Graduate supports comedy tour
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Bath Spa University graduate Max Devine supports Britain’s Got Talent 2023 winner on comedy tour
Wednesday, 20 December, 2023Bath Spa University graduate Max Devine is celebrating after supporting 2023 Britain’s Got Talent winner and comedian, Viggo Venn, and fellow performer and award-winning clown, Julia Masli, on tour in London.
The opportunity came to be as a result of Max staying in touch with Viggo – who took centre stage on TV screens once again as the Royal Variety Performance aired on Sunday 17 December 2023 – and Julia, after they delivered a workshop at Bath Spa University following an invitation from Rew Lowe, Senior Lecturer in Acting (Dramaturgy).
Max, who graduated with a BA (Hons) Comedy degree in 2021, explained:
“I attended a clown workshop hosted by Viggo and Julia Masli at Bath Spa University and was fortunate enough to create a good bond with both of them. Funnily enough, I then went to London to gig with the clown-like character I had formed in class. This led to me winning the industry’s famous Rising Star Award for Comic Originality – an award that Julia herself won some years before, making it a very life affirming moment for me so early on in my gigging career.
“Viggo then thought of me when working on his Soho Theatre shows and I was very honoured that he would even ask. He asked whether I could perform for 5-7 minutes alongside Julia before doing his show to a sold-out Alban Arena and I of course jumped at the chance.”
The event involved performing to an audience of 850 people. Max continued:
“I was extremely nervous about performing in front of a huge crowd and was hoping the lights wouldn’t blind me, but with half of Viggo's audience wearing the hi-vis attire he is renowned for, I had to get over that quite quickly! It was a dream come true to clown around with him onstage and will be a memory I will cherish for a long time.”
When asked what we can expect to see next from Max, he said:
“I spent the first year and a half when I moved to London just trying to stay afloat. Now that I am more stable and have found my feet, I feel free to dedicate time to my passions, and I am already feeling myself beginning the road to having a career in what I love which is super exciting. I am now taking every opportunity I can get my hands on, saying yes where I can, and putting myself in the right rooms with the right people.
“I have just finished working with Soho Theatre as part of their Soho Labs Comedy Plus course, so I'm going to take all the skills and confidence I have gained from there, and at Bath Spa University, into the new year. I hope to take part in more competitions in 2024 and push myself. I also have plans to begin generating some new material, potentially for my very own hour-long show, so watch this space!”
You can see Max perform on the Punchline comedy YouTube channel.