NIGH on 2,000 fans from across the region converged on Kendal for Cumbria’s biggest comedy gathering.

Now in its fourth year the Brewery Arts Centre’s Freerange Festival has established itself as one of the most unique comedy festivals around attracting a line-up of household comedy names to the Kendal and putting them out in the Lakeland landscape..

This year saw sell-out shows included the likes of Omid Djalili and performances from future stars Lloyd Langford and Matt Richardson.

Some of the highlights of the festival were the surreal outdoor shows from Edinburgh Fringe Festival favourite Bob Slayer and Godfather of alternative comedy Arthur Smith.

On the Friday evening, Bob led an intrepid band of comedy lovers on an exciting expedition from Tilberthwaite into Little Langdale where they were treated to a special show in dramatic surroundings of Cathedral Cavern before heading for post-gig pints in the New Dungeon Ghyll Hotel.

On Saturday, amid blazing sunshine, around 35 festival-goers joined Arthur Smith for a special comedy ramble from Bowness to Wray Castle, near Ambleside, via a specially chartered Windermere Lake Cruises launch. The four mile walk from Far Sawrey to Wray Castle featured fancy dress and an impromptu contemporary dance recreation of the tales on the tales of Beatrix Potter and on arrival at the castle Arthur was joined by some of his comedy chums, including Kevin Day, for a special tailor-made show in several of the castle’s rooms.

Festival organiser Mike Jones was thrilled with the outcome. He said: “Once again, this year’s festival featured a superb mix of top stand-ups and TV comedians appearing alongside inventive and acclaimed sketch shows and performers who are usually only found on the stages of big cities and international festivals.

“Freerange has helped establish the Brewery build a reputation as one of the best comedy venues in the north of England."

Reviews by Anna Clarke...

IT’S impossible to dislike comedienne Lucy Porter, who is nothing less than a ray of hilarious, self-deprecating sunshine.

The bubbly Londoner, who brought her Northern Soul tour to the Brewery on Wednesday, had the audience in the palm of her hand from the second she bounded on stage (in a pair of comfy M&S jeans, no less).

Although the show was about her life growing up in Croydon, she managed to make it feel tailor-made for a South Lakes audience, frequently expressing her love of Kendal and making jokes about both the weather and the local newspaper (ahem).

The premise of the show was her childhood desire to be ‘a northerner’ and how she went about finding her own identity - via Morrissey, the miner’s strikes and the eventual realisation that you can never escape the place you grow up.

Laugh-out-loud funny in places, fascinating in others, Lucy proved she’s the queen of the impeccably-delivered punchline, as well as being the girl everyone wants to be friends with.

At the end of the show she promised the audience she’ll be back soon.

I, for one, can’t wait - Gazette-bashing and all.

 

THE audience for Arthur Smith’s Comedy Whirlpool was warned that ‘literally anything could happen’ - and, as it turns out, the warning was entirely accurate.

The ‘godfather of alternative comedy’ delighted the audience as he sung (with backing singers, The Smithereens), recited poetry, channelled his inner Leonard Cohen and even performed a ditty with a dancing bear.

But the whole thing felt easy - rather like a (hilarious) conversation with an old friend.

Highlights included his attempts to create a gang war between Kendalians and Keswickians, a touching poem he wrote and dedicated to his father, Sid, and his ability to make traditional stand-up (‘knock knock’ jokes and ‘a man went to the doctor’ gags) sound fresh and laugh-out-loud funny.

His genuine delight at learning of the existence of ‘Bownessie’ was also an unscripted moment of pure comedy.

Arthur’s chum, Kevin Hunter Day, took a turn on stage after the interval - while Arthur prepared to ‘become’ Leonard Cohen - and took the opportunity to try out some material ahead of the Edinburgh Fringe.

The show was spread out over a period of around two hours, but it felt like two minutes - and I would have happily watched the whole thing again.