother of All Galas 6 of 10 ...and their warm-up

7. The Mother of All Galas 7 of 10 Fiona O’Loughlin introduces each comedian, in her own witty way.

8. The Mother of All Galas 8 of 10 Julia Morris’s beaming smile shows that a lot of comedy is about fun and entertainment...

9. The Mother of All Galas 9 of 10 ...but there can also be serious issues that are raised in comedians’ routines, recovering alcoholic Fiona O’Loughlin explains.

10. The Mother of All Galas 10 of 10 All in all, audience members go home feeling happier after an entertaining night of fun, laughter and stories.