Polite Society’s Social Diary - March

Last year, comedian Mark Simmons won the award for Edinburgh Fringe’s funniest joke: “I was going to sail around the globe in the world's smallest ship but I bottled it.” This year, he’s testing his witty one-liners on Australian audiences at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, alongside an impressive selection of local and international funny people. There are 652 shows to choose from, with regulars like Arj Barker and Danny Bhoy, and more new talent than you can shake a funny bone at. March 26 to April 20, Melbourne Town Hall and surrounding venues

No matter how many times it’s resurrected, Mahler’s astonishing Symphony No 2 has something new to offer – some theme or feeling that you haven’t recognised until that moment. With a vast orchestra and choir, it represents Mahler’s belief that a symphony could encompass the world and the questions Mahler asks ­– “Why have you lived? Why have you suffered? Is it all some huge, awful joke?” – feel particularly relevant now. Catch the second of just two performances of The Resurrection Symphony to kick off this month’s cultural journey. March 1, Hamer Hall, Melbourne Arts Centre

First came hot yoga, then aerial, and now there’s yoga on a SUP (stand-up paddleboard), in which failure to hold tree pose correctly could have dire consequences. Held on Saturdays at Manly from March to May, these weekly classes are a great way to improve your balance and sense of humour. From March 1, Manly Kayak Centre

There was some controversy when artist Mitch Cairns won the Archibald Prize in 2017, with the acclaimed, late John Olsen describing it as “the worst decision I’ve ever seen”. But it seems Cairns is having the last laugh, with his first solo exhibition opening at the Art Gallery of New South Wales this month. Featuring sculptures – including a decommissioned power pole – along with his well-known paintings, this marks a milestone in Cairns’ (generally well-regarded) career. From March 8, Art Gallery of NSW

Yes, it’s International Women’s Day on March 8, which can mean only one thing if you’re in Sydney – it’s the weekend of the stellar All About Women festival. With a series of talks on the hot-button topics for women today – including spiralling rates of domestic violence, perimenopause and the rise of the domestically subservient ‘tradwife’ – this is an event that’s both inspiring and depressing, but… mainly inspiring. Key speakers include Grace Tame, pioneering Aboriginal psychologist Dr Tracy Westerman and Rosie Batty. March 8-9, Sydney Opera House

People rave about the Adelaide Festival and rightly so – what’s not to love about a mainly free fortnight of first-class dance and music from all over the world, and the concurrent Adelaide Writers’ Week, also free. Many events and talks take place in a park setting, where patrons can wander and picnic wherever they fancy. Highlights this year include Trent Dalton’s Love Stories and Stephen Rea in Beckett’s masterpiece Krapp’s Last Tape, while Stan Grant discusses his new book, Murriyang. February 28-March 16, Adelaide