News release - Gale storms into comedy films
Friday February 12 2009
Solent University’s Mark ( Galeforce ) Gale has stormed his way into the finals of a national comedy competition to find the UK’s funniest student.
The 21-year-old comedy degree student has been announced as a finalist in the Comedy Central Live Funniest Student Competition – formerly the paramount Comedy On Tap Funniest student competition.
The final-year BA (Hons) Comedy: Writing and Performance student will battle it out with five other finalists in front of an X-Factor style judging panel and special guests – including Shappi Khorsandi, Patrick Monahan and Jarred Christmas -on Monday 15 February, at the Comedy Store in London
Mark – whose stage name Galeforce comes from a fast delivery that can leave him and his audience breathless - is interested to see how his ‘old school’ brand of humour and charm will go down with the judges and the audience.
“I’m an alternative to the ‘alternative’ comedy scene”, he says. “Most people are still performing observational comedy but my studies have given me a newfound respect and appreciation of the quick fire delivery and slightly cheesy gags reminiscent of the comedy greats from the variety show era, especially Tommy Cooper and Frankie Howerd.”
The winner of Monday’s competition will walk away with guaranteed gigs courtesy of Off The Kerb Productions (Lee Evans’ management) and the opportunity to receive mentoring and advice from Comedy Central.
Next week’s national event - the hottest comedy gig on the university calendar, and the culmination a series of gigs from the UK’s top students – has been dominated by Solent’s comedy students who have won the competition twice in the last four years.
Solent comedy degree student Hannah George won the competition in 2007. Since graduating in 2009 she has since gone on to be a regular on the UK’s comedy circuit and has taken her show to the Edinburgh Festival.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT THE MEDIA OFFICE ON 023 8031 9040