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I've been to see a few comedians playing small theatres whilst they are developing their acts. Sometimes you get big names who are polishing their show for an
by Steve44 8y ago
I've been to see a few comedians playing small theatres whilst they are developing their acts. Sometimes you get big names who are polishing their show for an imminent TV appearance, sometime they've not been on stage for a few years and are just starting to get back into it for a tour the following year. They will often play with stories, making notes how the audience react as perhaps they've gone too far or just missed the point.
I think I prefer seeing them working in the small venues like this when their act is quite raw and not just seeing the highly polished finished routine. They are incredibly talented and getting an insight into their thoughts is wonderful.
- tomcam 8y agoAstute observation. I saw Paul Reiser at his peak fame doing one of these shows, and I laughed so hard that my sides hurt, uncomfortably so. He watched the audience at least as carefully as they watched him. I got the feeling he mistrusted their reactions because he was afraid they were responding to his celebrity instead of his writing.
- fenomas 8y agoDave Chappelle tells a story somewhere about his all-time favorite comedy being an old tape of Richard Pryor bombing terribly, early in his career. Apparently Pryor goes on for 30-40 minutes, doing a bunch of different bizarre routines, none of them working at all. Then Chappelle's punch line is that when you watch this tape knowing Pryor's later material, you can see how every bit is the raw initial form of what would eventually become his best, most famous routines.