Comedy gold, but can it compete with the cute ducks – and even cuter punter? Y OU couldn’t get a much more “Cambridge” evening to be honest. Run by Hannah Dunleavy, comic and former Cambridge News columnist, the premise of Funny Punts is this: you jump aboard for a guided river tour while Hannah melds facts and figures with a smattering of witty asides and off- the-cuff observations. Your host is bawdy and fully prepared to spew a wedge of Cambridge related knowledge from her brain – and the setting is obviously pretty magical, especially at dusk. Once lazily scooting down the river from the Granta, we learnt about ridiculous kings and queens, the great, the famous and the utterly mental that have studied at Cambridge University (Isaac Newton’s lack of sexual prowess and Prince Charles having actually been to university both get a ribbing), and politicos will definitely enjoy nods to Cambridge’s bubble beliefs. Although some of the pop culture references did slightly whoosh over my head (luckily you’re free to ask questions and chip in), you get the feeling each tour is tailored to the audience. And, while it isn’t always highly glossed and polished, thankfully the routines don’t feel rigidly rehearsed – which is good because, on the water, anything can happen... Hannah is the first to admit she’s up against some tough competition when it comes to river based distractions. She’s used to powering through when a cute flock of ducklings paddles over mid joke, (“awws” from the audience ruining the punch line), and happily digresses when fellow boaters provide too exceptional a lure for further comedy/ sniggers. In our case it was a troupe of foreign students doing widths instead of lengths, and a velvet clad guy splayed out with his feet up, attempting to look all-too nonchalant and Byron-esque while his poor girlfriend did the hard graft – spectacular. Then there’s the distraction of the lad doing the actual punting (no, Hannah doesn’t punt and joke simultaneously, that would most likely end in a splash). We were lucky enough to have bagged an Eddie Redmayne look-a-like (swoon) who, when Hannah declined (“I was just about to do a joke about Sylvia Plath killing herself!”), obliged us by bridge jumping – this should definitely become a staple part of the gig. Seriously. Pithy, clever and light, Cambridge will definitely look different when you hop back out of the boat. And, just so you know, health and safety-wise, no-one’s toppled in yet… FUNNY: Hannah Dunleavy Review: ELLA WALKER lies back and enjoys a comic twist on a Cambridge classic courtesy of former News columnist Hannah Dunleavy’s Funny Punts n Tours leave Granta Punts on Newnham Road at 6.30pm and 7.45pm every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Tickets cost £15 per person and are available on the night or can be booked in advance at www.wegottickets.com/cambridgecomedytours. For more details contact cambridgecomedytours@ gmail.com. n You can also follow @funnypunts on Twitter or visit www.facebook.com/funnypunts MUSIC THEATRE COMEDY DANCE FILM BOOKS FAMILY DAYS OUT TV INTERVIEWS REVIEWS ART BREAKING NEWS RANTS & RAVES AND MORE AT CAMBRIDGE- NEWS.CO.UK/ WHATSON PLUS ADD YOUR OWN EVENTS TO OUR FREE ONLINE CALENDAR!

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Comedy gold, but can it compete withthe cute ducks – and even cuter punter?

YOU couldn’t geta much more“Cambridge”

evening to be honest.Run by Hannah

Dunleavy, comic andformer Cambridge Newscolumnist, the premiseof Funny Punts is this:you jump aboard for aguided river tour whileHannah melds facts andfigures with a smatteringof witty asides and off-the-cuff observations.

Your host is bawdyand fully preparedto spew a wedge ofCambridge relatedknowledge from herbrain – and the settingis obviously prettymagical, especially atdusk.

Once lazily scootingdown the river from theGranta, we learnt aboutridiculous kings andqueens, the great, thefamous and the utterlymental that have studiedat Cambridge University(Isaac Newton’s lackof sexual prowessand Prince Charleshaving actually beento university both get aribbing), and politicoswill definitely enjoynods to Cambridge’sbubble beliefs.

Although some of thepop culture referencesdid slightly whoosh overmy head (luckily you’re

free to ask questionsand chip in), you getthe feeling each tour istailored to the audience.And, while it isn’talways highly glossedand polished, thankfullythe routines don’t feelrigidly rehearsed –which is good because,on the water, anythingcan happen...

Hannah is the firstto admit she’s upagainst some toughcompetition when itcomes to river baseddistractions. She’s usedto powering throughwhen a cute flock ofducklings paddles overmid joke, (“awws” fromthe audience ruiningthe punch line), andhappily digresses whenfellow boaters providetoo exceptional a lurefor further comedy/sniggers.

In our case it wasa troupe of foreignstudents doing widthsinstead of lengths,and a velvet clad guy

splayed out with his feetup, attempting to lookall-too nonchalant andByron-esque while hispoor girlfriend did thehard graft – spectacular.

Then there’s thedistraction of thelad doing the actualpunting (no, Hannahdoesn’t punt and jokesimultaneously, thatwould most likelyend in a splash). Wewere lucky enough tohave bagged an EddieRedmayne look-a-like(swoon) who, whenHannah declined (“Iwas just about to do ajoke about Sylvia Plathkilling herself!”), obligedus by bridge jumping– this should definitelybecome a staple part ofthe gig. Seriously.

Pithy, clever andlight, Cambridge willdefinitely look differentwhen you hop back outof the boat. And, just soyou know, health andsafety-wise, no-one’stoppled in yet…

FUNNY: HannahDunleavy

Review: ELLA WALKER lies back and enjoys a comictwist on a Cambridge classic courtesy of formerNews columnist Hannah Dunleavy’s Funny Punts

n Tours leave Granta Punts on Newnham Road at6.30pm and 7.45pm every Tuesday, Wednesdayand Thursday. Tickets cost £15 per person and areavailable on the night or can be booked in advance atwww.wegottickets.com/cambridgecomedytours.For more details contact [email protected] You can also follow @funnypunts on Twitter orvisit www.facebook.com/funnypunts

MUSIC THEATRE COMEDY DANCEFILM BOOKS FAMILY DAYS OUTTV INTERVIEWS REVIEWS ARTBREAKING NEWS RANTS & RAVESAND MORE ATCAMBRIDGE-NEWS.CO.UK/WHATSON

PLUS ADD YOUR OWNEVENTS TO OUR FREEONLINE CALENDAR!