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Here’s a sneak peak from a CLIC rehearsal ahead of tomorrow’s show

The show where medics get their kit off for charity


No university would be complete without its traditions — and in Bristol, we are lucky enough to have the CLICENDALES show. The annual performance which sees medics dance and strip to fundraise for cancer charity, CLIC.

We visited one of the rehearsals ahead of tomorrow's show for a quick chat with the directors to give you a taster of everything happening at the show.

What is the theme of CLIC this year?

"The theme this year is musicals. In the last few years there has been a bit of a crossover, so we wanted something new this year. There are so many shows out there, so it quite lends itself to being on a stage."

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Have you got any performances which you're particularly looking forward to?

"I'm really excited for Wicked, I think that's a good theme. I think Hairspray will also be really good. I love Hairspray and I just think it's such an up-beat musical. To be honest, they'll all be so good."

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What was the application process like?

"It's getting bigger each year and it's getting more competitive. Tickets sold out in six days; the early bird tickets sold out in three minutes, it's nuts.

"More people want to choreograph and loads of people want to be in the show. You bond with your dance group really well and meet loads of different people from different years. It's the only way you know people from other years, otherwise you don't really meet them.

"Everyone wants to get involved because you have a lot of fun, it's such a good cause and you raise a lot of money. We had to turn boys away, which we didn't have to do last year. Last year we had just enough boys but this year we had to turn about 30 away."

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Does the thought of stripping on stage scare a lot of people involved with the show?

"The first year is always daunting, that's when people tend to take it really seriously. This year I've been to the gym about two times, but in my first year I went to the gym about four times a week and was on a diet. Some people just contour their abs which does everything the gym would really do.

"It's nerve-wracking, every year just before you're about to get on stage there's a tiny thin corridor that goes backstage. There's an eerie red light and it's just terrifying. Then you have a massive adrenaline rush and it's all over in seconds.

"The crowd are always all so responsive and loud. You get a massive buzz. People scream at you whilst you take your clothes off — there's not much better."

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How much are you hoping to raise for charity this year?

"We're going for £30k this year. Last year we raised £23k last year, but we want to raise it a bit higher."

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Can you give us any spoilers ahead of tomorrow's show?

"You can guess a lot of the shows like Wicked, Grease and Hairspray. We also have three songs from the Greatest Showman.

"We're hoping to make it a bit more similar to Comic Relief this year with the recurring donation themes and a few other surprises which haven't been done before.

We've got some people coming in for that, but we really can't say anymore."

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To donate to CLIC, click here.

Photo credits: Alicia Fitzgerald and Zanna Spencer.