Sydney comedy festivals article

[Laney]

Funny Business

http://www.smh.com.au/news/Arts/Funn...700597768.html

Funny business

March 4, 2005


Ross Noble.




Two comedy festivals go head to head to see who can get the most laughs out of Sydney. Ross Noble is caught in the middle. Lenny Ann Low reports.

CRACKER COMEDY FESTIVAL
Enmore Theatre, @Newtown and the Comedy Store
Until April 1, although some acts go past that date
Bookings 9550 3666
More information http://www.crackercomedy.com.au Noble performs at the Enmore Theatre on March 18 and 19, 9550 3666, $35/$28
Ross

BIG LAUGH COMEDY FESTIVAL
Riverside Theatres, Seymour Centre and Sydney and State theatres
Until March 20
Bookings 8839 3399
More information http://www.biglaughriverside.com.au Ross Noble performs at Parramatta's Riverside Theatres on March 20, 7.30pm, 8839 3399, $35/$28
Ross

In Ross Noble's book, comedy is weather-driven. He says if you think of the cities around the world most associated with comedy, it's highly likely they're also renowned for bad weather.

"In London, in winter, there's nobody going, 'Hmmm, shall we go to the cricket?'"says Noble. "They're just thinking, 'We've got to find something to do indoors', and comedy is brilliant for that."

Weather could be one reason why Sydney is not as renowned for live comedy as its southern counterpart, Melbourne. That and the longevity of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

"Because Melbourne's weather is a bit shittier, people don't spend so much time outdoors," says Noble, who lives in both Melbourne and Britain.

"Comedy is played in darkness, in clubs and in theatres. It's an indoor thing. The hot places, like Sydney, are a lot more difficult because you have got a culture that's based around the outdoors. Put it this way; you don't get too many Hawaiian comics."

This month Noble is featuring in the Cracker Comedy Festival and the Big Laugh Comedy Festival, both under way in Sydney.

After initially considering joining forces, the two have gone head to head in a battle to prove who is bigger, better and funnier.

It is odd enough that Sydney is suddenly featuring two comedy festivals, each with high-profile international and local acts and new and emerging performers and shows. Surely two concurrent festivals will just confuse everybody? Particularly when the festivals are sharing acts such as Scottish comic Danny Bhoy and Noble.

The Parramatta-based Big Laugh Comedy Festival, now in its fifth year, has expanded its geographical boundaries to include the State Theatre, Sydney Theatre and the Seymour Theatre Centre, a venue only minutes away from Cracker's base in the inner-west suburb of Newtown.

Punters could be forgiven for wondering how two comedy festivals can survive at the same time in the same city?

Asking the creators of each festival, two long-time players in the Australian entertainment scene, only muddles the issue.

John Pinder, the pioneering festival director of the burgeoning Big Laugh, founder of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and the man who asked The Goodies to perform in Australia, is determinedly tight-lipped.

"Look, I don't want to comment about Cracker at all," he says. "Straight and simple."

Elia Eliades, Cracker director and one of the close-knit Eliades family that manages the Enmore Theatre, is happier to talk.

Eliades finds it "peculiar" that the Big Laugh Comedy Festival, until now based solely at Parramatta Riverside Theatres, is staging various shows down the road, but he insists two comedy festivals "can only be good for punters".

"At the end of the day it might be a little bit strange but it is by no means annoying," Eliades says. "The more shows there are, the more options there are on the table. It's fantastic. If I was out on the market looking for something to see, I'd think all this comedy was tremendous."

Despite the close competition, Eliades sees Cracker catering for people who would not travel to Parramatta for comedy. He also believes two festivals at once is not confusing for punters.

"Your average person is just going to pick up a program and find something that's interesting because of the picture or the quote or some media," he says.

"If you sat down and really analysed the whole geographical thing it would probably be a little perplexing, but I don't actually believe anybody would do that."

The majority of the Big Laugh Comedy Festival's punters come from areas close to Parramatta, but Pinder's plans could change that. Pinder believes the Big Laugh's geographical expansion this year, and his intention to spread the festival across the entire city by 2007, means the festival is essentially the Sydney Comedy Festival in all but name.

"Our marketing line this year is 'Rolling out the red carpet across Sydney'," he says. "We've started to roll out the red carpet and we will continue to roll it out further and further."

Eliades says his team also has plans to expand Cracker but only to venues in the Newtown area.

"Newtown is the only area that has some 15 or 16 venues all within a three or four kilometre radius and it has exactly the right vibe and atmosphere for an event like this," he says.

Pinder says running the Big Laugh has taught him "how to crack Sydney". He now believes events such as this don't have to be focused in the traditional city centre because "the centre is just one of the city's locations."

"When you think about the focus of arts precincts in Sydney there is no other city in the world where things are focused like this: all over the place," he says.

Eliades agrees, but adds that Parramatta is "an entirely different precinct with an entirely different demeanour. If you look at the product out there I think they're pretty much diametrically opposed to what happens in the city in many regards," he says.

Applying a microscope to the two programs reveals both similarities and differences in the flavour and style of acts at each festival, but what becomes abundantly clear is the proliferation of comedy acts in Sydney generally.

What will punters get in the end, then?

Pinder, who describes the Big Laugh as a curated festival "in that it's not a fringe-style festival that's open to anybody", says he wants to also support new work.

"There's no point putting on something that you can see at the Comedy Store, or any of the other venues, any week of the year because why would you bother?

"It's just not special enough for a festival."

Eliades says Cracker is trying to accommodate what punters have asked him to program or congratulated him for providing while also supporting new work.

"I care a lot about the little shows, the embryonic shows and I care a lot about Sydney people who want to stick their toe in the water and try something new," he says.

"And we'll definitely be back next year to continue that commitment."

[Mythor]

Originally Posted by teh article

"Your average person is just going to pick up a program and find something that's interesting because of the picture or the quote or some media," he says.

I think that's pretty spot on.
I don't know that it's really going to be "confusing" for people? They might find it a little odd, but most people are just going to look and see when someone/something is on and go, regardless of whether it belongs to this or that festival.
I think the "industry" cares a lot more about that side of it than the "punters" are going to.

Originally Posted by John Pinder

"There's no point putting on something that you can see at the Comedy Store, or any of the other venues, any week of the year because why would you bother?"

Is he serious?

Okay, the Store isn't my favoritest venue ever, but funny is funny, right?
If you'd go see, for example, Wil Anderson at the Store "any week of the year", why would you suddenly not go see him because it's during a festival?
Sure, the advantage in a great big festival setting is that there's a much larger variety, but to exclude anyone who can get regular gigs is just preposterous!
I don't know about anyone else, but I don't want to see "comics I wouldn't normally see". I want to see "people who make me laugh". Don't much care who it is, so long as they're funny!

The post-festival-fallout may prove the funniest thing of all...

[kebab_oner]

Originally Posted by Mythor

Okay, the Store isn't my favoritest venue ever

what is your favouritest venue then? how many comedy venues have you been to?

[Mythor]

It's his example, not mine.

[kebab_oner]

I don't think pinder meant that as an insult to the store, by the way, and I do agree with him.

which is why I won't be seeing the following shows at the big laugh:

* arj barker
* gary eck
* jimeoin
* fiona oloughlin

[Laney]

Originally Posted by Mythor

If you'd go see, for example, Wil Anderson at the Store "any week of the year", why would you suddenly not go see him because it's during a festival?

Hmmm, i don't know. If i liked wil, i probably wouldn't see him at the sydney festival only because i know that he'd be twice as expensive than he would be if he were performing at the Store - and why would you see a funny person twice in a row if you were a regular punter. most comics just retell the same jokes.

[Mythor]

Originally Posted by kebab_oner

I don't think pinder meant that as an insult to the store

No, I thought it was more of a shot at the competing festival. Though I don't really understand that, either. There's quite a few of the usual suspects performing for his festival, too.
Oh well.

Originally Posted by Laney

why would you see a funny person twice in a row if you were a regular punter

I didn't mean go see them twice in a row, I meant an "average" punter, who might only go see comedy once or twice a year. If they'd not seen a particular comedian in a given year, but knew they were funny, they're not going to not see them just because it's a festival.
MOSHers are not "average punters".

[Laney]

Originally Posted by Mythor

If they'd not seen a particular comedian in a given year, but knew they were funny, they're not going to not see them just because it's a festival.

Sorry, must have misunderstood
As you said, funny is funny - the venue isn't what's going to change the punters' choice to go or not to go.

Originally Posted by Mythor

MOSHers are not "average punters"

ahhh-haa, i know.

[Mythor]

Originally Posted by Laney

Sorry, must have misunderstood

S'fine, I didn't explain very well.

The venue may play a role in deciding where to go, but only to the extent of whether it's easy to get to versus how good the show is supposed to be, versus any other show on the same night. Or if they've been there before and it's just a crap venue. Etc?
I think it comes down more to who it is, their reputation and such.
A crap show is a crap show, whether it's during a festival or not.

[unfrufru]

Laugh off on again, with high hopes

• http://www.smh.com.au/news/arts/laug...590564499.html#

The Cracker festival crew reckon Sydney can be as funny as Melbourne, writes Lenny Ann Low.

A CAUSTIC ode to Ray Martin, an "ugly, vicious" host and loud explosives in the seating ranks. The launch of the 2006 Cracker Comedy Festival Sydney was like no other.
With the media seated as "entertainment" on the Enmore Theatre's stage, the launch's host, the Australian musician and comic Eddie Perfect, triggers a loud bang in the seating ranks, takes a melodic swipe at Martin and lets rip about the festival's line-up of talent. "They're completely egotistical, alcoholic, drug-f---ed and manic-depressive," says Perfect, smiling. "But very talented."

Now in its second year, Cracker's four-week comedy festival, which begins on March 6, could be seen as unexpected. Sydney is not known for its comedy heritage - the city has long been overshadowed by Melbourne's reputation as the Australian home of comedy - and Cracker is once again competing with the long-running Parramatta-based Big Laugh Comedy Festival, from March 30 until April 9.

The festival co-ordinator, Janine Prince, says Cracker's long-term aims include providing a place for Sydney comedians to hone their stuff rather than travelling south and, one day, being "as big as the Melbourne comedy festival".

"It's not like there was a decree by Parliament that Melbourne is the comedy capital of Australia," says Prince.

Based at the Enmore Theatre, the Cracker festival has also expanded its list of venues to include the Sandringham Hotel, Sidetrack theatre, the Newtown Theatre and the Vanguard, although its most talked-about comedy site will surely be the Hub, the legendary art deco vaudeville theatre and ex-pornographic cinema site in Newtown which has not been used for many years..

This year, Cracker's line-up will feature well-known international and local comics such as Ross Noble, Danny Bhoy, Rain Pryor, daughter of the late American comic Richard Pryor, the Kransky Sisters, Adam Hills and Charlie Pickering, who was nominated for the Best Newcomer award at the 2005 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

More information is at www.crackercomedy.com.