By Ré Poko
Tonight, the Student’s Union took over Hastings’ White Rock Theatre, for an evening of humour and hilarity, the Freshtival Funny Farm Comedy Evening.
The audience seemed a little apprehensive when Leo Kearse first stumbled onto the stage.
Earlier today, when the Student Union Facebook page, revealed that David Morgan, the planned MC, would be unable to attend, having unfortunately caught a bout of Freshers Flu; they urged people to ‘fear not’ as the ‘UK PUN CHAMPION 2015’ would be joining us instead.
A clearly discernible Scottish accent, a miniature wrestling match with the microphone stand and a bottle of lager in one hand, Leo went about his business in an awkward but endearing manner that eventually won over the audience. At first, some of his warm-up puns were met with groans from the crowd and one or two people could be heard bemoaning his ‘dad jokes’; but soon after he settled in, thew jokes became less ‘dad-like’ and more cheeky and obscene. It’s here that Leo’s real charm lies, and his audience soon realised it. Before long, the whole room was shaking with laughter at his accounts of everyday life, told from his particular haphazard and amusing perspective. He skilfully wove together anecdotes, puns and audience interaction and warmed the crowd up a treat for the two acts that performed.
The first of the two acts that performed, Alistair Williams, won over the crowd very quickly. Vibrant, cheery and unafraid to make fun of himself, Alistair quickly had the audience in stitches as his tales of girlfriend troubles, worries of never being able to afford a nice enough home and lack of job satisfaction were themes instantly recognisable to the younger people who made up the majority of the audience.
Headline performer, Luisa Omielan, presented a masterclass in raunchy jokes, in a set that was filled with sex stories and relationship advice for the younger freshers in the audience. Luisa held a powerful sway over the crowd, dealing with cringeworthy anecdotes from her adolescence and the trials and tribulations of life in her 30s with a comfortable, cocky delivery that delighted and shocked the crowd in equal measure.
SU Campus and Partnership Manager Mark Curry described the event as a “cracking night”, and the first years from Robert Tresses halls who braved the horrible weather were not disappointed.
The audience seemed a little apprehensive when Leo Kearse first stumbled onto the stage.
Earlier today, when the Student Union Facebook page, revealed that David Morgan, the planned MC, would be unable to attend, having unfortunately caught a bout of Freshers Flu; they urged people to ‘fear not’ as the ‘UK PUN CHAMPION 2015’ would be joining us instead.
A clearly discernible Scottish accent, a miniature wrestling match with the microphone stand and a bottle of lager in one hand, Leo went about his business in an awkward but endearing manner that eventually won over the audience. At first, some of his warm-up puns were met with groans from the crowd and one or two people could be heard bemoaning his ‘dad jokes’; but soon after he settled in, thew jokes became less ‘dad-like’ and more cheeky and obscene. It’s here that Leo’s real charm lies, and his audience soon realised it. Before long, the whole room was shaking with laughter at his accounts of everyday life, told from his particular haphazard and amusing perspective. He skilfully wove together anecdotes, puns and audience interaction and warmed the crowd up a treat for the two acts that performed.
The first of the two acts that performed, Alistair Williams, won over the crowd very quickly. Vibrant, cheery and unafraid to make fun of himself, Alistair quickly had the audience in stitches as his tales of girlfriend troubles, worries of never being able to afford a nice enough home and lack of job satisfaction were themes instantly recognisable to the younger people who made up the majority of the audience.
Headline performer, Luisa Omielan, presented a masterclass in raunchy jokes, in a set that was filled with sex stories and relationship advice for the younger freshers in the audience. Luisa held a powerful sway over the crowd, dealing with cringeworthy anecdotes from her adolescence and the trials and tribulations of life in her 30s with a comfortable, cocky delivery that delighted and shocked the crowd in equal measure.
SU Campus and Partnership Manager Mark Curry described the event as a “cracking night”, and the first years from Robert Tresses halls who braved the horrible weather were not disappointed.