Proper Comedy Was Unleashed

Comedy Unleashed, a London-based comedy company known for giving a platform to free-thinking comedians, came to the Hi-Fi Comedy Club in Leeds last weekend. After reading reviews from one of its most recent events in Bethnal Green at the Backyard Comedy Club, claiming it was “vile”, my grandfather and I snapped up tickets. The line-up was Leo Kearse, Tania Edwards, the Intel Lady and Nicholas De Santo.

I can now say that I have attended a “far-Right Nazi” rally, as the Left-wing organisation HOPE Not Hate called a previous Comedy Unleashed gig. There is also a petition called ‘Stop Backyard Comedy Club from Performing “Comedy Unleashed”‘, aiming to raise £5,000 to have the event cancelled. So far, it has only gathered £207 and its biggest donor is the creator himself, who is also a HOPE Not Hate donor. Nevertheless, despite efforts to cancel it, Comedy Unleashed survives and continues to sell out weekly across the UK.

It was an evening packed with endless laughter and enjoyment. Three hours’ worth of jokes and puns allowed us to escape into the world of no-holds-barred comedy, something all too rare these days. It was not inciting hatred or ‘nasty jokes’; it was comedy at its best, ripping into the political state of the world and mocking everything wrong in society. This type of comedy was normal a decade ago, but as ‘cancel culture’ evolves it is becoming less and less common. Comedy Unleashed is one of the few places it still prevails.

The Hi-Fi Club is a quaint, snug, underground venue that has space for around 165 people. It had a convenient bar located next to the seating area, and the stage was positioned at the front, visible to all. The lighting was dim, and it had a nice ambience once the venue filled up. When the acts began, the stage was in the spotlight, clear to everyone. There was a tiny hub for the comedians and a toilet at the back. It was no bigger than a restaurant.

Leo Kearse was the host and had everyone laughing from the beginning after easing us into the evening with a few funny puns and some entertaining interaction with the audience. He then passed the microphone to the first act, Tania Edwards. She had an unusual and niche style of comedy, leaving moments of silence between jokes and creating awkward pauses, which worked well. Again, she interacted with the audience and was able to turn their stories about marriage and employment into a hilarious routine. Nothing far-Right about this, just a few jokes at the audience’s expense, which they took well.

We were meant to have an act from Bruce Devlin, but he couldn’t make it. Not to worry, though, as we had the pleasure of watching the Intel Lady, known for her humorous impersonations. Her act was short, but we were able to hear her comical imitations of Angela Rayner and newly elected Green MP Hannah Spencer. Again, nothing vile or far-Right about this. Nicholas De Santo followed, and his act was well done and intelligent, even featuring jokes about his Italian heritage. Leo Kearse concluded the evening – this had to be the most hysterical set of the night, as it had the entire audience in stitches from start to finish. He was articulate, quick on his feet, wonderfully seditious – an excellent way to end the night. Look out for his ‘racist dog whistle’ sketch – it’s hilarious.

Comedy Unleashed does what it says on the tin: it hosts free-thinking comedians who leave their self-censorship at the door. It stands up for and promotes freedom of speech and even welcomes comedians from different parts of the political spectrum. We should not be frightened of sending up opposing views, as this is a vital aspect of a healthy democracy. Comedy Unleashed seems to be the only organisation keeping this comic tradition alive.

I strongly encourage you to go to one of its events.

Jack Watson is a 17 year-old schoolboy in Year 12. You can read his Substack about following Hull City FC here. Follow him on X here.