The first gig of this year’s Leicester Comedy Festival (LCF) has been given at De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) – by a TV star and DMU graduate.
David Morgan, who has been performing comedy for more than a decade, entertained guests at the official launch of the LCF, kick-starting a programme of more than 800 shows across 19 days all taking place within Leicester.
DMU staff, local business leaders and festival organisers filled Trinity Chapel, on DMU’s campus, at the distinctly unfunny time of 7.30am for the annual breakfast launch.
But after a coffee and a smart, witty set by David Morgan – who graduated from DMU years ago in Interactive Design – there were far more smiles in the room and the festival was under way.
David – who has co-hosted ITV2’s I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here Now! and Safeword - said he always enjoyed coming back to Leicester to perform.
He said: “This’ll be my thirteenth Leicester Comedy Festival and I love the city. I loved it when I was a student here and still do.
“As a performer I like the LCF because audiences here, they want you to do well. It’s not combative like some other festivals, Edinburgh for example.
“The people here give you room; they’re open and willing. But it’s not too easy either; you have to deliver. And comedy doesn’t exist if you’re not funny. You’re just someone talking on a stage and that’s it.”
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Festival Director Geoff Rowe, of the Big Difference Company, conceived of the event back when he was a student at DMU, in the final year of his Arts and Festivals Management Course.
Officially opening the 24th LCF, Geoff said: “The Leicester Comedy Festival is now a big national event which happens to be set in Leicester. It brings 30,000 people into Leicester each year and has an economic impact worth about £3 million, with hotels, taxi firms, bars, restaurants and so on getting big increases throughout the event.
“Part of what makes it work so well is the partnership we have with DMU and I want to thank them and Leicester City Council for making this happen.”
Michael Marsden, Acting PVC Dean, Faculty of Arts, Design and Humanities, said he was proud that students had such opportunities.
He said: “The festival is a key event for the city and we are delighted to work so closely with it.
“We have students running venues at the festival, writing reviews. We have media students out recording and covering events and this year they have helped research a whole new exhibition about the history of comedy in Leicester – called Funny City, at DMU’s Heritage Centre.”
Posted on Friday 10 February 2017