Did you hear the one about …?

Given the current cost of living pressures Bletchfest’s organisers wondered whether they would repeat the success of their first BletchFest Comedy Night which sold out very quickly last year but ultimately a full house were royally entertained by great comedians at this year’s event held at the Village Hall. Appropriately enough on April Fools Day!

Drinks were ferried in a small convoy to stock the bars and there was some deliberation about seating as they contemplated the best arrangement for the performers and audience settling on single rows with wide aisles on the sides. After a quick dash to retrieve forgotten keys to the locked sound system and then a lights test, set up was pretty straightforward.

Doors opened at 7 pm and as the venue began to fill the audience were welcomed with addresses from the Chairman of Tandridge District Council, Jackie Wren and the Bletchfest committee chairman Mark Tantam but they were ultimately upstaged by three colourful pantomime characters in full costume promoting Bletchfest’s plan to reintroduce the art of pantomime to Bletchingley! They definitely helped foster the atmosphere for a successful comedy night!

The comedians were all great entertainment with Danny Ward as compere opening the show followed by Gerry K both seasoned comedians generating laughter with genuine wit, humour and comic timing. After a brief drinks break Danny introduced Abigail Carter-Simpson whose funny observations of life were also put to song as the audience joined in a comic chorus about failed boyfriends! A few weeks after her BletchFest appearance Abigail turned up on TV’s Britain’s Got Talent getting 4 yeses and through to the next round.

Another break and then the headline act was Dominic Holland, a stand up comedian with a string of TV and Radio successes, author of at least 9 books and father of SpiderMan! The Hollywood actor Tom Holland is his son. All of which provided a rich seam of comic material which he mined throughout his hilariously funny performance.

Dominic stayed on at the end of his act. Graciously signing books and posing for selfies he was as generous sharing his time as he was sharing his humour. Equally generously the collection buckets supporting the charities sponsored by the Chairman of Tandridge District Council, who appreciated the audience’s own generosity, gathered £153

So the first of BletchFest’s community focused festival of arts was a triumph. There’s more to follow but what better way to kick off 2023’s events and maybe to help cope with life’s travails, than some laughter?