Law school: a hothouse of diligent students who spend sleepless nights buried in stacks of case law and towers of text books. Right?
Not always.
Once a year, The University of Queensland’s TC Beirne School of Law students let their hair down to entertain the community in the all-singing, all-dancing Corrs Chambers Westgarth UQ Law Revue.
Around 100 students perform the show each year and thousands of their fellow students, staff, alumni and the general public laugh along over four nights at UQ’s Schonell Theatre.
This year TCB’s Wide World of Torts is set to tackle politics and pop culture with its own special brand of absurdist humor - at least if the revue’s promotional video is an indication.
“Comedy is also a great lens through which to approach some really topical issues,” said revue convenor Katie Wheatley.
“As much as we love getting together, cracking jokes and making people laugh, it is sometimes hard to escape the fact we all come from what is really a fairly serious discipline, and all of us have that serious side that shimmers through when the laughs die down, Ms Wheatley said.
“It’s actually amazing that we have such a hilarious group making the time commitment for the show on top of their academic obligations.”
The revue attracts some talented law students, including Henry Meehan who last year was awarded Best Oralist for his advocacy in the Jessup International Law Moot Competition and Allister Harrison who is representing the law school in the upcoming Sir Harry Gibbs Constitutional Law Moot.
“This is a group of incredibly smart, passionate students and that carries into everything they do: performance, academia, everything,” Ms Wheatley said.
One notable UQ revue alum is Jonathan Sri, now a Brisbane City councillor for the Gabba Ward.
The law revue involves an extensive cast, a video team, a band, backstage assistants, set builders, costume and make-up artists and more, who all come together into a tight-knit community
Past revue audiences have been graced with the presence of “Tony Abbott”, “Kim Jong-Un” and “Snoop Dogg”.
“It will be an absolutely brilliant night out,” Ms Wheatley said.
“We have a lot of topical, observational and occasionally absurdist humour.
“Our band is brilliant, and each one of our chorus members sings better than Susan Boyle!”
Wide World of Torts: The UQ Law Revue will play at the Schonell Theatre 16-19 August. Book tickets here.
Media: Katie Wheatley, k.wheatley@uqls.com, 0404 430 750; Joy Qin, j.qin@uqls.com
