Stand-up Comedians Laugh and Fundraise for Teenage Cancer Trust
A Night of Laughter for a Great Cause
A group of top comedians, including Jack Dee, Dara O Briain, Maisie Adam, and Bridget Christie, took the stage at the Royal Albert Hall to bring smiles and raise funds for the Teenage Cancer Trust. This comedy night was part of a week-long series of events, curated for the first time by The Cure’s Robert Smith. He took over from Roger Daltrey, who started the annual event in 2000.
Although Smith did not make an appearance during the show, host Dom Joly dressed up as him for a skit. Many of the performers also praised his efforts in organizing this year’s London concerts. O Briain shared a funny memory about a previous show where he mistakenly asked Smith to play “Close To You” instead of “Close To Me,” a song by The Carpenters rather than The Cure.
Jack Dee opened the evening with a humorous comment: “Clap all you like, I’ve just found out I’m not being paid for this.” He then thanked the audience for coming out on a Tuesday, which he jokingly called “one of the seven worst days of the week.”
The night began with performances from Miles Jupp and Athena Kugblenu. Maisie Adam talked about her recent return to living with her parents, while Bridget Christie made jokes about being caught eating cake out of a bin.
Most of the comedians avoided political topics, but Andy Hamilton broke the trend. He joked about President Donald Trump, saying, “I thought you’d all be out queuing for petrol,” and compared Trump to someone “building a wall between America and reality.”
Stewart Lee closed the night with his signature style, making jokes about Coldplay, Nigel Farage, and Russell Brand. He admitted, “Corporate Christmas bookings are a distant prospect at this stage.”
The evening also featured a film about Aiden Cowie, who was diagnosed with cancer at 18. After receiving help from the Teenage Cancer Trust, he has now started his career as a stand-up comedian.
The concert series kicked off on Monday with Elbow, followed by performances from electronic artist Craven Faults and Irish singer Annika Kilkenny. On Wednesday, Scottish post-rock band Mogwai will headline.
The 150th show in the concert series will take place on Thursday, featuring Welsh rock band Manic Street Preachers as headliners, supported by The Joy Formidable. The next day, shoegazing pioneers My Bloody Valentine will perform, supported by Glasgow synth-pop trio Chvrches.
This will be followed by a performance from rock band Garbage on Saturday, who will have special guests, alternative rock band Placebo. The series will conclude on Sunday with Mercury Prize-winning band Wolf Alice, who will be joined by eclectic singer-songwriter Nilufer Yanya.
Robert Smith, 66, expressed his pride in being asked to be the “Cureator” of the concerts. He said, “Every band, both headliners and special guests, and every comedian too, is either legendary or at the top of their game… indeed in most cases, they are both!”
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