Comedy Festival, Moser Theatre, Wadham
To Saturday 9th Feb, 2002.

This will not be a review, but a tale of what might have been.
First and foremost, there might have been an audience. There were only four people present not performers or personally known to them. Whether this was a result of student apathy or poor publicity or both, I've no idea, but it was all rather a shame, as the lack of an audience represents an insurmountable obstacle for a comedy show.

There were two halves, but no interval. The first half was three stand-ups, punctuated by the efforts of a plucky compère, who did her level best to involve the "crowd". (Me, Hannah and John and someone else. There were introductions.) The stand-ups were good in parts, (although a bit, wait for it, prepare for a shock…. studenty) but it's hard to surprise your mates.

The second half was a series of sketches, separated by pre-recorded fragments played in the darkness while clothing and cardboard boxes were rearranged. I rather enjoyed the fragments, particularly the call from the ocean and the person talking about Starbucks but failing to keep it together. (Honestly, better than it sounds, and the only time I did the laughing through my nose sound that shows helpless amusement.)

And the sketches, for the most part, weren't bad at all. Most could have benefited from being more slowly spoken, to give the funniness room to breathe. This requires confidence, which requires an audience, present and laughing already. Some were good ideas not fully developed and some were very odd indeed.

I recently heard someone criticise later episodes of the Simpsons for using surreality instead of humour. I decided this was wrong. They were using surreality for humour, which is fine with me, better sometimes, as long as I laugh. What I'm trying to say is, I don't mind odd at all, but I have a sneaking suspicion that odd needs a normal context for its oddness to stand out against. Scenery would have helped. Very normal scenery, such as would have been there if this were TV and not a student thing with no budget. And an audience.

There was certainly some talent here. With an audience (did I mention this already?) it might have been really quite good. If you're going to go, make sure there are lots of you.

Ian Threadgill 5/02/02