Alakazam, also known as the Human Knot, squeezed his lanky frame through a squash racket, tennis racket, and toilet seat at Magner’s Comedy Festival kick-off party at the North End’s Improv Asylum on Tuesday. The event, which also saw Wacky Chad performing tricks on a pogo stick and mini toy bicycle, was an opportunity for those involved in the cider company's festival to relax before the festival started its five-day run on Wednesday.
“We work with a lot of local comedians throughout the course of the week, and the kick-off is certainly a celebration of that,” said Kevin Murphy, the North American trade marketing manager for the festival. “It’s a great opportunity for the talent and the event planners to come together just to get excited about what’s ahead.”
According to Murphy, what’s ahead is five nights of local, regional, and national comedy events throughout Boston and Cambridge, which will include stand-up and improvisation at five of Boston’s comedy stages—the Oberon, Wilbur Theatre, Nick’s Comedy Stop, Mottley’s Comedy Club, and Improv Asylum. Several thousand festival-goers are expected to attend a variety of the events.
Before the on-stage performances, the 150 guests who attended the affair celebrated the festival’s commencement with chilled glasses of Magner’s original Irish cider and pear cider in the lounge area. The Sausage Guy catered the event with bite-sized chicken and cheese quesadillas; half-portions of vegetarian, chicken, and steak burritos; and mini chicken chimichangas. Brightly colored balloons enlivened the lounge, and large Magner’s posters and multiple clusters of Macintosh apples brought focus to the evening’s sponsor. Guests took Magner’s can openers home as souvenirs.
For Murphy, “the greatest success of the kick-off party is that it’s great for morale to kick back ... before things get really crazy and … reflect on all our hard work prior to the fast pace of the festival.”
