The Opening Night Comedy Gala didn’t quite produce enough laughs to drown out the crickets.

Scottish comedian Larry Dean’s monologue was the highlight of the Gala. His set was high-energy, following a disjointed “train of thought”-style monologue which cleverly mirrored the neurological pattern of ADHD. A modern portrayal of a misunderstood condition that was enjoyed by everybody in the audience. The self-deprecating stance Dean took in relation to his ADHD, his sexual orientation and his life so far had everybody in stitches.

The big headliner, Lawrence Mooney, left a bad taste in my mouth. He’s been in the game long enough to have found inspiration for new material somewhere, anywhere, surely. In 2023, it’s not funny to compare the appearance of your balls to a Hasidic Jew, or single out the young female audience members and tell them that you prefer it when they have body hair, to “bring back the bush”, or any of the other comments you made relating to our boobs that made me, one of the young female audience members being singled out, uncomfortable.

The very definition of “comic relief”. Featuring comedians with differing styles of delivery and a wide range of topics, the Opening Weekend Comedy Gala is more suited to those who are not easily offended.