Since opening its doors in 2009, the live performance venue at The Square, Jaya One has been a familiar gathering place for performers, creators and audiences, hosting countless theatre productions, comedy showcases and cultural experiences over the years.
Today, that story continues with the launch of PJ Comedy Fest 2026, an inaugural five-day multi-language comedy festival presented by DeStage in collaboration with Kam Productions. Taking place from 29 July to 2 August 2026, the festival will feature 29 comedians and 11 young performers across nine productions, bringing together some of Malaysia’s most celebrated comedy talents and rising stars.
As the first major showcase under DeStage’s stewardship, PJ Comedy Fest is more than just a festival — it is a celebration of the venue’s rich creative legacy and the beginning of a bold new chapter for live entertainment in Petaling Jaya.
A Comedy Legacy Continues
For more than a decade, the venue at The Square has played an important role in Malaysia’s performing arts and comedy landscape.
Widely recognised as a home for theatre productions, live performances and comedy showcases, the venue has welcomed generations of performers and audiences, while serving as a key platform for Malaysia’s stand-up comedy community. Over the years, it has hosted major comedy events, open-mic showcases and performances by some of the country’s most recognisable comedy talents, including Harith Iskander, Joanne Kam, Douglas Lim, Kavin Jay and many others.
Like many performance venues around the world, the COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented challenges. As live events came to a halt, the venue adapted by opening its spaces to seminars, community gatherings, private functions and other creative activities while continuing to serve the needs of the community.
Today, the venue enters a new era under DeStage, bringing fresh energy, creative vision and a renewed commitment to live entertainment.
Known for championing homegrown creative talent, DeStage is breathing new life into the space through comedy, theatre, music, community arts and cultural programming, while introducing upgraded facilities and a brand-new LED stage backdrop experience to enhance the audience experience.
Beyond the venue itself, DeStage is supported by an integrated entertainment ecosystem comprising AFO Radio and CSS Solutions Platform. While DeStage provides the venue, production capabilities and staging infrastructure, AFO Radio serves as the media and artist engagement partner, supporting talent curation, broadcasting and audience outreach. CSS Solutions Platform complements the ecosystem through commercial partnerships and event support, helping to create a sustainable platform for live entertainment experiences.
Together, the three organisations work closely to develop original programming, support Malaysian creative talent and bring larger-scale entertainment experiences to audiences, including PJ Comedy Fest 2026 and future live entertainment initiatives at The Square.
Supporting this transformation is Kam Productions, led by Malaysia’s celebrated Queen of Comedy, Joanne Kam. With extensive experience producing successful live entertainment events locally and internationally, Kam Productions brings valuable expertise in programming, production and audience development.
Together, DeStage, AFO Radio, CSS Solutions Platform and Kam Productions form a collaborative ecosystem that combines venue operations, talent development, media outreach, production expertise and commercial support, creating a strong foundation for the next chapter of live entertainment at The Square.
PJ Comedy Fest 2026 Takes Centre Stage
Designed as a celebration of Malaysia’s diverse comedy scene, PJ Comedy Fest 2026 will feature performances in English, Bahasa Malaysia, Mandarin and Tamil, reflecting the country’s multicultural voices and storytelling traditions.
Audiences can look forward to a broad spectrum of performances, from stand-up comedy and improv to storytelling showcases, interactive productions and theatrical experiences, all presented across DeStage’s Studio and Main Theatre Hall performance spaces.
Among the festival’s headline attractions is the highly anticipated Comedy Gala, bringing together some of Malaysia’s most recognised comedy talents including Joanne Kam, Kavin Jay, Shamaine Othman, Andrew Netto, Rizal Van Geyzel, Farid Azmeir, K-Shao, Jasmine Rajah, Brian Tan, Prakash Daniel, Keren Bala Devan and the acclaimed Pinball Monkeys improv troupe.
Beyond established names, the festival also provides a platform for emerging performers and young talents, creating opportunities for audiences to discover the next generation of Malaysian comedy.
The festival will conclude with a family-friendly production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream by EM Drama, ensuring audiences of all ages can be part of the celebration.
More than just a festival, PJ Comedy Fest represents a significant milestone for Malaysia’s growing comedy ecosystem, bringing together performers, producers and audiences through a shared appreciation of live entertainment and creative expression.
Rockafellers Powers The Nightlife Experience
Complementing the live entertainment line-up is a renewed focus on nightlife and social experiences, led by Rockafellers, The Square’s 360° F&B and Entertainment Champion.
Known for its unique blend of dining, drinks and entertainment, Rockafellers will anchor The Square’s evening experiences through live performances, themed nights, happy hour promotions, ladies’ nights, music bingo sessions, free-flow cocktail experiences and celebration packages.
As part of its support for PJ Comedy Fest 2026, Rockafellers will also offer an exclusive 15% discount on à la carte food items to PJ Comedy Fest ticket holders throughout the festival period, giving audiences even more reasons to extend their entertainment experience beyond the stage.
These offerings are designed to create a vibrant social atmosphere and encourage festival-goers to dine, connect and celebrate before and after the shows.
Together with PJ Comedy Fest and DeStage’s year-round programming, Rockafellers helps create a destination where entertainment extends beyond the stage, delivering a complete day-to-night experience for visitors.
More Experiences at The Square
Beyond PJ Comedy Fest, visitors can also look forward to a series of signature experiences that showcase food, culture and community engagement, including:
• Malaysia’s Oyster Table by Oyster Bois (11 – 12 July)
• Japanese Izakaya Night by IPPUDO & Hong Bee (18 – 19 July)
• Sip of Borneo by Sun Borneo (25 – 26 July)
• Artsy Fartsy Marketplace by DeStage (29 July – 2 August)
• Discover Spain by Spanish Cellar (8 – 9 August)
Participating tenants including La Chica, IPPUDO, Tommy Thongchai, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Starbucks, Bold Burger Crispy Chicken and Luckin Coffee will also offer special promotions throughout the period, adding to the diverse mix of food, culture and lifestyle experiences available at The Square.
Interested in checking out PJ Comedy Fest 2026? For more on ticketing, head over to CloudJoi here.
Do stay tuned to Hype Malaysia for more updates.
