An Open and Shut Evening
As spring has well and truly sprung in London the long evenings have people out and soaking up the sun. On such an evening there is sometimes no nicer way to cap it off but with some comedy. Sunday Assembly teamed up with Quantum Leopard for a fundraising night at COLAB Towers, writes Christopher Peacock.
Sunday Assembly is a secular community who meet every 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month, organising poetry readings, talks and other community events that embody their ethos as a group. Their mission is to live better, help often and wonder more. Quantum Leopard comes into the fold to bring the comedy to the comedy night fundraiser. They run regular comedy nights across Zone 1 with a focus on bringing comedy that doesn’t punch down and have won many awards in doing so.
James Ross from Quantum Leopard compered the evening and his buzzing energy and enthusiasm certainly helped get everybody in the mood for a laugh. Playing games with the audience and spinning some of his own material he certainly knows how to loosen up a crowd. The night consisted of four comedians. Due to other commitments the order of performers was shuffled around with headliner and opener switching, but that didn’t cause too much disruption due to the quality of both performers.
Headliner turned opener Mark Thomas took to the stage firing off his intense political left wing tirades. For want of a better phrase at a secular event, he was preaching to the converted. The audience lapped it up as rants about golfers and the church got many laughs. A short drinks break followed before the next two acts, when Alex Franklin followed Jamie Mykaela.
Mykaela’s style of cabaret/comedy was dark and sinister at times but always did well to get the crowd back onside. Alex Franklin’s was more personal. Rooted in their transitioning journey and what people in the trans community face, her set played to a supported and allying crowd. To finish the night, Ben Pope, who was initially meant to open, closed the evening. What we got from Ben’s material was a more straightforward observational set, a highlight of which was his thoughts about the Night Bus.
A great evening for Sunday Assembly as it was well attended and will surely help them with the assemblies and events they have planned throughout the year. Usually based at Backyard Comedy Club in Bethnel Green, they can be visited at sundayassembly.com for those interested in joining the community.
