Posts Tagged → stand up comedy
Stand Up Comedy at AVenue in Makati
comedy cartel performs stand up at Capone's in Avenue
This March 18, 2011 at 7pm, the international group of Pinoy stand-up comedians called the Comedy Cartel will be performing their brand of humor at Capone’s for a very good cause. Divina Comedia: Laugh Your Way From Inferno to Paradiso is a fundraiser organized by L’amour and Mighty Maits for the benefit of Mighty Minds.
Capone’s is located in the A-Venue Mall in Makati City along Makati Avenue. Door charge is P250. Please call or text Richel 0922-8187592 for tickets and reservations.
I’m a fan of these Comedy Cartel guys and you will have a fun time laughing at their jokes or just laughing at them.
Comparing Comedians
After a mediocre gig the other night, I started thinking if I could’ve done a better job as a comedian. I got some laughs and was still able to pull off a decent closer but the comedian before me got a bigger response. That got me thinking if you can actually compare comedians and say that one is better than the other.
Of course, there are such things as experience, stage presence, good writing, timing, control of the crowd, and so on. But can you really say that a certain stand up comedian is better than the other? Is it like saying that Picasso is better than Van Gogh? Is it all a matter of personal preference, like choosing between apples and oranges? If so, then how do you measure a comic’s success?
If you go by laughs per minute, then even a hack could make it as the best one. Is a laugh elicited by an easy dick joke weighed more than a chuckle from a carefully crafted insightful observation that changes one’s point of view? Is a rapid fire panderer considered funnier than a performer with integrity that sticks to his/her guns?
If your criteria is originality, then would you consider a Mitch Hedgeberg type of comic that only gets giggles better than a high energy Dane Cook wannabe who steals jokes from others? I would. But the unsophisticated comedy audience won’t. I’ve seen it happen.
But then again, I might be a comedy snob because I have been exposed to a lot of stand up. And after all, isn’t comedy part of show business and isn’t the customer the ultimate judge on who is funnier? Is a joke still a joke if only the teller finds it funny?
What do you think?
3 Quick Tips to Improve Stage Presence
I found this article by Filipino point-of-view stand up comedian Tim Tayag to be very useful. I hope it helps…
Most comedians are skilled in delivering jokes. But sometimes they have bad stage habits. And there’s nothing that destroys a funny bit than bad stage management. These are the 3 simple things that I learned that maybe small things but make a big difference in your stage performance. Take it from me, I’ve been performing for 13 years now and counting.
1. Find your light. Some comedians like to make use of the whole stage by walking around ala Dane Cook. But you also have to consider the lighting limitations. If you step out of your light, meaning the audience can’t see your face, you will have a harder time making a connection with them and getting the laughter that you so badly need. So the trick is, to figure out the space that you can move in without losing the light.
2. When you scream for emphasis or lack of a real punch line (sometimes screaming can fool an audience that you’re actually saying something funny even if you’re not), make sure the mic is far away from your mouth. Nothing is more annoying than a comedian screaming into the mic directly and blowing a few eardrums. We understand what you’re trying to emphasize, just hold the mic to the side or at least a foot away from your face when you do so.
3. If you’re the type to take the microphone out of the stand, don’t leave the stand in front of you. It creates a barrier between you and your audience. As soon as you take out the mic, grab the stand and put it to the side or behind you. You want to be as intimate as possible to the crowd without actually taking your clothes off, unless that’s what the act calls for (although I doubt it).
Trust me, with these simple tips you can improve your stage presence. It won’t make you funnier but it can make you look more seasoned as a performer and a speaker.
Original article can be viewed here:
3 quick tips by pinoy comedian Tim Tayag
Comikazee: University of the Philippines Leg
Come watch Comikazee - the Comedy Cartel Campus Tour 2011 in UP this Friday! For tickets, call 0922.8596144. Hope to cu there!
Come watch Comikazee – the Comedy Cartel Campus Tour 2011 in UP this Friday! For tickets, call 0922.8596144. Hope to see you there!