One-liners: Taylor Negron
Posted on 3 March 2012 | No responses
My father used to ground me—and then run electricity through me.
—Taylor Negron, actor, comedian
Shattering Myths about Myths
Posted on 27 February 2012 | No responses
I am a great lover of stories and storytelling. I’m happy whether the stories are told in books, on screen, or live by oral storytellers and comedians. My PhD is in storytelling for digital media. At the time I did this the field was virgin territory, so I had the job of digging through story theory for many different media and pulling out what seemed relevant to the computing domain. I was in heaven.
Theories of storytelling are beginning to converge, not so much because we are finding commonalities across media, but because everyone is slowly being sold on the Hollywood idea of storytelling. I find that disappointing because we are losing a richness of shared experience and worse, we are losing empathy and understanding for the breadth of human experience.
What Writers Say
Writers can say many wise and insightful things about their art, but you must remember that this is anecdotal evidence. When you read what John Gardner, Anne Lamott, Natalie Goldberg, or Syd Field have to say about story, one person is speaking about their experience and you will find that other people may have different experiences.
To overcome relying on a narrow viewpoint, some writers will do a comparative survey of what many respected authors have said about their work. This certainly has the potential to provide a more universal viewpoint. But don’t be fooled.
The person doing the survey may have a theoretical barrow to push. They will then selectively include in their research those people who agree with their writing theory. In proper academic research you need to demonstrate you are at least aware of the people who disagree with you. However, once a book is meant for popular consumption, intellectual integrity can be thrown out the door in favour of saleability.
The person doing the survey may be doing their honest best. However, we are all of our time and writers, as much as anyone, can be influenced by fads. Much storytelling advice is still based on the ideas of EM Forster in Aspects of the Novel. Most people are unaware of this and use his words as if they came from God. Aspects of the Novel was published in 1927 and was already an outdated work when it was released, because avant garde works by people such as Virginia Woolf, James Joyce, and William Faulkner changed people’s expectations. Some tricks of the trade these authors developed became part of mainstream storytelling.
If you are not of a literary bent, just take a look at the diffences between old film comedies and new comedies. Watching some of Charlie Chaplin’s films, it’s hard to grasp why people found certain things funny. Further, the pacing is much slower than we expect today. What’s Up Doc with Barbra Streisand and Ryan O’Neal was a hit in 1972, but if you were to release it this year, people might also find it tedious and slow.
What Jungian Campbellites Say
Joseph Campbell’s ideas about mythology and archetypes have achieved cult status amongst Hollywood scriptwriters, and since these people are highly visible in our culture, writers in other media are also taking on Campbell’s ideas.
Now Campbell never earned a PhD. His work is based on textual analysis and comparison. He does this from a largely Jungian and mystic perspective. His theory concerning The Hero’s Journey has little to no basis in sociology or cognitive science. These have already disproved parts of his theory, but this goes largely unnoticed by the storytelling community. It’s much easier to stick with what you think you know, and what you may fetishistically believe will sell.
We are told by some purveyors of writing knowledge that stories such as Cinderella are archetypical, and by archetypical they mean either it has an absolute and mystical presence in a group consciousness we all share or that it is hardwired into our brains.
Cinderella is the story of a young woman, who because of her submissive goodness, earns being magically brought together with a young man of high and unearned status to become his consort. Obedience is portrayed as more important than asserting your right to humane treatment. Rescue for women must come from others. Marriage is portrayed as the ultimate reward for good behaviour. Monarchy, as opposed to democracy, is portrayed as an idyllic state.
Do people really want to enshrine the values in these old stories?
What Katherine Says
Comedy often subverts these stories because the surprise from going against expectations creates laughter. However, the laughter is also created from the recognition, at last, that these stories are just fairytales.
Comedian Carol Burnett in the 1970s played Snow White in a sketch. Only this is the Snow White fifteen years into her marriage to Prince Charming. Stories frequently end with two people marrying and living “happily ever after”. But as every adult married person knows, it’s not that simple. Every relationship will have its ups, downs, and disagreements. So Burnett portrays a dissatisfied Snow White who is facing the very real disappointments that come with age and sexism. Her problems are resolved when one of the dwarves returns and tells her how much he and all the creatures of the forest love and miss her. He is not concerned with what she looks like, but the memory of friendship and good times.
This would not be the first time that a send-up presents a more balanced and sensible approach to life.
Now this sketch isn’t perfect, a bit of homophobia is thrown into the blend. It does demonstrate that we have many more story possibilities available to us than a cliched and conservative monomyth. No one misunderstood the sketch’s message, it wasn’t inaccessibly avant garde, and people enjoyed themselves.
Imitation is a good way to learn and gain skills as an artisan in any medium. The trick is to not let yourself get imprisoned by unfortunate cultural expectations. Shake your mind loose from the dominant stories and start seeing life for what it is…then show us something new, exciting, and funny.
Peace and kindness,
Katherine
Hardy HAR-HARs at The Big HOO-HAA!
Posted on 23 February 2012 | No responses
The Big HOO-HAA! has been a proving ground for a number of Australia’s favourite comedians, including Tim Minchin (So Rock), Claire Hooper (Good News Week) and Xavier Michelides (Rove). Melbourne Big HOO-HAA! was founded by Michelle Nussey. Last year she was crowned Theatresports National Champion. The Big HOO-HAA! continues to be a proving ground for our next generation of comedy talent, but it’s something of a hidden gem.
I made sure to see The Big HOO-HAA! after enjoying Nadia Collins’s improvisational performance in Dungeon Crawl. I’m glad I did.
The Big HOO-HAA! is held at the Portland Hotel on Thursdays, except through the comedy festival when they will be performing at The Roxanne Room. The space was genuinely cosy, not just small but conducive to audience camaraderie. Even so, I was surprised the room wasn’t filled. Maybe people are saving up for the festival?
MCing the night’s events was Rob Lloyd. Recently, he’s been playing off his resemblence to Dr Who actor, David Tennant, in his show Who Me. People should note, he was winning awards for his comedy before this lucky coincidence. His good-natured confidence and poise put the audience at ease. He also kept the room’s energy dynamic and interactive.
We were then introduced to the night’s improvisers, who were lined up into two teams for competition: The Hearts and The Bones. Then with the help of the audience, they played a number of improvisational game standards, which provided the framework for some brilliant sketch work.
The format itself was nothing new, it is a tried and true way to generate a fun evening. What makes The Big HOO-HAA! is its people. That night we had Moosehead Award recipient Adam McKenzie, Nova radio announcer Matt Saraceni, Los Angeles Upright Citizens Brigade alumnus Adam Kangas. Less familiar, but equally likeable would be the charming Emmet Nichols. Robert Lloyd and Nadia Collins were doing television quality work and need to be seen now, before they get swept away by the media.
People forget that everyone has to come from somewhere. We see performers on the television, in movies, or hear them on the radio, and we are seeing a polished end product. Places like The Big HOO-HAA! are where comedians develop their comedy chops. Let me tell you, it’s A LOT of fun watching someone go from zero to hero. Go see The Big HOO-HAA! one evening, see it a whole lot of evenings. It’s where things are happening.
The Big HOO-HAA!
Thursdays 8pm
Portland Hotel
127 Russell Street
Melbourne City
Tickets at the door
and Try Booking
More about their show at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
Peace and kindness,
Katherine
Comedy and World Day of Social Justice
Posted on 20 February 2012 | No responses
The World Day of Social Justice was founded in 2009 by the United Nations General Assembly. Members of the UN felt that a day was needed to promote efforts to tackle issues such as poverty, exclusion and unemployment. World Day of Social Justice is now observed 20 February annually.
Those in a position of privilege can abuse that privilege, finding ways to marginalise people for all sorts of reasons. The reasons include race, gender, religion, physical handicap, but can also include weight, attractiveness, social position, etc. It is never fair.
It is up to us to recognise when people are being dehumanised, bullied, silenced, and ostracised from the support and dignity of work. It is then up to people such as comedians to raise awareness. Through comedy we can start creating change toward a more equitable and harmonious society.
Patrick Chappatte is a Swiss political cartoonist who talks about the power cartoons and humour have to create both good and bad in the world.
Happy World Day of Social Justice!
Peace and kindness,
Katherine
Pitching and Publicity through Social Media
Posted on 17 February 2012 | No responses
I have been hearing marketing and publicity people pushing Facebook as THE place to rally audience and financial supporters for crowdfunding campaigns. Facebook has its limitations.
Young people will use it as a form of social collecting. To reassure themselves they have lots of compatriots, they will “friend” as many people as they can. If these connections aren’t genuine, they can send out invitation after invitation to events and get little response.
Comedians who friend mostly other comedians will also be in trouble. Come to my show, you say. However, your show may be running at the same time as my show and if it’s not, as an associate and comedian, I’m probably getting in for free.
You would do best to have a personal Facebook account and an account specifically for your shows. Then cultivate your audience visiting your professional Facebook page, in order to find out about upcoming gigs and cash in on any special offers made available only there.
Also of great use is to get word of mouth going through blogs. People trust the opinions of their favourite bloggers. When more than one blog features you, your name is more likely to appear at the top of Google searches. It’s also classier than Facebook. You are more likely to attract people with money.
Blogs are not a vast virgin territory. Many people have and are still trying to mine for attention through that medium. So your approach to a blogger must be engaging and respectful.
An outstanding article on how to gain access to a blog’s readership is:
How to Pitch Your Film’s Crowdfunding Campaign to Bloggers the Right Way by Evan Luzi.
Evan gives very real advice, not just marketing pap. Give it a look.
Peace and kindness,
Katherine
Quotes: Queen Victoria
Posted on 17 February 2012 | No responses
Beware of artists. They mix with all classes of society and are therefore most dangerous.
—Queen Victoria, ruler of Great Britain
Better Characters, Bigger Crowds
Posted on 13 February 2012 | No responses
Growing up a Character
When I was growing up my family moved town on several occasions. These moves were to small towns, towns that my parents felt would be safer and hold more traditional values than a city. Americans tend to characterise small towns as either places full of dumb hicks or a sort of 1950s utopia…even those who live in them.
Being the new kid in a small town is a misery. The other kids know you are a safe target for all their frustration and anger. Picking on you won’t endanger their status with the other kids.
Some kids overcome their bullied status by becoming the class clown. This usually only works with the boys. You will have heard of some comedians who made their start this way. With a girl it serves to make her even more of a target, with the other kids feeling the need to put her in her place. Don’t let anyone get sentimental at you about the innocence of childhood, that innocence disappears at a very early age.
Everyone needs friends. Given my situation as the new kid, the only solution was to open up to anyone who was willing to be a friend. These were usually the kids on the fringes.
My best friend in one of the towns where we lived was Michelle. Both of her parents were deaf, so she had developed a speech impediment. She also had wild red hair, glasses, and a wicked sense of humour. I remember going to her house, reading her Vampirella comic books, listening to her teach her budgie the lyrics to the streaker song, and laughing hysterically at our jokes.
That town had been particularly harsh. The level of violent crime there even made it to national news. Between us Michelle and I found a little slice of joy and a whole lot of resilience, despite the darkness, through the powers of friendship and laughter. I also learned a very big lesson in not judging a book by its cover. Kind and beautiful people are to be found all over the place and in the most unusual packages.
Understanding Characters
Some comedians like trading on caricatures and stereotypes of people. They use their audience’s expectations about certain groups of people and then either confirm or subvert them with their jokes. Often the comedians have had little to no direct experience of these people, or for whatever reason choose not to see beyond their own expectations.
What would such comedians make of Michelle? She would be easy to send up, if they had never met her or spent time getting to know what a big heart she has. The same is true for many other people.
For a short time I lived in Hahndorf, South Australia. That little town was frequented by members of biker clubs, particularly around Christmas. This is when members of many biker clubs band together and ride from Adelaide to Hahndorf for the Christmas Toy Run. The toys are often strapped to their handlebars and, when they reach their destination, are donated to the St Vincent de Paul Society for distribution to children in need.
I would regularly chat with this or that big fella in black leather motorcycle gear having a cappucino at one of our cafes. More than that I would ask them about their experiences travelling across country. They had some great stories. I have to admit, the description I carried in my head of these guys was giant teddy bears.
Now certainly, some bike groups are dangerous gangs. These aren’t the ones who ride up to Hahndorf, nor are they the majority. However, they are the ones who receive the most media attention and stick in people’s minds.
A couple years later I moved back to Melbourne and had a show in the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. A British comedian friend was helping me with my marketing. At one point we were standing in front of Melbourne Town Hall handing out flyers to our shows. I wandered up to a couple of bearded guys in biker gear, leaflet in my hand. My friend started waving at me to stop. I gave them the flyer and returned to my friend. “Don’t waste your time with those guys, they aren’t going to turn up at your show. You need to be more targeted and effective,” she said. I understood what she was trying to say. My show could be described as cute and a bit earnest, not what you would expect to be of interest to these guys. But guess who turned up that night! Two big biker guys.
Because I was willing to see beyond the biker image, I learned a lot more about who these people are, how they live, what they do, what’s important to them, and made friends. This gives me a lot more detail for telling comedic stories which include bikers and an element of truth. I also opened the door to an unexpected audience.
I have similar stories about my goth, punk, and furry friends. They are all such wonderful glorious people, if only others would take the time to discover this. I’m sure I have some of the weirdest looking audiences on Earth. I wouldn’t have it any other way. These people are life at its most creative and vibrant.
You want a successful comedy career? You want something unique and special to say that people will remember? Open up to humanity and allow yourself to discover the veins of gold.
Peace and kindness,
Katherine
The Happy Secret
Posted on 12 February 2012 | 2 responses
I suppose I could be posting any number of TED talks here. This is one a friend recently sent onto me.
A number of things are interesting about this talk. Certainly, the subject matter is interesting and well worth considering. I was also fascinated by Shawn Achor’s use of humour. He has a real ease with telling relevant stories that illustrate his points and keep people listening in anticipation of the comedic pay-offs. His presentation style and message is not that different from Adam Hills’s.
For comparison.
Peace and kindness,
Katherine
Quotes: Scott Adams
Posted on 10 February 2012 | No responses
Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.
—Scott Adams, cartoonist, writer
Shaolin Punk presents Dungeon Crawl
Posted on 8 February 2012 | 1 response
I enjoy participating in improvisational theatre and improvisational speaking. I have to admit that memorising lines and performing the same material every night can get tedious. Having to come up with something on the spot is the artistic equivalent of bungee-jumping: scary but what an adrenaline rush high.
Of course watching impro is another matter. TheatreSports takes a proscriptive approach to the art to ensure a theatrical experience with a complete story. Short form TheatreSports impro allows a lot of room for play and humour. It’s more like a sketch show where the audience gets to interact. Hence its popularity. You just have to not mind the formulaic nature of the form.
Long form TheatreSports is a mixed bag. For one thing you are taught NOT to go for the laughs. Sometimes this generates good theatre with a touch of humour. Sometimes stories become dry and meandering.
TheatreSports is valuable for teaching people the discipline of interacting as an ensemble. It teaches the building blocks of story and creates a safe environment for overcoming creative inhibitions. It also provides a forum for practise, practise, PRACTISE.
I have seen comedy troupes who have attempted improvisation without a grounding in something like TheatreSports. Sometimes between raw talent and much practise, you get the jazz of TheatreSports mixed with wild creativity. This can be a joy to watch. Other times you get a group of people floundering around in an imaginary world without direction and trying too hard to be funny.
Shaolin Punk’s Dungeon Crawl is not based in TheatreSports, but like that system, a framework is provided within which the comedians/actors can more easily find themselves and propel the story. In this case as the name suggests, the framework is that provided by Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) adventures.
Ben McKenzie the founder of Shaolin Punk begins the evening by establishing himself as the Dungeon-Master (DM): the person who sets the scenarios, introduces conflict, and adjudicates the success of player and non-player character actions with the throw of a dice. Three guest comedians are asked to take on fantasy characters with a special power. The night I went we had Geraldine Quinn playing a Valkyrie, Sean Fabri playing a well-fed cleric, and Nadia Collins playing a gnome named Gnome Chomsky. The audience is then asked for a questing item. I donated my umbrella with the duck-head to the cause.
Our party of heroes, upon arriving at Elfholm, are told they can only enter if they return the somewhat evil ducky umbrella of doom to the mountain of Target. Their trip is one fraught with peril after peril thwarting their attempts at completing the quest. Richard McKenzie did a delightful job of providing all the non-player characters against which the others would riff in their creation of story and comedy.
Much of the night was a direct parody of Lord of the Rings. This is to be expected when random comedians are thrown into the deep-end of improvisation. Dungeons & Dragons is about re-enacting not just the fantasy genre, but Lord of the Rings in particular. Ben evidently mixes things up by having a theme to each night’s performance. He promised me that for the 50th anniversary of Dr Who, they would be having a big D&D and Dr Who mashup.
The evening’s formula worked well, providing both story and laughs. Geraldine Quinn did a top-flight job of leading the characters ever onward into the plot. Sean Fabri did an amazing job of throwing out the witty one-liners and clever references to other stories. Nadia Collins added nicely timed original twists, keeping the quest lively. Ben showed off his skills as an adept DM, knowing when to add complications, when to engage the audience, and when to end a scene (no mean feat).
Dungeon Crawl began its life as a 2010 Melbourne International Comedy Festival Show. Now it is a monthly fixture at Bella Union in Trades Hall. Shaolin Punk has definitely carved out a niche for themselves. They had an audience of regulars, many of whom were scifi and fantasy fans who came along for a beer and a bit of live fun. The event reminded me of pub trivia nights, only more entertaining. Having been a Dungeons & Dragons nerd in my teens and twenties, I’m pleased to see it works so well for improvisational theatre performances.
Shaolin Punk presents Dungeon Crawl
The Bella Union, upstairs at Trades Hall, corner of Lygon and Victoria streets, Melbourne
8:30pm, first Wednesday of the month
Tickets: $14 pre-sale (inc. booking fee), $15 at the door
Peace and kindness,
Katherine