By April Thompson

How can I describe the 2024 ANU medical student revue, the largest student revue in the country*? In three words; laughter, talent and reflection.

As almost eight hundred of our local students and medical colleagues can attest, the tale of Lill and Ted will go down in the history books as one of the greats. The skits and songs were met with raucous laughter and widespread praise. Personally, my favourite moment was the finale ‘Graduating’ where the cast came together to triumphantly sing that “you can count on me to save your life! (as long as the consultant says it’s fine)”.

The students involved both on- and off-stage were all so talented. Starting with our band, who learned to play an entire musical in two months and composed two original songs. Then our chorus, who were triple threats, singing, dancing and acting throughout the show, despite only agreeing to do one of those three. Our dancers were also amazing, performing everything from ballet to traditional Irish dance. And finally, our actors. Each one of them auditioned knowing nothing about the characters they would inhabit, but watching the show you would think they were born for those very roles. Catherine and Tally (Lill and Ted) ad-libbed many of the shows’ most iconic lines. Roland sent shivers down our spines as Miranda Priestly in ‘The Devil Wears Scrubs’. “Gorman, for paediatrics? Groundbreaking.” And Samuel tore the buttons off his shirt in a frenzy of passion, begging the audience to understand once and for all that gastroenterology is “not just farts as poo!”

So, what did we learn? Personally, I learned to appreciate how incredible my colleagues are at thinking outside the box. You need a time machine? How about a spray tanning tent and LED string lights. I learned to appreciate how multi-faceted they are. Where is our microphone tech? He’s behind the theatre tuning his bagpipes. Finally, learned that my colleagues can take something as simple as observing a cholecystectomy or being bought coffee and turn it into something that makes us all laugh. I can’t wait to see what life is like when those same people are performing the surgeries and buying the coffees.

Thank you to everybody who came along to the show this year in support of our creative endeavours and also in support of Companion House, who will receive close to $10,000 in proceeds from the show.

*Research not evidence based or peer reviewed.