Comedy club
A comedy club is a venue where a variety of comedic acts perform for a live audience. Although the term usually refers to establishments that feature stand-up comedians, it can also include other forms of comedy such as improvisational comedians, impersonators, impressionists, magicians, and ventriloquists.
Some forms of comedy can have distinguished venues, such as improvisational theaters, which host improv or sketch comedy, and variety clubs, which may also host musical acts along with comedic performances.
History
Morocco
The documentation of Moroccan comedy venues originated in the 17th century, showcasing vibrant performance traditions like Labsat and Sultan Talba. The roots of comedy clubs can be traced back to Labsat, an elaborate performing arts festival highlighted by the landmark event of the first show held in the king's palace by Sultan Mohammed ibn Abd Allah. This evolution progressed with Sultan Tabla, a theatrical celebration that laid the groundwork for the more contemporary al-halqa. Al-halqa, known for its storytelling circles laced with humor, significantly influenced the development of comedy performance venues and traditions.
The period of French colonization from 1912 to 1956 constituted a significant chapter in the historical development of comedy clubs in Morocco, profoundly influencing artistic practices. Subsequent to the waning of French colonial dominance, comic theaters emerged as distinctive venues, gaining popularity in the 1980s, driven by an increasing cultural enthusiasm for addressing humorous aspects of real-life issues. This era experienced a flourishing expansion of comic theater, which employed humor and cultural critique to engage audiences while establishing connections with real-life circumstances.
The spaces, theaters, and comedy clubs created cultural space for a future of comedy in Morocco. Now, Moroccan comedy clubs function as essential spaces for humor and cultural commentary.
Japan
The emergence of Japanese comedy clubs can be traced back to the 18th century with the establishment of Yose theatres. These early iterations were built for various forms of entertainment, such as Kōdan, Rōkyoku, Rakugo, and other varieties.
Over the years, a notable convergence occurred between Yose and Rakugo, becoming increasingly intertwined. In contemporary times, most Yose theatres exclusively feature Rakugo performances, underscoring the strong association between Yose theatres and this particular form of comedic storytelling.
Rakugo is a traditional Japanese storytelling art in which a hanashika enacts stories by embodying characters with distinct voices, gestures, and wordplay. The narratives typically conclude with a punch line, "ochi," similar to the structure observed in contemporary stand-up comedy, which often utilizes punchlines and wordplay for comedic effect. In this way, Yose were the first comedy clubs to host stand-up comedians (hanashikas) through the art of Rakugo.
The first Yose theatre was organized in 1798 by Karaku Sanshotei 1st at the Shitaya-jinja Shrine in Shitaya, Tokyo. The stone monument commemorating the birthplace of Yose is located at this shrine, which was initially referred to as yoseba before later adopting the term "yose." Towards the end of the Edo period, multiple Yose theatres emerged, providing a primary source of entertainment in towns where options were limited.
The subsequent Meiji and Taisho eras witnessed the emergence of large-scale Yose theatres. However, with the advent of various forms of entertainment such as television, the number of visitors to Yose establishments has significantly declined, leading to closures. In recent years, the decreasing interest in performance arts within Yose has resulted in the survival of only a few Yose theatres. Consequently, the overall Yose industry faces challenging business conditions as it grapples with changing entertainment preferences.
Contemporary American-style clubs
Since the late 1960s and 70s, hundreds of comedy clubs have adopted a similar formula.
The first of these pioneers was The Improv and Dangerfield's.
The Improv opened as a coffee house in 1963 in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of New York City. While it hosted its first comedian in 1964, five years before Dangerfield's opening in 1969, it only shifted into a comedy club after hours. Over the years, The Improv became exclusively a comedy club before closing in 1992.
Dangerfield's was constructed from the ground up as a comedy club on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. It closed due to the pandemic in 2020.
Design
Comedy clubs advantageously use their space to cater to their audience and create an optimal experience. Most clubs adjust their lighting to darker tones with the aim of creating anonymity in the crowd. Anonymity produces more genuine responses in individuals while also decreasing the amount of external stress caused by being seen. The darkness factor is a key element that helps the crowd feel more relaxed in their space, especially for more controversial jokes that most comedians often make use of.
Comedy clubs use low ceilings and small interior spaces to create a fuller appearance of crowds. Low ceilings are especially important for most comedy clubs since laughter significantly contributes to their ambience. Laughter is proven to be contagious among humans, and low ceilings allow the sound of laughter to bounce off the ceilings and be heard throughout the space. In venues with higher ceilings and larger areas, the sound of laughter diminishes almost instantly. Lower ceilings foster a more joyful atmosphere. The bare redbrick wall of The Improv in New York, a result of the venue not having the budget to cover it with drywall, would go on to become a common design feature of comedy clubs.
Comedy clubs opt for colder temperatures for multiple reasons. One main reason for the colder temperature is that the comedian does not get too flushed and tired under the hot spotlights in a cold room. The second and more influential effect is on the audience's psychology; audiences become more alert and evidently more focused on the performance, which usually elicits more laughter.
Where a venue has multiple stages, an "A Room" is typically the largest and best room, used for popular acts, while a "B Room" is for local, lesser-known performers.
Notable clubs
- Wikipedia article: Comedy club Notable clubs
In popular culture
Comedy clubs often serve as the venue for stand-up comedy specials, where comedians are filmed at comedy clubs and theaters as they perform. These humorous spaces are also featured heavily in the show Seinfeld, where a staged comedy club serves as a vital place where the lead character, Jerry Seinfeld, performs and socializes.
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