Do your friends call you jackass?
Does your wife say your sex life is a joke?
Do your kids scream ‘You must be kidding!’ when you dole out the pocket money?
You know what… they just might be right!
There might be a Pro-Comedian in you somewhere, chafing to come out. Why don’t you beetle over to The Classic, and find out for yourself?
It is a venerable Auckland institution, in the heart of the entertainment precincts on Queens Street. You can’t miss the large, friendly “Comedy” neon. The Classic comedy club has been tickling the Aucklander’s funny bone 1997. Each Monday evening, they allow just about anybody to get on to the stage and try their hand at live comedy. They call it the RAW COMEDY NIGHT. And once a year in April they have the heats of the RAW COMEDY QUEST, to discover NZ’s funniest new face.
It must be terrifying to just walk off the streets and try and be funny in front of a hard-boiled audience. We were curious to know if there are many takers for this challenge, and if anyone has ever succeeded in building a pro career after the experience. We talked to Scott Blanks, director of The Classic.
The Raw Night was inspired by the ‘So You Think You’re Funny’ contest at the annual Edinburgh Fringe Festival. It began life as Rookies Night on Wednesdays at the original venue at Kitty O’Brien’s Tavern. When The Classic opened in 1997 it became Raw Night on Mondays. The Raw Comedy Quest began 13 years ago. The first 3 years were staged at Kitty O’Brien’s Tavern, the rest at The Classic. The first ever winner was Bob McLaren who now has his own TV show on the Discovery Channel.
Scott sees it as an investment in the future of the local comedy scene. He says it creates an opportunity for new people to have a go and also becomes one way of launching new comedians who remain in the industry and become the ‘pro’ acts in the future like Tarun Mohanbhai.
We asked Scott if the concept has been successful. He says “The key is to not have any expectations of the entrants and eventual winners. Then I can only be pleasantly surprised by their future development and involvement in our industry. Stand-up comedy is not an easy thing to do so it is important not to create any undue pressure or expectations on new faces.”
What is the audience like at the RAW Nights? “RAW gigs appeal to younger, more adventurous comedy goers looking for a cheap night-out early in the week (Mondays) and, of course, there are always supporters for the acts on stage. By the time a performer becomes a PRO, their friends and family are usually sick of seeing them onstage. PRO nights are for the general comedy going audiences that you would expect anywhere in the world.”
Do you get much audience participation? “Not too much. The audience has come to see a professional comedian at work not another member of the audience. So we discourage audience participation as it is usually not very funny.”
Scott mentioned a number of professional comedians in New Zealand who have developed their acts at The Classic. Some have those who started from RAW COMEDY NIGHT are Dai Henwood, Rhys Darby, Jan Maree, Gish, Benjamin Crellin and Tarun Mohanbhai.
Of course, once in a while a performer freaks out on stage and does something totally unpredictable which can be both funny and tragic at the same time. But Scott says he always give performers a second chance because someone who struggles from their first show can learn a lot and come back better and wiser. On the other hand a performer who does very well on their first gig may never be as good again. He says “You just can’t tell from one gig. Most RAW comedians will spend 6 months to a year doing RAW gigs until they move up to the next level.”
To try out for the Raw Night, call Scott at The Classic on 09 3734321
Graduate from the RAW NIGHT: Tarun Mohanbhai
Tarun Monabhai is one of the bona-fide success stories of the RAW COMDEY NIGHT. The winner of Raw Comedy Quest 1998, Tarun has gone on to build a successful Pro career. Scott Blanks of the Classic has this to say about Tarun “Tarun has done a fantastic job of fully exploiting his comic potential as a stand-up comedian and comic actor. Unlike most comedians he has gone on to create award winning, international touring solo theatre shows opening up another market for his talents beyond the usual comedy clubs.”We spoke to Tarun about his experience at the Raw Comedy Night. What made him try it out? “I always was a bit of a clown and loved making people laugh. In the early nineties, I started to write a little comedy sketch but found no avenue to vent it. Then I heard on the radio of a pub in Auckland that had comedy nights. I kept going there for a year just to check it out. Eventually I got the courage to try it out myself.”
“Back in those days it was just called open mic, which is now Big Wednesday at the Classic. For me it was extremely nerve racking, as I was terrified of speaking in front of an audience. I remember as a child staying home from school to avoid speech day, only to end up doing it on my own. I could barely hold a conversation with adults. By the way, I was an adult myself at the time.”
What was that first night like? “My first gig was quite triumphant and I have to say I was quite surprised they even listened to me laugh at my anecdotes. I have to admit though that due to the adrenalin rush you do get a second wind. There was also that first night nerves which caused me to curse a lot more than one normally would, so that could also have been a reason for the rapturous laughter. I guess I never will know. But I mean an Indian cussing on stage… most white people were only ever used to the passiveness of Gandhi and their friendly neighborhood shopkeeper. But without a doubt to have people laugh at something one has created is more satisfying than anything I have ever done in my life.”
How did it feel, winning? “I was extremely overwhelmed and nervous at the same time. It was a great feeling. I thought I would be NZ's answer to comedy from that day forward, but I was sadly mistaken. Looking back, I think I had actually peaked.... ha ha”
Tarun says winning the competition gave him the confidence to be involved in more comedy and look at different avenues of comedy. He has since traveled abroad to Australia, Malaysia, Singapore and South Africa with his show. He is continuously writing new stuff and is involved in a couple of TV projects.
Tarun still goes down to the Raw Night on occasions as a spectator, when he isn’t there as the MC for the night.
You can catch Tarun next at the Conershop Confessions which is on 29th May- 2nd June
