So we've come to the end of another season for Chatback Comedy Club.
'Running a comedy club'. It's such a strange thing to say I do. I suppose it's strange not only because I never really envisioned doing such a thing but also because it's difficult to know where it became something I did as a main venture rather than a sideline. When do you decide a hobby becomes a job? As a business advisor pointed out during a reading of our first attempt at a business plan, when you're talking about beer money rather than substantial profit margins you're really partaking in a time consuming hobby. I assume he thought that there was an iota of promise there though because he awarded us a £2000 grant. Sure enough we're gradually expanding, dealing with bigger acts, larger venues, increased sums of money. So while it's certainly not a 'full time job' as of yet I suppose it's now officially something I 'do' rather than something I 'do in my spare time'.
There have been two outstandingly exciting times in the running of the club. One was at the very beginning when we realised we weren't just running a local open mic night but rather an official, regular gig with a large, loyal audience. Beyond anything we'd ever dreamed this was, quite frankly, the reason the company exists at all today. I can't imagine that, without this early injection of success, we'd have had the confidence or staying power to attempt to run a 'club' rather than a 'night'. The second is right now. Due to the nature of this profession Sam and I have always had to juggle our work for the company with other jobs. With me disappearing off to London on a regular basis and Sam completing a PGCE it's been quite a struggle and finally we had to make a decision. Split or call it quits altogether.
The first plan was to do the latter. The company was our baby, we've had a good run and we thought we'd do a final season, go out with a bang and that'd be that. We took a six month hiatus to prepare the final shows and, coming back from it, Sam, myself, the production team, the designers and our regular audience all had one resounding plea. 'Give it one more go!'
So, officially the original terrible twosome - Sam Gardner & myself - who started the nights together have had to split. Amicably...don't worry. Although madly proud and thrilled by being part of Chatback, Sam finally had to call it quits when he got his first official job as a teacher (Herne Bay High School - Drama & English!) but has given me his blessing to carry on. Joining me as Production Manager is an existing member of the tech team Faith Austin.
Since we were having a fresh start we figured it was a good time to take the time to sit down and think about how we wanted to go forward as a company, what we wanted to do, to be and how to become a business rather than a society. Hopefully we'll have plenty to announce in the upcoming weeks and months and, more to the point, we make a success of it all. ALL OF IT HEAR ME!?
It's been a lovely start and, to keep you in the loop, here's what we've been up to over the last few months.
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Monthly gigs at The Parrot pub in Canterbury.
(Pictured above clockwise from top left: Jessica Fostekew, Anil Desai, Bec Hill & Thom Tuck)
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Chatback Comedy Kids' Hour at intu Lakeside Shopping Centre
(Pictured above clockwise from top left: Nish Kumar chats to a young fan, Meeting the giant ShakeAway milkshake, Paul Sweeney & the front row texters, Paul Sweeney creates the 'I don't know' song live on stage with his kids' chorus!)
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Chatback Comedy at Lounge on the Farm
(Pictured above left to right from top left: Dan Simpson and Paul Sweeney launch Stand Up & Slam!, Phil Nichol, Little Lounge, poets meet comics in round one of Stand Up & Slam!, the sign at Little Lounge for Tiernan Douieb's show, Team Comedy at SU&S!, Tiernan Douieb does Chatback Kids' Hour, Play It By Ear's Breakfast Improv show, Paul Sweeney steals blankets from children.)
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LOTS OF LOVE,
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Lucy Danser (Company Director) & Faith Austin (Production Manager)
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