Preview: Dan and Jon vs. The Funsultancy

We get a sneak peak of one of the weirdest films to hit Oxford in a while


It’s always a risky decision to go to see a student play. If we are truly honest with ourselves, the chances are, there will come a point during the play when you just can’t take the melodrama for one moment more, and begin to consider how conspicuous it might look if you were to carefully slip from your seat, and run for the hills.

It’s not necessarily a matter of quality, but rather more of running length. Among these spires breathes a town of pubs, clubs and kebab vans, so who wants to be cooped up at 10.30 watching Arcadia when the pre-lash is already well under way?

Thankfully, director and PPE finalist Jess Park offers an alternative for our 1st Week’s cultural fix with his new short film Dan and Jon vs. The Funsultancy.

Speaking exclusively to the Tab, Jess urged students to, “take an hour’s break from revision, get high, and come to the show for something far from your average night out in Oxford. Anything can and will happen with the Funsultant by your side. You may encounter God, for example.”

With an eclectic cast and crew including a student from Southampton Uni, an ex-tutor at Oriel and a member of the kitchen staff at Keble, the film essentially revolves around Jon, determined to win his job back as a social events officer having been ousted by the mysterious, moustachioed Funsultant (see below).

Sound bizarre to you? Well, you’re probably right. Park himself describes the film as ‘psychedelic’, influenced heavily by films such as Adventure Time and the likes of Edgar Wight and Charlie Kaufmann (haven’t heard of them either). Suspect this might be a little too far out for your tastes? Fear not, the film is more comedy than anything else, satirising the workplace and its inane jargon and is sure to entertain and amuse And let’s not forget, best of all it’s short, with a running time of just forty minutes.

Dan and Jon vs. the Funsultancy will be showing at the Ultimate Picture Palace on Friday 2nd May at 5pm.

Click here to find out more about the event, or click here for more info on buying tickets.

Trailer: https://vimeo.com/88650348