Back by popular demand - GAC Comedy Tour revisits Kazakhstan

Shipping, marine and logistics services provider GAC Group has hosted its second comedy tour of Kazakhstan, as promised at the conclusion of the highly acclaimed inaugural event in November last year.

According to Group Project Logistics Manager Laurance Langdon, this year's tour was bigger and better than its predecessor:

"Last year's groundbreaking event proved to be a massive hit with the expatriate communities in Almaty, Aktau and Atyrau," he explains. "The aim was to find an innovative way to showcase our new offices and services in Kazakhstan, while at the same time giving the decision makers in the audience a night out that was off the scale in comparison to the usual social fare available. It certainly did that, and more - as demonstrated by the fact that audience numbers this time round almost doubled."

The stars of the November shows were British comedian Charlie Baker and American Dave Fulton. Baker is heralded as "a wonderful showman and a rising star" by Time Out, and Fulton is described as "compelling… a real breath of fresh air" by UK national newspaper The Independent.

Langdon predicts that the success of the GAC Kazakhstan Comedy Tour could lead to the company expanding the tour in future:

"We're planning to extend the concept of entertaining the troops in the oil field to other countries where GAC serves the shipping, marine and logistical needs of the oil and gas sector."

GAC's expanding presence in Kazakhstan reflects Central Asia's status as one of the world's principal oil and gas producing areas, and the company's aim to gain a share in the rapidly expanding energy industry: "Anticipated future demand for both logistics and marine services in the area is massive, thanks to the discovery of the Kashagan field," said Matthew Towse, General Manager of GAC Kazakhstan. "GAC continues to grow in Kazakhstan with our own offices in Almaty and Aktau and an expanding fleet of offshore support vessels based in Bautino, about one and a half hours from Aktau."

The GAC comedy tour kicked off at the Palladium Jazz Club, Almaty on 11 November and was followed by the second at the Renaissance Hotel in Aktau on the 12th. The concluding performance took place at the Renaissance in Atyrau on 14 November. Tickets were provided free of charge with audience members encouraged to donate to the Children's Health Charity in Aktau in lieu of an admission charge.

"The event raised nearly US$4000 for the charity which helps children with disabilities and learning difficulties - a great cause strongly supported by GAC," said Langdon.