I know, the next two days could still break you so, If you are wondering how you’re going to get through it The Listies, Ickeypedia Live at the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre in Wollongong might just be the answer. 

I took my seven year old, Findlay and his friend, Esme, aged six, to see if it’s worth the spend and if it’ll keep them out of trouble. 

Here is what we thought. 

What is Ickypedia?

I have to admit that neither Findlay, Esme or me knew. We’ve all recently moved to Australia and we’d totally missed out on this delight. We’d been reliably told that Ickypedia would be full of silliness, rude words and lots of poo jokes so I figured it would be a hit. 

I’ve since found out that The Listies are Richard Higgins and Matt Kelly, a double act from Melbourne, who devise and perform live comedy for "kidults". The show is based on their first book A Dictionary of Disgusting New Words.

Read more: 14 things to do around Illawarra this weekend

How much does it cost – and are there any seats left?

The Listies had two shows on Friday and are here on Saturday for the day. There are seats left for the 10am and 12.30pm shows. Tickets are $32 for all seats. To be fair there isn’t a bad seat in the house and The Listies make sure everyone is involved.

Is it worth it? 

Totally. Yes. We really had no idea what to expect but Findlay and Esme giggled for an entire hour and a half. The show is entertaining, fast paced and exciting.

Will I have to sell my soul to pay for the merchandise?

Yes but how can you say no to buying a book your children will definitely read? 

Books were $17, CD’s were $10 and posters were $5. If you wanted the lot it was $45. The best bit about buying the merchandise is you could meet The Listies and have your picture taken with them. Be prepared to wait. The queue was loooong.   

Read more: Outdoor cinema comes to Bulli

What about food?

You know the drill here. Chips are expensive. This time we were lured in by the amazing Listie themed cakes which included Poo Brownies, $3.50, Slime Donuts, $4.50 and Pig Cakes, $4.  Expensive but yummy.

Is it suitable for preschoolers? 

The show is advertised as for four years up. There are a lot of words I’d rather my four-year-old didn’t know and I’m glad we didn’t bring him. However, there were a few little ones in the audience who looked like they were having a fab time and I’m pretty sure have come away with some choice phrases.

So what are the choice phrases my delight will be saying forever more?

Well, where do we begin? There were so many and I stopped counting after a few. These are for starters:

Then there is all the fart noises…

However, there are also some new words for the parents. 

I’ve added the following to my repertoire: 

I can’t wait to use some of these.

Will I have to get out of my seat and join in?

The best thing about this show is it’s so interactive. You’ll be asked to get out of your seat, to follow actions and to throw things at the stage (yes, really). You may even have your handbag rifled through and end up with crackers and water sprayed over you. 

That might sound scary to the introverted but it’s done in the gentlest way. The Listies clearly understand the fine line between getting us olds to join in and our need to sit quietly for an hour.

My kids will love it, but will I? 

It seriously is the best thing I’ve seen in a long time. We went to see comedian Arj Barker in Thirroul a few months ago. The Listies beat Arj hands down (sorry Arj, that’s probably the last thing you wanted to hear.)

The final verdict.

Findlay and Esme loved it. Findlay gave the performance a 9.5 out of ten. It didn’t make ten because he didn’t get to keep the snot baby. Esme gave it a full ten out of ten. I totally agree with her. 

The Listies, Ickypedia Live is on at the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre in Wollongong on Friday, October 6 at 7pm and Saturday, October 7 at 10am and 12.30pm. Tickets are $32 and can be booked online.