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Speech Is Not Needed For Laughs - Leicester Mercury Review

Most people would say that to be a comedian, you have to use your voice.

Lost Voice Guy walked into the room, and his iPad greeted us by simply stating ‘I have a slight disability’.

Right away it was apparent this was going to be a completely light-hearted show, hosted by a comedian who doesn’t take himself - or his disability - seriously at all.

Lee Ridley, the genius behind Lost Voice Guy, suffers from Cerebral Palsy. In Lee’s case, this means he cannot physically speak. 

However this doesn’t not hold any barriers for the 33-year-old. He uses his disability not to make us, the audience, feel sorry for him, but to join him in laughter.

Lee tells us tales of his experiences from everyday situations such as the problems occurred when ringing Babestation, to the more serious time of what happened when he was taken to hospital for pneumonia when he was meant to be performing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

‘At least I now know how to spell pneumonia’ he quips, which made the room erupt with laughter.

Lost Voice Guy is a refreshing act to see. He provides the kind of comedy which is needed these days - nothing too serious, and holding back no barriers on disability, making Lee different from your typical stand-up comedian.

Take a bow, Lost Voice Guy. You may not be able to speak but your quick-wit and light-hearted routine certainly left me speechless.

Published in the Leicester Mercury, February 2014

Replacements Play Their Trump Cards - Leicester Mercury Review

As it hit the time for the show to start, a voice out of nowhere asked the audience to sit forward a few seats.

Everyone, it seemed, thought this was odd. However, what happened next was not expected.
Mr Methane, the renowned performing flautist, who was meant to be, ahem, playing tonight, had, for whatever reason decided to blow the gig out.

In his place and at the 11th hour, up stepped Bob Slayer, the event organiser who had decided the show must go on.

After explaining what had happened, Bob was joined by Tim Fitzhigham. Together they patched together an impressive impromptu show of tales, misfortunes and laughs.

It wasn’t what we had expected, but it was something which you could not have imagined would happen.

Bob even demonstrated what Mr Methane would do if he were there - so you could even say we even got a little taste, if that’s the right word, of his act.

The show, as you could imagine, was completely unpredictable, we heard a complete mixture of stories, with one person even telling us the tale of meeting his long last Dad.

All this made for a delightful evening, because instead of being a show based on a script it was actually a cosy little chat where the audience came together laughing from start to finish.
It felt like you actually got to know fellow members of the audience.

It might not have been Mr Methane, but Bob and Tim came up trumps and saved the show. Bravo.

Published in the Leicester Mercury, February 2014

Demon FM's News Coverage For RAG Week And #getmeonair

It’s not just the presenters of Demon FM who are going to be helping to raise some money on the airwaves in RAG week.

Eight of the station’s news will be joining the presenters and the producers during their 48-hour stay in John Sandford, providing the latest news as per usual on Demon FM. 

The team will compromise of Izzy Frodsham, Bethan Head, Jimmy Knott, Mattia Pace, Joanne Philpott, Sharma Ridge, and Flora Skanks.

Ella Griffith, head of news at Demon FM, who will also be in the news reading team, said of her excitement of being part of the experience. “It’s great that we can all work together, have fun, and raise money for important causes.”

Having been one of the people who really pushed having news as a regular feature on Demon FM in her three years at De Montfort, Ella couldn’t be prouder of how far the news on Demon FM has come. 

“It’s great that after two years of hard work that there’s a news team to be proud of, and a news team that gets stuck in no matter what the situation or challenge” said Ella.

“We’re always keen to get involved and even though Demon FM is going to be mixed up for a few days, we still have our place in the schedule!” added Ella.

Bringing the interaction closer between the radio presenters and the news readers is something that the News Editor has really been setting out to do this year. Third year Journalism student Izzy Frodsham has been pushing to make the whole of Demon FM more of one rather than two separate departments. “To be included in RAG week is great for the team on the whole and also I think it will allow the news readers to meet and mingle more with the management and presenting team”, said Izzy. 

And speaking about being involved with the variety of characters involved in the 48 hour challenge, Izzy was enthusiastic, adding “I’m hoping that that news team will be able to help out with some of the challenges!”

Published April 2014

Varsity Drinking Ban - The Demon

It’s coming up to that time of the year again, Varsity, and amongst many things it also means one big thing for sports societies.

That’s right, the drinking ban. One of the essential no-tolerance policies in getting ready for varsity. All the sports teams take it very seriously in their preparation for the biggest sporting event on the calendar of the University year, and it could have an impending effect on those who chose to waver the ban.

Seb Segarra, social sec for the Rowing Club, said “Drinking is a necessary ban in the run up to Varsity because it doesn't help with training in any way. There is a reason Thursday, the day after socials, is a non-training day. People just can't operate in the same way, and a time away from drinking only benefits performance.”

Some could argue that alcohol is what makes the Wednesday night socials what they are; each sports team going round to various bars before getting to the SU to carry on drinking and making memories that will probably be forgotten the next day, but Seb disagrees.

“In general, the rowing club is very sociable anyway and the people are very entertaining, with or without alcohol. Drinking ban is just one of those things that is part and parcel of the club.” Said Seb.

Although Varsity takes place on different dates for different sports teams, the ban falls around the same time for the majority of clubs. For Rowing it’s two weeks, staring on the 13^th of March. Other clubs are a lot more strict, starting theirs weeks earlier.
 
However, regardless in saying that socials are still as entertaining being tee-total, Level One is the place that completely changes. Emily McLeron, who has worked at the Student’s Union for two years, said “when there is a drinking ban the atmosphere here is a lot different. It isn’t so rowdy, and everyone is much friendlier and more polite.”

Emily added “It does affect us, though. Our takings are down a lot more, and as it is not as busy we cut down on staff. It can be better to work as it’s not so busy, but at times it gets boring.”

Additionally, there are serious implications for those who chose not to disobey the ban. “Those who don’t abide by the drinking rules are vulnerable to being dropped from teams, something which no-one wants, as Varsity is the top event of the year”, said Seb.

It may be a hard few weeks for some, but team spirit and that hope of being converted winners over Leicester University is what pulls people though, and as Seb quite rightly stated, “We may not be drinking but we can still have fun!”

Published in the Demon, May 2014