Yesterday (4th of July) the inaugural LOLapalooza Comedy Comepetition where contestants aged from 12 to 25 competed for fame, a spot on SYN FM’s comedy program In Joke and some rather spectacular trophies.
The afternoon was host by Cushla Travers from In Joke and between the competing comics, the crowd were treated to a solid spot by Jack Druce, the kookiness of Sam Simmons and Tom Ballard bringing the show home. The main event featured 18 contestants who were divided into under 18 and over 18 categories.
Joining myself as a judge of the event was comedian, writer and all round good egg, Stefan Popovic. The standard of the acts was extremely high, making the judging process rather difficult. Even those revealing that it was only the first or second gig took to the stage with such confidence and talent that you would have though they were seasoned veterans.
Taking out victory in the under 18s was Stephanie Milsomm who used her three minutes to delight the crowd with a song about her favorite section of The Age newspaper, The Odd Spot. She filled the song with plenty of amusing lines and won the hearts of the audience. Being a tiny little thing and as cute as a button added to her warm and hilarious performance.
The winner of the over 18s was John Campbell a performer who has been appearing around the Melbourne circuit for a little while. His set was a rather deadpan affair filled with witty wordplay which had the audience laughing throughout.
LOLapalooza was a wonderful afternoon of comedy that showcased a brilliant collection of young talent. Hopefully we will be seeing the contestants gracing the stages of Melbourne’s comedy rooms to further develop their already impressive repertoires. Congratulations to all involved in the organising of this event and I look forward to next year’s competition.