Sydney Comedy Articles (General)

[veronica tghf]

Vying for the last laugh - Sunday Metro 9/02/03
Sydney is stealing the limelight with its quick-fire comics, Brett Thomas discovers

A funny thing happened on the way to the 2003 Melbourne International Comedy Festival. The southern capital has always viewed itself as the undisputed headquarters of live comedy in Australia, with its cleverly marketed, money-spinning festival the jewel in its crown. It was the city that produced the best comedians and had the most vibrant, take-no-prisoners live scene.

But just weeks before the 2003 festival opens, Melbourne's once great belly laugh has become more of a nervous chuckle. Two of the city's most important venues - the Esplanade Hotel and the Price Patrick Hotel - have closed their doors to comedy and others are struggling.

Sydney, maligned for years as the unfunny pretender with its dire club circuit and distinct lack of talent, has now quietly and stylishly assumed the mantle of Australia's funniest city.

It's the place that A-list talent such as Wil Anderson and Merrick and Rosso call home, and it boasts not only a suddenly thriving pub comedy scene but also plays host to regular theatrical-scale shows at - of all places - the Sydney Opera House.

This change, a laughable prospect only five years ago, now leaves Sydney perfectly placed to be the major recipient of an approaching comedy boom those in the industry are predicting with some confidence.
"Melbourne is dying for comedy rooms," said Anderson, who wraps up his successful Opera House residency with his show Jagged Little Wil tonight.

"The pub scene [in Melbourne] has had better times," agreed Kevin Whyte, managing director of the Melbourne-based Token Artists, which has most of Australia's major comedians on it's books.

"The Prince Pat was a really important focal point for innovative and experimental comedy. It has been there for 17 years; it was a home base for people like the Doug Anthony Allstars, Merrick and Rosso, Anthony Morgan, Greg Fleet and Judith Lucy. It's a huge loss."

Mathew Grey, co-director of comedy bookers At Entertainment, said a changing of the guard had definitely taken place. "My thoughts are that Sydney is the best place in Australia to come for comedy," he said. "We have more rooms now and we are way ahead of the rest of the country. We have a lot of comedy here; you can go to your local pub and see it.
"Melbourne is struggling at the moment and I feel it's because they have the Melbourne International Comedy Festival."

The festival, which runs between March 27 and April 20, was integral in making Melbourne the capital of comedy. Last year, 229,467 people attended 2,116 performances, generating $3.8 million at the box office, a 15 per cent increase from 2001. The fact that it is now being blamed for Melbourne's comedy downfall presents an irony that won't be lost on the sharper local performers participating this year.

But the feeling in comedy circles is that the sheer size of the festival simply dwarfs the rest of the scene.

"You'll find in Melbourne there's a slight peak [in comedy attendances] after the festival and then it just vanishes, apart from the well-established places," Grey said.

"The Comedy Festival shift's performers' focuses in a way," Whyte said. "This time of year, most live working comedians are very focused on their festival shows."

As the Melbourne International Comedy Festival becomes a behemoth that threatens to swallow up the rest of the city's club and pub scene, Sydney is about to celebrate the second anniversary of its Comedy Circuit, which now consists of 10 regular pub venues in the city and suburbs.

"A few years ago, the only places were the Harold Park Hotel and the Comedy Store and that was it," said Ollie Simon, from Star 100 Entertainment, the company that books the circuit.

"People love going to see comedy on week nights and I think it gives them a good alternative. Life is much faster-paced and people have less time to do things. Comedy is a great alternative to travelling out of the local area to see bands.

"There's probably a lost generation between people who used to go to the theatre and young people who aren't as theatre-educated. They're the ones now going to their local hotels to see comedy."

Simon is one of the many people within the comedy industry predicting big times ahead. "I don't know if it's a boom," she said. "That indicates something that comes and goes. I think it's going to stay. It's huge in the US and the UK - we've just been a little bit slow in following that.<br>
"There are loads of venues and the public are more and more aware of it. Now, the TV shows are happening."

This year sees an unprecedented amount of local comedy on television, with all three of the commercial networks introducing new sketch comedy shows. On Channel Ten, there's Skithouse; on Nine there's Comedy Inc.; and on Seven there's The Big Bite.

These new shows are in addition to the comedy-reliant panel shows that have been a TV mainstay in recent years. For many it's a sign that Australia is about to return to the fertile days of Fast Forward and The Comedy Company.

"I think it's weird that three of them come up at the same time," Anderson said. "They're already looking for the one that's going to fail, which is unfortunate because I can't see any reason why there can't be 15 of them.
"I hope they're all brilliant - the more success they have, the more work it creates for talented people."

[ryttu3k]

Yepyep, saw that. Wil's hand looks deformed... also rather scary to see first thing after you wake up... stumble downstairs... grab the first piece of newspaper you lay eyes on... flick through blearily... "GAH!" No offence to Wil, but he's not the first thing you wanna see in the morning.

:lookarou:

WHo's this Mathew Grey fellow. He doesn't know what he's talking about!!

I say we string him up.

[Munchkin]

Originally Posted by Not loged in MSg

WHo's this Mathew Grey fellow.

Someone who wants comedians to come to Sydney

[sharleen]

Mathew Grey = someone who gave some very interesting opinions on the subject of Sydney compared to Melbourne in the comedy stakes. Made great quotes for the article. Now will we see backlash from those involved in the scene down in Melbourne???

[Fiona Rohana]

Originally Posted by Not loged in MSg

WHo's this Mathew Grey fellow. He doesn't know what he's talking about!!

I say we string him up.

You know, i've thought that for a long time. I reckon its about time we all gang up and go round to his place with flaming torches like they did in the old days.

[Mythor]

Mathew Grey also equals MSG, who people may've seen posting on MOSH from time to time, and for people who may not've put the names together.

Originally Posted by sharleen

Now will we see backlash from those involved in the scene down in Melbourne?

You're kidding, right? I'm surprised there wasn't a backlash before the article, with how rabidly Melbournites defend their comedy.
What will be interesting is how many people back up their claims of Melbourne's superiority with.. you know.. facts.

[ryttu3k]

Originally Posted by Mythor

What will be interesting is how many people back up their claims of Melbourne's superiority with... you know... facts.

They can't back up their claims. WE ARE NOW THE RULERS OF COMEDY! HAHAAA! *dances*

:lookarou:

*runs like hell*

[Danny Boy]

Melbourne isn't as good as it used to be, but we'll always be on top because of the Comedy and Fringe Festivals.

And cos if anyone says they're better than us, we'll kick their arses.

[Stripes]

Originally Posted by Mythor

You're kidding, right? I'm surprised there wasn't a backlash before the article, with how rabidly Melbournites defend their comedy.
What will be interesting is how many people back up their claims of Melbourne's superiority with.. you know.. facts.

rabidly?? rabidly??
WHAT DO YOU MEAN RABIDLY???? HOW DARE YOU INSULT MELBOURNE COMEDY. COMEDY IN MELBOURNE WILL ALWAYS BE BEST JUST BECAUSE WE ARE THE REAL COMEDY KINGS DOESN'T MEAN WE ARE ALL COMPLETELY MAD, CRAZY AND OBSESSIVE ABOUT IT!!!!!

although, on second thoughts... :lookarou:

Originally Posted by ryttu3k

*runs like hell*

hehe, you better

[sharleen]

Originally Posted by Mythor

You're kidding, right? I'm surprised there wasn't a backlash before the article, with how rabidly Melbournites defend their comedy.
What will be interesting is how many people back up their claims of Melbourne's superiority with.. you know.. facts.

Yeah, but up till now, Melbourne has pretty much denied it... claimed it was a small lull... that it will be back up once Comfest rolls around. Mat pretty much explained what's been happening though in the article. It's up the month before the Fest, during the fest, and maybe a month or two afterwards.

And so yes, Melbourne has the Fringe and the ComFest (and much gratitude goes out to them), but what if Sydney had another serious attempt at a International Comedy Festival? Could Melbourne really still claim itself as the comedy capital? The one that every performer in the world wants to visit?

Fortunately and unfortunately for both of our states, I can't see that happening in the near future (yeah there's good and bad points). Instead Sydney will continue to support its own and promote them via smaller events such as the Big Laugh festival in Parramatta and Mat's "I Can't Believe Its Not a Comedy Festival". And thats a good thing.

I can only forsee that there's going to be a huge boom in comedy for Sydney and Melbourne where the TV performers come from (and I guess as a spin-off for the rest of Australia) in the next year due to these new TV shows, no matter how bad they could be. Even if they do flop in the ratings, the exposure is still there. More people will be attending live shows, more people will realise that comedy is a viable way to spend an evening out as well as movies and clubbing.

Originally Posted by Mythor

Mathew Grey also equals MSG, who people may've seen posting on MOSH from time to time, and for people who may not've put the names together.

WELLLLLLL thanks for that. There goes my secert identity. Well one of them.

Back to drawing board.

Oh that's not a picture of Wil, that's me 20 years from now. And I'd like to tell you.......

[Mythor]

If anyone ever actually used the Search function they could've found that info anyway. :lookarou:

Originally Posted by Mythor

If anyone ever actually used the Search function they could've found that info anyway. :lookarou:

What? that in 20 years I'll look like Wil Anderson :p

[Beckslee]

Originally Posted by ryttu3k

No offence to Wil, but he's not the first thing you wanna see in the morning.

Originally Posted by MSg

WHo's this Mathew Grey fellow. He doesn't know what he's talking about!!

I say we string him up.

Stuff Matthew Grey ryttu3k doesn't know what's she's talking about. I wouldn't mind seeing Wil first thing in the morning.