Announcing STAND UP & SLAM! in London

So, I'm pretty excited to be announcing the launch of a show I've been developing with Dan Simpson (Canterbury Poet Laureate). We'd noticed that the audiences for, and preconceptions about, performance poetry and comedy were massively different despite the fact the two spoken word art forms have loads of similarities and have actually been successfully combined in the case of some higher profile performers such as Tim Key and Phill Jupitus. 

So we decided to bring the two art forms together is a fun, creative way and STAND UP & SLAM! was born! Featuring our two captains - Paul Sweeney (Comedy Captain) and Dan Simpson (Poetry Captain) - it's a hilarious, ridiculous verbal battle to the (sort of) death. The winners? Whoever the audience choose on the night. 

We've been running gigs since December 2012 to workshop the show and we're now excited to announce our first full season at the Comedy Cafe, Rivington Street, London from September 17th 2013. More info re: line ups and more to come! 

Why my thespian heart belongs to England

When I was younger I knew in my heart that I'd fly this nest. That I'd leave the wet and windy British weather behind, that I'd go somewhere with clean air, frequent sunshine and exotic accents. My lifestyle would be healthier, property would be affordable and I'd cook delightful meals daily from local ingredients. I'd still work in theatre. Of course. Or, failing that, writing. I wasn't planning on going crazy. We're talking California here rather than Cuba. South Africa rather than the Solomon Islands. Yup I'm unstoppable. Last week I went to North Wales for three days and began mentally planning my future there. My Dad always told me that you should take the opportunity to travel, to see the world, when you're young and it's still an option. You know, before you get bogged down with all this mortgage, job, children business. I've done a fair bit of that travelling malarky. I love it. I also lived in Indiana for a year. It was incredible but of course the time then came to return.

I honestly thought I'd be living elsewhere now. But I'm 26. And I'm still, very much, here. More significantly, I've started a business here. Okay so it's small, minute even, and should I decide to leave then I imagine it might not, at this point, have a major effect on me. But that's not the point. The point is that I have chosen not to look further afield but to stay right here and put down roots. Maybe it's just the way things turned out. Perhaps I'm jumping the gun and my time to move has yet to come? Or is it possible that I'm here because my three true loves are here? 

My family, the theatre and comedy.

The former is ultimately a private concern but suffice to say that I imagine there's a possibility I would follow my family around the globe if it came to that. I don't mind short term separation, travelling and so on but I do not wish to envision a future without tangible access to my family and nor, I believe, do they.

But theatre? And comedy? Well these are slightly less obvious choices for an individual to make when determining where to base their lives, although obviously pertinent when you wish to work in the self same fields of course. But does England still lead the pack? Yes, England has great theatre and we're within spitting distance of the biggest arts festival in the world but plenty of other countries have thriving arts scenes nowadays. Including those which are potentially easier to break into than the over subscribed world here. Chicago and New York both play host to incredible theatre and actors while Cape Town and Johannesburg companies are producing some beautiful work. Australia's cities feature some of the biggest theatre and comedy festivals in the world and European theatre has long been admired for it's grace and beauty.

However the truth is that I've still never found anywhere that quite compares to here. To our history, our people, our plays. To the companies that choose to come here with their wares and to the deep respect people have for our industry. I'm not always, rarely ever actually, in the 'in crowd' of British theatre but I still delight in so many of the opportunities available and possibilities still out there. There are so many problems, not least with funding, payment and lack of work, but right now I'm hopelessly in love with the world that theatre always has, and still does, represent for me.

I love the fact that since January I've seen West End musicals, fringe plays, stand-up comedy, works in progress, South African productions, Joanna Lumley performing in late night Pinter shorts and an incredible adaptation of an award-winning novel. I love that in eight months my friend's debut play has been performed above a pub, at a festival and in a West End theatre. I love that Sir Ian McKellen went to see my grandmother's amateur dramatic's society production of Waiting for Godot and stayed for tea afterwards. I love that although it often feels like a hopeless struggle for those of us in the profession there are scattered moments when opportunities are tangible and everything, albeit briefly, falls into place.

For me they're both addictions. Comedy and theatre. Watching and creating. And I haven't yet found a better place to be than here. 

Chatback Thanks...

I left Canterbury, and university, in 2010 and, with it, the comedy club my housemate Sam and I set up while studying. We were heartbroken and vowed to keep it going but I think we both secretly believed it'd peter out within the year. More than two years on and the club is still going strong. It's a lot of hard work and, like all show business ventures, can be quite up and down in the level of success it's achieving at any one point in time. Regardless, it's nothing short of a miracle that, whilst living in separate cities and holding down other jobs, our Canterbury presence has flourished. We've been able to produce monthly comedy shows at our residence The Parrot, a season of larger scale shows for students at The Attic on the UKC campus, a couple of seasons at the Horsebridge Arts Centre in Whitstable, a programme for Lounge on the Farm festival and gigs at the Gulbenkian Theatre and the Canterbury Festival. It's been bloody brilliant and, to top it off, we've been shortlisted for a Canterbury Culture Award this year in the category of 'Destination Canterbury'! It looks like we actually have a shot, fingers crossed, at creating something lasting. 

Although this is, to some extent, due to impressive and/or foolish devotion to the company on the part of Sam and I, it's also - in a massive way - down to the incredible people around us. Ive always yearned to be surrounded by talented people eager to create something with me. I've often been quietly envious in the past when I've met others who seem to do so effortlessly and wondered if I'd ever find people willing to take a bet on me, but never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined that I'd end up with what I have. Which is a bunch of awesome, fun people who are passionate about live comedy and full of enthusiasm and the drive necessary for doing all the hard work needed to make our gigs happen, and our club continue to exist, both when we have the money to pay them and when we don't. I hope that I manage to show my gratitude whenever possible and that these wonderful individuals know how much I appreciate them and that they themselves have been enthused and fulfilled by the experiences they've had with Chatback. 

I'm making a point of doing so right now specifically because quite a few of our most precious team members are leaving Canterbury to run off into the real world. Though we'll miss 'em plenty we know it's time for them to fly free and spread their talents around the UK's arts and entertainment industry. It's not fair to keep them all to ourselves. We know this. Their talent must be shared. So, without further ado, these are the talented Canterbury folk who've really helped make us what we are today (If there is a single person who's been missed out please write and tell me off immediately. It's midnight.): 

From day one our designer DAN TOLLADY has been an essential part of the creation of the company with his handiwork seen everywhere from our first logo to our most recent poster and flyer designs. He's always willing to try something new and is awfully patient in dealing with my incredible lack of sense of colour co-ordination. 

Our first show was photographed by the talented RICHARD GREBBY (check his stuff out!) and compered by the ever supportive and super talented DR OLIVER DOUBLE who is now the head of Theatre & Drama at UKC and the author of two (definitely at least two) books on comedy and vaudeville. Later on in our first season the multi-talented Mr OWEN EVANS also lent his photographic skills. 

Our technical team has been manned over the years by two lovely gentlemen. The splendiferous CJ BELFIELD was our first and, over the last couple of years, we've been blessed with the calm, committed and loveable presence of JAMES WAYNE. Thanks also to the musical accompaniment from time to time of ANDY JEFFS.

Our feisty Production and Stage Manager FAITH AUSTIN started off as a volunteer and is now a real life member of staff. Seh's been an incredible force in the company, always working, always on the ball for new comedians and committed to achieving perfection in each and every aspect of her role. 

Our sassy FOH lady is GRACE IRVINE. She's super-organised and has massively improved the audience's experience of a night at Chatback with everything from her swift box office management to her team of lovely lady usherettes who are...

The talented comedy buff that is SOPH THOMSON and the most lovely DAPHNE NANCY SEALE.  

So...I'm all done. For now. I just wanted to say thank you. There are too many people to name who have helped in important little ways here and there (plus the brand new team who've just started!) but I just wanted to pay homage to those who've really thrown themselves in and become part of the team. All that remains to be said really is that if you're an employer in the creative industries I promise that you won't go wrong with any of the splendiferious individuals above.

-------

• http://www.richardgrebby.co.uk/
• http://www.owenjamesevansdesign.com/
• http://www.oliverdouble.com/

Smiling in the Newspaper (Canterbury Times, Jan 2013)

This happened a little while ago but I totally forgot to post it up here. Just in case anyone's interested though this is a feature on Sam Gardner and my comedy club that appeared in January in the Canterbury Times (swish!). It's quite hard to read so I've included a typed up version below. 

The Canterbury Times, January 28th 2013
Leisure Feature, Joe Bill

It has been on the end of both curt criticism and the odd disapproving tut in the past, but University of Kent’s stand-up comedy teaching module is having the last laugh. Two graduates of the drama and theatre studies course are looking to take the comedy world by storm, having bagged an Edinburgh star for their third anniversary special. Sam Gardner, who studied the MA stand-up comedy module, and Lucy Danser, who studied the creative producing for theatre module, run an up-and-coming comedy club out of The Parrot pub in Canterbury.

The pair will celebrate their third year in charge of Chatback Comedy this month after going full circle and securing a performance from Norwegian comedian Daniel Simonsen.The performer, who won the Best Newcomer Award at the 2012 Edinburgh Festival, also happens to be the headliner from the very first Chatback Comedy show back in 2010.
Lucy, 25, said: “Myself and Sam were housemates at university and I’d always loved and been involved with the stand-up comedy scene in London and at the Edinburgh Festival. “Sam was offered the opportunity to hold a one-off comedy night at The Parrot, where he worked, so we decided we’d pool our skills and knowledge and do it together. It was a great success, completely sold out and we even had to turn people away. The Parrot agreed we could hold it as a regular monthly event and we’ve been doing so for three years. The pub has actually changed hands twice in that time, but we’ve stayed.”

The pair were schooled by Kent tutor Dr Oliver Double, himself a former stand-up and a prolific comedy-writer, and it was his course that inspired the pair to create the club. “We opened the club because, despite the fact there was the country’s only stand-up comedy course right here in Canterbury, there was nowhere these acts could go and perform alongside [professional] acts working the circuit, on the next level up from them. They could go to see big names in London and there was their own [student] night Monkeyshine run by Dr Double, but nothing in the middle, so we opened Chatback.”

Lucy and Sam have managed to mix students with professional stand-up comedians at their nights by bringing in a few big names but also allowing open-mic slots for local comics or comedy students to get a five-minute set. “It’s been great for new acts to meet professional comedians, to get tips and feedback on their material and experience performing in a different style of club. We have a very loyal audience and we’ve seen it grow and change over the years. Early on we had a lot more friends and students. Nowadays we have people from all over and from Canterbury, which is wonderful.”
Chatback has attracted the likes of TV regular Milton Jones, Britain’s Got Talent star Kev Orkian and the face of Viva TV, Eric Lampaert. “We’re based on the London-style comedy club. The atmosphere is buzzy, the acts are new, exciting and often on the cusp of becoming more widely known on television shows. The comedians mingle with the audience and there is always a friendly, chatty, happy feel. The Parrot is unique and comedians love to play gigs there because it’s so friendly.”

Lucy, who is also a trained actress, believes the Canterbury comedy scene has improved dramatically since they started on Chatback. “The Parrot is our resident club, but over the years we’ve held gigs in Whitstable, on the UKC campus and further afield. We’ve definitely noticed a big surge in comedy in Canterbury over the past few years. Clubs have popped up, some for a long period of time and some just briefly. Many pubs have begun holding open-mic nights, too, which is great because there are lots more places to try out material for new comics.” Chatback has also gone into the Gulbenkian theatre on the university campus to put on children’s comedy shows and workshops.

Changes are afoot for the young Chatback team, with one half of the duo looking to follow in the footsteps of his famous comedy tutor. “At the end of this current season Sam will be leaving the company to train to become an English and drama teacher,” said Lucy. “We haven’t ruled out him returning after he’s finished and is super-qualified, but for the next couple of years I’ll be running the company along with some of the existing members of the team.”

And the crew have a few ideas of their own. "Our plans are to continue The Parrot gigs and the kids' comedy at the Gulbenkian but to also open a club in London and to tour with our new format show Stand Up & Slam! - a fusion between performance poetry and stand-up comedy. It's awesome! There are a couple more ideas still under wraps, but we have big plans." 

• Visit www.chatbackcomedy.com for information on forthcoming shows. 

'Designer Vagina' the movie!

A week or so ago I wrote a blog here about a comedy short I was in called Designer Vagina, written & directed by Lucy Dwyer (Dobson). Now it's up on the YouTube so I thought I'd share it here also.  We're always told, in this profession, to get out there and do our own stuff so I get excited when people really do go and do that. It's not always easy and there's a great deal of promising and negotiating along the way. It's amazing that anything gets made at all really. But Lucy (not me) knew what she was doing. There were coffee and muffins on arrival...genius. So here it is. Don't worry, there are no actual...you know whats...on display. We're all talk. And popcorn. 

Thespians just love vagina

Not since Eve Ensler's groundbreaking The Vagina Monologues has there been so much mention of, ahem, our lady bits in the Arts as this weekend held. Or my weekend at least. Although I may have undermined the whole 'let us call it what it is' stance by referring to them as 'lady bits'. Sorry. Though, to be fair, I have never denied my prudish tendencies. Which is probably why I'm so tickled by this weekend's double whammy, so to speak. 

On Saturday I played the much coveted role of 'Woman 1' in Lucy Dobson's funny and lovely little comedy short Designer Vaginas. On being told this title my mother stared at me aghast as she tried to work out how best to sensitively ask if I'd, fed up with the acting grind, bitten the bullet and entered the adult entertainment industry. I can assure you, as I did her, that it was as quirky as the title suggests but in no way raunchy or vajazzled. I won't share much more about the filming as I wouldn't want to spoil the joy for you all of watching it (yes I will be posting it here) when it's ready. I will say, however, that I've never ever had a camera man say to me 'That was very good. That's quite an interesting vagina you've got there'. Referring, by the way, to the SCRIPT's content. You know, the words I was saying. Not my...you get the gist. I told him nobody had ever said that to me before. Then I thought for a moment and added, "I kind of hope no one ever does again". 

The next day I went to ITCH, the exciting Sunday afternoon scratch sessions that The Comedian's Theatre Company runs at the Pleasance Theatre. There were bits of plays, comedy sketches and improv (more about this in a later blog) but what stood out for me, for obvious reasons, was musical comedienne Pippa Evan's song My Vagina. Actually I don't know if it had a proper title but this is fitting enough for now since the song can be pretty much epitomised by those two words. Written as a response to feminine deodorising wipe company femfresh's patronising slogans such as 'Woo Hoo for my Fru Fru' it ended with her encouraging the audience to call out 'VAGINA!' in much the same way Ensler revolutionised the word 'cunt'. (By the way, I honestly never thought I'd use that word in a blog). 

Although both the projects listed above are comedy the truth is that femfresh's campaign actually had quite a major backlash from insulted women fed up of being made to feel unclean, unnatural and unfeminine. In their funny, silly, irreverent ways both Pippa Evans and Lucy Dobson are joining those in the Arts who are tackling the way women are infantilised by the media. Since I totally support anyone who manages to both entertain and convey a point I'm thrilled to be involved. Shall we say it!? 

VAGINA!

Have a good day!

Chatback Comedy Club's Upcoming Season

This is the new flyer for my comedy club (co-owned with Mr. Sam Gardner) Chatback Comedy Club.  It's currently based in Canterbury and specialises in bringing the award-wining & up-and-coming acts from the London Circuit over to Kent. We're pretty proud of it. If you get a chance to come see our shows then please do, we've had some lovely reviews. If not go and see any of the same hilarious talented comics wherever you might find them. 

Actors Vs Comedians: Finding Work is No Joke

Everyone likes to laugh. Well, not everyone. I’ve met the odd few who prefer to sit miserably sulking in a corner but, for the most part, laughing is a particularly popular pastime. It expresses happiness, it works those ab muscles and, doctors tell us, it’s fantastic for our health. So it’s no wonder that during these past few war-themed, politically murky, recession filled years, stand-up comedy has wriggled its nimble little self into almost every facet of the creative entertainment industry. Switch on the television and, within minutes, you’ll be faced with a grinning comedian headlining a campaign for insurance. Stephen Merchant for Barclays, Jason Manford for Churchill, Omid Djallili for MoneySupermarket.com. Comedians also have sitcoms covered (Ricky Gervais The Office, Jack Dee Lead Balloon, Simon Amstell Grandma’s House, Hugh Dennis Outnumbered, Miranda Hart Miranda),theatre (Lenny Henry Othello, Comedy of Errors, Matt Lucas Prick Up Your Ears, Omid Djalili Oliver) and even television dramas (Miranda Hart Call the Midwife,Peter Kay Doctor Who.)!

So where does this leave actors?

We’re all realistic enough to appreciate that getting your face on the TV often makes you a much more desirable casting option to a theatre. From my first foray into this industry I learnt the importance of actors putting aside their pride for a day, bagging a commercial and then flitting back to the theatre whilst living off the advert’s repeat fees. With this base covered, comedians are now in the front line for much of the subsequent TV, film and theatre casting plus continue doing their live work.

The differences between the working ways of actors and comedians are the basis of why this is becoming an issue. Many actors just act. They form part of a chain,becoming the characters visualised by another craftsman, a writer, and are shaped by a director. Actors audition for roles and, when they’re not cast in something,they’re generally, uh, ‘resting’. They have a branding, a USP, to some point, but really their job is to lend themselves to whatever character or situation they are playing and assimiliate into the production. Comedians, providing they’re proactive,can perform, paid or unpaid, every night of the week around the country, accessing new audiences and building up fans continuously. Comedians are very lucky in that they develop a persona and brand that defines them throughout their career, and gives casting directors a much easier job of comprehending where they might fit into a production.

My concern is that the appetite for the fast, easy, recognisable appeal of the stand-up and the attachment of their name to a project will reduce the opportunities for actors to hit our stages and screens with subtle, developed and moving performances. Perhaps its time for the actors themselves to fight back? Maybe its time for them to adapt their way of working, promoting and branding to compete with the new kids in this brave new world? Only time will tell.

Humour - The best form of defence?

It has long been accepted that, in the never-ending procession of defence mechanisms that mankind inevitably carts out one after the other, humour is one of the most present, one of the most human and one of the most controversial. Whether you're consciously constructing a joke to calm your nerves or momentarily lose control and blurt out laughing at a sad story, there will always be someone ready to slate you for doing so and someone gratefully commending you.

Stand-Up Comedy, a practice revolving entirely around the art of making people laugh and entertaining them, doesn't necessarily seem like the most natural choice of vehicle with which to express sadness, depression or fear. Indeed, not all, but most of the comedians we see on television are of the 'poking fun, buying into stereotypes and exuding cheerful charisma' variety. But step into a comedy club and you'll see humour being used to delve into the psyches of these performers who have entered a profession stereotypically famed for attracting 'damaged' people.

Stewart Lee (famed for co-creating hit musical Jerry Springer the Opera) is known for his angry tirades about...well, about pretty much anything. For example, talking about TV programme Top Gear, he easily explains away Jeremy Clarkson as someone with 'outrageous, politically incorrect opinions which he has for money'! Andre Vincent and Dr. Oliver Double both created stand-up shows that deal with health problems, the former's battle with cancer (Andre Vincent is Unwell) and the latter's experience of his two sons having diabetes (Oliver Double in Saint Pancreas). In a moving documentary Conflict Revolution, comedian Andrew Maxwell uses humour to try to bring two warring Irish neighbourhoods together with the tag line 'Can laughter unite what religion and politics divides?'

Even outside of the comedy sphere humour is used daily by all sorts of people to help defend against fear, melancholy or worse. I remember standing by my father's hospital bed when he had a heart attack and joking about him looking like a turkey in his heat protective clothing and him not wanting to leave the hospital because he fancied all the pretty nurses. I knew a very shy, socially awkward boy at university who suddenly came out of his shell to present a play he'd written about how he used humour to try to mask his shyness. In Howard Jacobson's novel 'The Finkler Question' he says of a dying wife lying in bed next to her husband 'she could look deep into his eyes, beckon him to her and whisper what he thought would be a fond memory into his ear, but which turned out to be a raucous allusion, an obscenity even. She wanted him to laugh, because they had laughed so often together. He had made her laugh at the beginning. Laughter had been his most precious gift to her. And now she wanted laughter to be her final gift to him'.

I embrace humour with my whole being. For me, it's one of the most inspiring and natural comforts I can hope for. There is, however, a fine line between the kind of humour as defence that I condone and another, far less tasteful, type. While it's impossible to find a universal line to draw, recently my personal boundaries have been so pushed that my acceptance of 'humour as a defence mechanism' has been sorely tried.

In the past two weeks alone we, as a country, as a world, have been inundated with catastrophe. There is famine in Somalia, massacre in Norway, economic difficulties and we still have wars raging left, right and centre. We've always fallen back on humorous newspaper headlines (thanks mainly to The Sun), television political comedy programmes and, nowadays, facebook and twitter updates. This 'chin up' culture is, and has always been, a major part of the British attitude. But what about when gentle joking turns into spiteful jibes? Is this still an acceptable response to tragedy, or have we lost our compassion as a people? I leave with you a selection of these 'jokes' and let you decide for yourselves. Who knows...maybe I'm just a tad touchier than others.

For example:

DEATH OF AMY WINEHOUSE

Brazilian comedians have made a mockery of mourners at Amy Winehouse’s funeral Tuesday, as they cried crocodile tears to infiltrate the private event in London reserved exclusively for family and close friends of the famous singer.Two Brazilian comics, Daniel Zukerman and Andre Machado, who work on a Brazilian comedy TV show called Panico na TV (Panic on the TV), were seen posing as friends of Winehouse...The tasteless stunt included the two comics giving comments to German broadcaster RTL, and they could be seen smirking on the verge of laughter as they told the interviewer: “Amy changed the world. We lost a friend, the greatest singer. It is difficult to explain how we feel.”

In honour of Amy Winehouse, we shall all be doing 15 lines in the pub toilets, tonight!

It seems that this is the end of the line for Ms. Winehouse.

Elton John will perform at Amy Winehouse’s funeral with a beautiful rendition of Candle Under The Spoon.

Before telling such sick and abusive jokes about Amy Winehouse, think about her poor close friends. Imagine how they’ll feel on Thursday, when they finally come round and find out.

NORWAY MASSACRE

I want to go to Norway, I heard its the bomb. Mate went there last year but she just shot through. Utoya Island must be a great place. People are dying to be there.

DISAPPEARANCE OF MADELINE MCCANN

'Patrick Kielty joked that if the McCanns wanted to dispose of the body of their daughter, they should have checked her in as luggage on a Ryanair flight. He added that the couple had been backstage but had disappeared two hours later when he went to check on them. The sick comments prompted members of the audience to get up and leave the show.' (Sept, (2007), Dailymail.co.uk)

HOLOCAUST

'Trouble is with Holocaust films is there’s never any gag reel on the DVDs,’ (Ricky Gervais, (2009), Golden Globe Awards, dailymail.co.uk)

COMEDIAN LINKS

http://disappointingchildren.com/2011/07/stewart-lee-angry/

http://www.chortle.co.uk/shows/edinburgh_fringe_2002/a/635/andre_vincent_is_unwell

http://www.diabeticinfo.co.uk/#/oliver-double-diabetes/4526898630