In Pursuit of Comedy

Been awhile since I made a self-reflective, self-reflexive post... Or any substantial post for that matter. Dunno why that is - school hasn't been particularly hectic. I think it may've been the combination of last week's increased workload, during which I also blogged a fair bit as well, made me feel this past weekend ought to be about rest and away from .. well, being me. Binge watching youtube vids, anime and TV series ftw <3

Of course, no matter how far I stray, it's not like I could ever travel too far from being the sort of person I am and as such I've been giving a lot of thought about Clownism. If you recall, several months ago, after I went to see Dralion, I fell in love with (and am still comparatively so) the concept of being a clown in the Cirque. The first real stirring I've felt.

Two things happened to me this weekend that gave me these thoughts. I went on an all-out marathon for anything Shaun Micallef related on youtube. This is a man who's humour I was completely in sync with in ... 2003 when he had Micallef Tonight - a show Alastair and I held close to our metaphorical hearts. He's now hosting the show Talking About Your Generation, a quiz show on Channel 10 and as I understand it, it's been doing fabulously in the ratings. As it should be.

He's totally on game on that show. Dry wit and multiferious entendre flying this way and that. It's a wonder he's not more well known. Then I discovered his other shows. In particular his wonky/tilted-room sketches. Basically this involves a machine that completely rotates a room by some degree, but this also includes the camera. So from our perspective it looks normal and fine. But for the actors, or most notably, Micallef, he just walks around like a lunatic, cups and drinks seemingly defying gravity and physics.

Perhaps this is a well-known sketch idea. New to me. And it's comedy genius. My neighbours must be feeling so sick of hearing my insane laughter... like the kind where your stomach and face hurts, the kind you desperately wish your parents nor your friends will ever have the comedy gold with which to induce such a fit.

The second comedian to reduce me to tears (literally - I have the pile of tissues to prove it) was David Mitchell. More specifically, David Mitchell's Soapbox (look it up on youtube). Basically involves him and some really corny special effects, ranting about some arbitrary topic. It's a lil' bit like Hughsey Loses It .. but like with wit :P When Mr Mitchell goes nuts on shows like Big Fat Quiz of the Year or QI ... I'm forced into such fits. He has a knack for doing it, with the most sarcastic tone ... one that I could only ever to aspire to.

And there's the keyword. Aspire.

It dawned on me pretty quickly that one doesn't just *get* into the Cirque without something to show for it. All the people who apply.. have already made livings for their talents and have been performing since birth, growing in respect in their respective sub-communities. What do I have? A coupla guys at Grammar, the St Pats year 10 yeargroup, my parents?

Who else has experience the walking force of Dame Comedy that is Shanan Kan?

and therein lies the plan. Perhaps I should aim just a tad lower than Clownism straight up. Note I'm not exactly deviating. I'm employing the same skills in a different direction. I'm not necessarily doing just comedy to use as a means to Clownism, it's just a different avenue that will hopefully end in the Cirque.

So what does this mean? Lord, your guess is as good as mine. But I definitely know there's more opportunity for a comedy writer/performer/actor/sketcher/slapsticker in Canberra than there would be for Clownism. Maybe it will be me making a similar style of ranting to David Mitchell (minus special effects ... but possibly with some more camera effects than just a guy in his room). Maybe it'll be auditioning for the next comedy revue I hear about at the ANU. Maybe it will involve writing some sketches of my own and pitching them somewhere...

Dunno, but my eyes, ears and mouth shall be open from this moment henceforth for opportunities. And if you're in Canberra, so should yours. Do your friend Shanan a favour ;)