FOCUS’ Leicester Comedy Festival 2023 extravaganza!
It can be difficult to get back into the swing of things at the beginning of a new year. The cheer of the holiday season gives way to the back-to-work blues of middle-to-late winter. This applies to young people just as much as the rest of us, so any chance to kick-start our year with the Leicester Comedy Festival is worthwhile for everyone at FOCUS.
Our young people last got involved in 2021, with ‘Lesta Lockdown’ winning the Louise Rennison Youth Comedy Awards. Before that, we had ‘Some Like it Lit’ in 2020. This year, we were back with ‘Some Like it LIT! Part 2’, performed at The Big Difference Bar on Wednesday 22nd February!
What do teenagers know about comedy?
More than you’d think, as ‘Some Like it LIT! Part 2’ proved! Our young people created and performed comedy sketches based on what they found funny about the world around them.
A bully working around the post-pandemic environment to steal lunch-money.
A taxi-driver trying to work around overzealous ticketers.
‘Irrefutable evidence’ that job interviews are a waste of time.
And much more!
They were aided by amazing comedian James (Oli) Sheridan, who even joined them for a few sketches.
The ‘Business-Fogey’ Interlude!
The show also included a parody talk-show with business partners Rajesh Modha, Hitz Rao and Bev Sankey, who attended our earlier comedy workshop in January. (You can learn more about it here.) In the words of Chief Director and show compere, Matt Lilley, their “rewards for their unwavering support of FOCUS [was] this ritual humiliation.” Yet the three fought back with their own prepared jokes. It was truly a must-see!
It’ll be a Comedy Festival to remember for sure!
The night was a real riot, with an amazing turnout. The young people conquered stage-fright and some small last-minute changes to put on a terrific performance.
Following the success of our show, FOCUS was one of organisations to be nominated for the Leicester Comedy Festival’s 2023 Tracey Miller Community Award! This is a huge honour for us and our young people to be recognised for our community efforts!
Thank you so much to Leicester Comedy Festival for once again giving our young people this brilliant opportunity. We also want to give a very special thanks to the amazing Oli Sheridan, who helped our young people put ‘Some Like it LIT Part 2!’ together. Thanks also to Popeyes UK, who provided refreshments for our networking afterparty after the show.
