Crowne Comedy

Wednesday, 25 January 2012 00:00

The nature of the stand-up comedy industry is that gigs come and go. Restaurants and pubs decide to switch entertainment, holidays crop up, seasons change, all of which leaves Joburg with a handful of regular gigs and occasional events that pop up here and there. Despite having a wealth of acts and performers such as John Vlismas and Al Prodgers, who have successfully competed in comedy competitions in Canada (the Hollywood of stand-up), very few gigs last more than a month or two. All of this makes the fairly well-established monthly event at Crowne Plaza Johannesburg - The Rosebank intriguing. How come this monthly event has managed to fill the room for each of its events? I decided to investigate. There are a few elements to ensure the success of a comedy evening before the host even greets the crowd. You need a stage, a spot light, unobstructed views, a capable sound system and if possible, theatre style seating. You wouldn’t expect Olivier to play Hamlet in a rowdy pub with pillars obstructing an unlit stage would you? No, and nor should you expect the same of stand up. This, for me, is where Crowne Comedy sticks out – it ticks all the boxes. There are no televisions screening sporting events in the same room, no waiting staff walking in front of the stage and between patrons, no noisy drunkards who think they are smarter than the act on stage. Everyone is there for the sole purpose of enjoying the show. The only distraction (and something I would change) is that the audience is encouraged to Tweet while performers are on stage. It’s a distraction and draws attention away from the hard-working act on stage. Social media is part of what has helped these evenings take off, but surely people can wait till the break to tell the world how much fun they are having? We had a bumper line-up on the night I attended with Dave Levinsohn hosting at least eight other acts. The bill included the experience of Magic Man, up-and coming Lucky Du Plessis, Nigeria’s Basket Mouth and a slew of other comics, all of whom got big laughs. The line-up varies each month and always includes a good mix of high profile acts supported by newer ones. It's a pretty trendy affair (no flip-flops) and is a brilliant way to unwind, have some cocktails and enjoy the best of South African stand up. For further information follow @ComicREV on Twitter or look for the #crownecomedy hashtag on Twitter. Next >