Rear view
Look out, you’re being watched
Stand-up BRUCE MORTON rates his audiences amused by the confident man a
- few feet away on the stage. before they can rate h'm' l'nderstandably. her boyfriend is now forced to spend the rest of the show affecting uninterest or malice. The best of this breed can actually smirk. sigh and sneer at the same time.
ithout an audience. the comic is simply some loudmouth. We need an audience to give us not only money. but context. Throughout the Fringe. the comic worries about audience. And not just about numbers. Taking their seats. the crowd is scrutinised: checking out the rowdy. the bloke with stupid hair. the gender composition. the room‘s disposition. And throughout the evening. on a bill The Pals
of three or more comics. radar updates arrive backstage. ‘There‘s a sore- . _ , , . . _ l m not sure why stag nights and
faced guv iust on the left as you look out. sitting next to a guv with a . I ~ ~ . . . r r ' hen nights go to comedy clubs. VELVET moustache. lhe guy with the moustache is alright. How do you chat to your friends Here then. the familiar audience elements which all comics will see. ' ' ‘ [AUCHTER
when some fool willl 1‘ MASTER
microphone is babbling away in
The Ma net Face . .
9 W . . the corner.’ I suppose vou iust get B MO 0 In a gotxl-natured room ol .00 people. there will be one lone blank lace. _ . _ . I . l 11"] l 'ith lirkn minr to grow lir' r in l m r li [I by th UUHMCUUSH (hunk “hwh' m uriioisir etz“ess.sec L _ 'ch 2 L oe sess e ‘ ' - --
. ,. . . . '2 ~ ~ . . v . course. makes vou Invisible and 5-10/08/2001
minute. lhe comic s attention is constantlv drawn to this lace. It is . . _ , ' ‘ . . . . . - . . wlirsperv. At the hinge some irresistible. like a car crash: you can I help looking. Unlike the verbal , . ' _ . -
. . * ~. . . . . years ago. I had the pleasure ol a heckle. audible to everyone in the room. the magnet lace is invisible to all . ‘ . . .
. . . a . . ringside group containing one boy
but the comic. its blinking eyes like a secret beacon: your own personal '
. . . . . so drunk he could only throw his lighthouse. warning ol rocky doom this way for your comedy canoe. , ' . ‘ . _ . . _ y , ~ * ' head back and make endless raspberry noises. How do yotl embarrass such
. a casualtv'.’ You could easier bring a blush to a brick. l:()rlllllillt‘l\'. his The Gift From God r . - - - .- - .'. . lriends removed him. poured him into a taxi and returned for the rest ol the show. l‘or that. they should be given the keys to the (‘omcdy- Kingdom. There then. some audience highlights and hazards. There should be a special liringe programme for comics. describing audiences. perhaps with reviews oftheir previous outings: ‘Off the wall laughter at its best.‘ like a sell-out crowd on speed.‘ ‘Play to them now before they get famous‘.
Usually female. the Gift From God has a high-pitched hiccup of a laugh which she is unable to control. Such laughter is highly infectious and can easily be extended and exploited. Drawing attention to it makes it louder. longer and more volatile. With skill. a decent comic can burn minutes of stage time just leaning on this laugh. Such moments cannot be described as work. NB to aspirant comics: the laugh is invariably triggered by a knob gag.
Bruce Morton, Velvet Laughter Master Series, Boom Boom at the Tron, 5-10 Aug, 10.30pm; Best Of Scottish Comedy, the Stand, 23-26 Aug, 9.30pm.
The Unimpressed Boyfriend (applies to male comics) In the second row of tables there is a couple. She is having a great laugh:
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80 THE LIST FESTIVAL GUIDE 2-9 Aug 2001