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When is big too big?

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  • 07-12-2009 4:38pm
    #1
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭


    First off, sorry for the f'narr f'narr thread title.

    Comedy to me has always been about small clubs, a place where the comedian can connect to their audience. I know there's a good few comedians on here so I'd like to get their opinions.
    What do you make of comedians playing the likes of the 02 or spaces with 8,000+ seating? How would you be able to connect with audience on such a big stage? I have seen Ricky Gervais, Bottom, Denis Leary all play in venues that big and all of them, without exception were abysmal. There was no connection, no chemistry, no feeling like I was part of something. I felt like a customer.
    The Olympia to me is a perfect size room. It seats something like 950 but everyone is so close to the stage, you really do feel a part of the show.

    So what I'm asking is...
    Should comedians stick to theatres that fit less than 1,000 people (and possibly charge more/do more days) or are they perfectly right to try and play to as many people as possible in one night?


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    #2
    IanPerth
    Closed Accounts Posts: 21 ✭IanPerth


    Hey Papa Smut!

    I think Vicar street is pretty much as big as a one man show should get....

    Having said that ! . . . . Billy Connoly in his hay day could have turned any venue into an ideal venue !


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    #3
    eth0_
    Registered Users Posts: 10,846 ✭✭✭✭eth0_


    I don't think an arena is an appropriate venue for comedy at all. I'd rather wait for the inevitable DVD.


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    #4
    GiftGrub100
    Registered Users Posts: 301 ✭✭GiftGrub100


    When you go to see a gig in a big arena like the 02 you are basically seeing a show, if you are in a Vicar street/Olympia/Cork Opera house or a comedy club venue you are more likely to interact with the comedian more.

    Would love to see more gigs in smaller venues but to use the Peter Kay tour in 2011 as an example, he is playing five nights at the 02 with Approx 10,000 people per night, that would be 50 nights in the Olympia, now I know he loves Ireland but hard to see him booking that amount of shows.

    Jimmy Carr always does the 1,000-2,000 seater shows which work very well for his comedy.

    Sometimes in the big venues you can be entertained I thought Dane Cook was brilliant at the Denis Leary gig a few years back and really enjoyed Ricky Gervais at the Point as well.


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