‘We’re looking for someone who’s got something different’: We chatted to Durham’s elite comedy team

With the new year comes new opportunities and auditioning for The Durham Revue, the university’s exclusive comedy group, is certainly worth a shot for all budding comedians. The Tab spoke to the current team to find out what is in store for those planning to audition.

Last year's team in all their glory.

Charlie Billingham (Grey College) and Lydia Cook (St. Johns) joined the team last year and have since made leaps and bounds. “I turned up to Durham with the intention of joining the Revue at some point in my four years, so I simply felt shocked that I achieved this within my first four weeks,” says Charlie.

He says it isn’t an easy commitment, however it is a one of a kind experience that all of the team remark is a lot of fun and, with alumni such as Nish Kumar, Ed Gamble and (the famously hilarious) Jeremy Vine, he argues that it could even be the start of a promising career.

The group put on an extensive number of shows in Durham whilst also touring to the remote lands of Oxford, Cambridge, Leeds and the Edinburgh fringe. Last year’s Gala Theatre performance proves that they are a league above their Oxbridge counterparts. Touring is one of the memorable parts of being in this group: “The travelling itself was a lot of fun even when facing a ten hour round journey,” says Lydia.

Hamish's personal highlight being was breaking down at Peterborough services because former President Luke Maskell had filled the Experience Durham car up with diesel, proving that (as was proclaimed on the side of the van) they were “exceptional people, doing exceptional things”.

Luke Maskell's tragic error.

The current team have a great collaborative outfit, Charlie says: “Hamish, like myself, is a Greysman and Lydia is a fellow inhabitant of Suffolk, so I fit neatly into the middle of the ‘Grey-Suffolk’ Venn diagram”. All three members are friendly and outgoing, so newcomers will definitely feel welcome in their presence.

Current spearhead Hamish Lloyd Barnes is on the lookout for “originality” at the auditions. “We’re looking for someone who’s got something slightly different. I think a lot of good humour comes from when something happens that you least expect”.

Auditions will be held on Monday 15th October at 18:30-21:30 in ER148 and Tuesday 16th October at the same times in ER155. Aspiring comedians, get your butts there. Should you be chosen, it promises to be a fun and rewarding experience.