CHS enjoyed a night of witty words and laugh-out-loud limericks at The Comedy Store Manchester, raising over £20,000 for Teenage Cancer Trust in memory of former student Callum Ballantine.
Performing at CHS Comedy Class, comic novices from the School community received top training from their own professional comedy mentors in preparation for delivering 10-minutes of rib-tickling humour to a 300-strong audience.
The line-up of novice stand-ups included CHS Head Lucy Pearson, BBC North West Tonight presenter Roger Johnson, Chief Executive of JMCL Consulting Ltd. Jonathan Michael, CHS parent Simon Gleave plus Callum’s close friend and Old Waconian Zach Sadri.
After a warm welcome by Phoenix Nights and Benidorm star Ted Robbins, opening act Zach took to the stage with a side-splitting routine about his multi-cultural upbringing before being joined on stage by his professional mentor Katie Mulgrew.
TV funny man and Comedy Class MC John Thomson was on hand to oversee proceedings and delivered some classic one-liners before novice joker and CHS parent Jonny gave a hilarious insight into experiencing a mid-life crisis.
After the interval car boot organiser Simon raised the bar with an Only Fools & Horses homage to his ‘Del Boy’ nick-name. He told his mentor Alex Boardman, “It was great, I really enjoyed that, but John Thomson can be assured his job is quite safe.”
Arriving straight from the BBC North West Tonight studio, presenter Roger Johnson delivered his own alternative news headlines and Two Ronnies inspired limericks.
The event was brought to a close with a stand-up routine by CHS Head Lucy about her experience of growing up with siblings before the audience attended a bustling after-show party at Spinningfields bar Artisan.
Sponsored by Manchester restauranters Living Ventures, CHS organised Comedy Class in honour of Callum, who died aged 19 from cancer in December 2015, and who devoted the last year of his life to raising money for Teenage Cancer Trust.
Take a look at all the on-stage and backstage action from the night in our Media Gallery. Photos by Jason Lock.
