Bright Club No.2

Academics turn to standup comedy in this bold Festival event that lends some of Sydney's finest minds to the city's comedy circuit.  Hosted by James O'Loghlin, Bright Club is truly the thinking person's variety night out.

In the late-night slot at The Famous Spiegeltent, Bright Club presents a thoughtful line-up of lecturers, researchers and PhD-types from the University of Sydney, all inviting the audience to laugh along with them as they mine their area of specialty for comic potential, presented onstage as an eight-minute stand-up routine. Be kind to them, they're new to all this!

Thankfully, our would-be comics will be well supported by experienced comedian O'Loghlin, before being unleashed on the Bright Club stage, alongside some live music and a performance by Saint Blaise to round things off.

Bright Club is raw and affordable comedy, the perfect way to round out a Wednesday night while nourishing the mind.

Tonight's theme: SEX

Host: James O'Loghlin
O'Loghlin is one of Australia's leading comedians and media personalities.  He hosted The New Inventors on ABC TV (2004-11) and The Evening Show on ABC Local Radio (2002 to 2006).  O'Loghlin began doing stand-up comedy in 1990 and has performed thousands of times around Australia.  He has been a regular guest on virtually every national television program that has guests who think they are funny and/or clever on it, from Good News Week and Rove Live to Sunrise and Lateline.

O'Loghlin speaks regularly on creativity and innovation, teaches and coaches public speaking, and is author of Umm...a Complete Guide to Public Speaking.

Comedians:
Dieter Hochuli: School of Biological Sciences
Associate Professor Dieter Hochuli heads the insect ecology research group at the University of Sydney.   His work examines the functional roles these animals play in nature and their significance in the conservation, assessment and restoration of degraded ecosystems.  Which basically means he spends his time watching insects and spiders do stuff in the name of solving our great environmental crises. 

Craig Barker: Sydney University Museums
Dr Craig Barker is a classical archaeologist at the University of Sydney.  He works as the Manager of Education and Public Programs at Sydney University Museums, and is co-Director of the Australian archaeological excavations at Nea Paphos in Cyprus.  His academic interests are ancient funerary practices, Greek theatre architecture and ancient Mediterranean wine production and trade.

Patricia Weerakoon: Faculty of Health Sciences
Patricia Weerakoon is a medical doctor turned Sexologist and Academic. As a Sexologist and a Christian she has translated her passion for sex and God into sex education, research and therapy to bring good holistic sexual health to all people.

Juanita Feros Ruys: The Medieval and Early Modern Centre
Juanita Feros Ruys is the Director of the Medieval and Early Modern Centre at the University of Sydney. She is a specialist in Medieval Latin literature. She is a key researcher in the Australia-wide Centre of Excellence for the History of Emotions, and is currently researching suicidal emotions and demonic emotions in the Middle Ages.

Cabaret Performer: Saint Blaise featuring Sheridan Harbridge
Saint Blaise is the pop comedy secret life of Sheridan Harbridge, wanton songstress and comedienne. Harbridge has been touring the multi-award winning Mrs.Bang: A Series of Seductions in 55 Minutes to the likes of Adelaide Cabaret Festival, Edinburgh Festival Fringe, 32nd Stage Song Review in Poland and Sydney Opera House Late Night Lounge.  The show won Melbourne Fringe Best Cabaret 2010, Sydney Cabaret Showcase, and a Green Room Nomination.  Harbridge appears as Valerie Solanas and Judy Garland in Jim Sharman's latest film, Andy X, to be released in February 2012.

"Her sultry, soaring voice tears through...moody, ditzy and delightful" - Sunday Mail

Bright Club was originally created by UCL, London's Global University.

Find out more about Bright Club on January 11 and January 25.