Comedy's in great shape! Spread the news...

Diane Spencer thinks comics should be more evangelical

A journalist rang me. I was mildly shocked. I’m doing a thing at a place (see below). What shocked me was that she had researched what was happening in her area, and was then investigating it. And after hearing about my thing at a place, she asked what the comedy circuit was like.

Reports and broadcasts influence our perceptions, and the more air time given to ideas, the stronger they become. Charlie Brooker has described this phenomenon on his Newswipe programme, the idea that any offhand announcement can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. And in the words of Sarah Connor, ‘there is no fate but what we make’. So as performers and promoters, let’s group together and make our fate a positive one.

We have a thriving live circuit. There… relax. It is thriving – there are sold out signs appearing on good gigs up and down the country. There are still great rooms, filled with huge crowds waiting, wanting and enjoying comedy entertainment and it’s not just the clubs. Its theatres, bookshops, back rooms of pubs, online - despite the recession, we have comedy growth and as a consequence there are comics everywhere talking to journalists. All have things to sell, stories to tell and comedy output to share. So as well as selling your latest wares, or plugging your podcast, sell live comedy as a whole.

When performers and promoters are given a platform to champion our industry, we should take take it. Currently I hear comedians say more and more ‘thanks for supporting live comedy’, and this is a wonderful sentiment to express in front of a live audience who are already there, but let’s take that beyond the four walls of the clubs.

If we choose to, we can emphasise that there are unique performers doing brilliant, hilarious material literally in every town, and then perhaps more potential audience will seek them out as a result of our choice. If we mention to the journalists that perhaps people who complain about all comedians being the same are always looking in the same place – the television, then we can champion the idea that the more places that people look, the more diverse comedians they will find.

People will seek out good restaurants, bars and nightclubs through word of mouth for their own personal taste, and they no doubt do the same with comedy clubs. If being positive about the scene seems hard, my advice is to think about those people who really entertain you. One of my favourites is Alan Francis – he delivers some astounding stories and he has such a strong presence onstage, and he is brilliantly funny and insightful. Focus on the funny sausages.

We can develop the perception of our comedy circuit to whatever perception we hold ourselves.

I understand that there is a market shift, and there soon will be another one. There has been a shift to television, just as there will be a shift off television and towards online content. However, the fact is that people still enjoy going places with each other, drinking together and watch comedy live together. They like the idea of dressing up, looking smart, getting drunk and watching something funny. Sweeping generalisations yes, but doesn’t it sound fun? If you weren’t a comedy shut-in misanthrope – wouldn’t getting drunk and snorting into your beer be fun?

We have the power to control our own reflections: when a journalist is talking to you about your latest thing at a place (see below), try being enthusiastic about the live comedy circuit and the people within it. It can do no damage: at the very least nothing will change, and at the best, a lot will.