Two Faced Fool!

I don’t know very much about Comedy Clubs, having performed in them only three times so far, but, at the same time, I have noticed a couple differences between them and the standard set-up for a bar act. The main difference is that Comedy clubs are easy, especially if you are a moderately funny person. When you go to a Comedy Club, the comedians perform just the way they do on television.


Main differences:

• In a Comedy Cub the set-up is as close to perfect as can be. The audience is seated fairly tightly grouped around the stage; this is guaranteed either by selling reserved seats only, or by starting out with less seats than are expected to be needed, and only adding to them sparingly as the need arises.

• The sound and lighting are appropriate to the setting.

• The ceilings are low to keep the sound of laughter from vanishing into the stratosphere.

• There are minimal distractions on the walls around the stage and seating area, and, just as important, the bar is situated at the rear of the room with the lighting muted, and no seats around the bar.

• Finally, and most important, all the members of the audience not only came to see a comedy show, but, paid for the privilege, and have no wish to be deprived of it.

In a bar the atmosphere is completely different:

• Seating is completely haphazard; those patrons interested in seeing the show seat themselves as they please, and generally avoid the area immediately in front of the stage. Regulars who may or may not be interested in the show will be situated as they please throughout the room.

• Sound and lighting range anywhere between atrocious, and a little bit better than atrocious.

• Ceilings are high, and doorways and open spaces are random, allowing the sound of laughter that may be generated during the performance to disperse without becoming viral and infecting other audience members.

• Distractions abound; everything from windows, televisions, high traffic entering and exiting the kitchen, as well as the fact that the bar and serving area are the focus of the room.

• God only know why the patrons of that particular local are there on that particular evening!

That is, I believe, the list of differences that necessitate a fool being two faced; he must behave one way in a comedy club, and often, quite differently in a bar setting. I’m realizing that I have been developing my act with, (unknowingly), a Comedy Club in mind. That is fine, in itself, but the fact is that there is a scarcity of Comedy Clubs in this, and most other areas. Bar acts predominate here, and, I suppose, a comedian must prepare accordingly.

For example, let me just look briefly at what happened at Ally Katz the other night; it is a perfect example of a bar that holds a comedy night. The comedy of errors began with tickets being issued for the wrong night. It was billed as a, ‘Comedy Costume Ball’, and this complicates matters as you never know whether the people buying the tickets are looking for a costume ball or a comedy show; I find it a weird combination. The show itself was not opened and brought into line by an experienced MC; the result was the first two acts couldn’t control the crowd, and quickly left the tracks and went tumbling through the weeds!

Now about half the people there that night were regular patrons, and most of those were highly, ‘over-served’. They weren’t interested in a comedy show at all. Now, I suppose that many were of the opinion that the ‘Master’ was way over the line in shutting up a persistent heckler, and, to be honest, I feel the same way. But, it had to be done. The ‘lady’ in question, to my eye, was not expressing a distaste for the entertainment, she was just trying to throw a monkey wrench into the whole evening. I say this because I have seen angry hecklers before, and they speak directly to the comedian, and make impassioned eye contact. The three times I watched the ‘hag’ interrupt the act, she did neither, she looked away from the stage and comic, speaking in a loud voice, but seemingly not interested in having the sentiments expressed associated with herself.

So, was the ‘Master’ too harsh? No! He did what needed to be done; at the very worst he may have skipped a step or two in the escalation of the incident. However, had he not acted quickly and emphatically, the show would have been ruined, not just for the performers, but also for the people that actually paid to attend it. Those are the two faces of a fool; one to please an audience, and one to command it. Whether we like it or not, the latter may be necessary before the former can be brought into play ...especially in a bar act.