New in London: comedy & workshop

FUNNY FITZROVIA - Fri 14 Sept 6 h 30

Not a conventional comedy gig nor a training workshop, but a unique, experimental blend of the two.  

MC/Compere

Barry Ferns
Finalist, Laughing Horse New Act Competition 2012


Running order:

Harriet Kelmsley 

Winner WeGotTickets New Act Competition Brighton 2011 

 Finalist, Laughing Horse New Act Competition, 2012

Yuki Tokeshi

 Award winning Humorous Speaker, Toastmasters Int'l

Glen Long 

 London Finalist, Humorous Speech Contest, Toastmasters Int'l

Julie Kertesz

Storyteller Spark London
Winner Silver Comedy Best Newcomer 2012, Leicester's Dave Festival :

 President Obonjo 

 President of Lafta Republic
 

Pierre LaPoule  

Le Breton anti Parisian Londoner / comedian

short break then:
Workshop segment 

Ola Aralepo
Humnorous Speaking Champion UK and Ireland, Toastmasters' Int'l 2011

Variety clubs

After True Storytelling at Canal Cafe Theatre (and other places) with Spark London, Comedy Club experiences in 50+ gigs, I begun to go out now to Variety shows. Tell humorous stories. Yesterday, at The Finsbury - exit 7 Manor House Tube, my story was very well taken and made also laugh a lot.

Direct from Edinburgh, where I delivered Humorous True Tales with Spark London

Places, with music, songs, comedy, storytelling at the same night.

It is an interesting experience, that I enjoy. Tonight, ~ ten minutes "Unexpected" story I created for Spark London this August in Edinburgh and went so well with Grant's Audience in Riddles Court.. 

Variety night, At The Finsbury, near Manor Tube, 8 30 pm

Firstly, it is longer then the short gigs and I have outgrown the beginner 5 minute comedy. I can have 10 or more minutes now even with gigs, but not yet everywhere. For Humorous Story we have 10 and I hope, soon 20 because stories need more breath with dialogue and scenes.

Already begun with humorous storytelling in one club, then a longer paid standup comedy in another, and longer comedy gigs in others. They all invited me back and referred me also to other clubs. I will combine, and go on to 20, preparing for After dinner places in the future too.

My first experiences, showed me also the differences of audiences.

More responsive usually in comedy clubs, and not only as laughter but for dialogue, in a variety show, the laughter is still there, but they are less used to answer back. To be seen and known, to remain more with rhetorical questions not waiting for people to cry out loud "yes, we want to know" for example. As I would not ask such question in the Theatre while telling a true tale, I should not in variety show either, or differently.

All audiences are great and I am in love with all of them, they are just, different.

Here from my last in the new Kaleido club.
"Thanks for a fantastic 10 mins Julie. It was a great atmosphere at the first night. Looking forward to the next one..." Nicola Kaleido www.clubkaleido.com

Clinton's wonderful rhetoric and specific examples too

text compared with delivery at
http://www.npr.org/2012/09/05/160643183/transcript-bill-clintons-convention-speech

It is long, more then 40 minutes and each minute is worth looking, listening, analysing it. And then back again to study all the things he used in it.

Just read about his great capacity to listen and focus on one who is speaking to him. Yes! Listening is also an important skill to learn.

A story hope and realisation

It was 5 years ago, before arriving in London.

I felt envy me too, to tell something and I thought I could make them laugh.

Without much conviction.

I had lots of laughs a few years ago in the center of France with the same story. I repeated a lot at home, this time, even taking short videos.

I called to say goodbye, my photo and blog mates, those living around Paris in a coffee bar in the 18th to listen to the fantastic couple arrived in Paris just for a while, the singer, her singing and playing the barrel organ. And others who are willing to perform.

My presentation was a fiasco. The desire was already in me to express myself. The desire was already in me, to make people laugh. The desire was already in me, to be more than just audience

It was not until I took photos in London for six months, I had six months "The Artist Way" meetups, and day by day wrote three pages in notebooks morning after morning, to begin to believe that I can try to be different as before, that I could do something else that I had always done.

First, tell about my life in public. Then, from last year's comedy.

Tonight, the first time, during a variety show, music and comedy, I'll be paid!*

Before me, a new medical intervention on my face. Behind me, teeth pulled out. Now, one ankle swells.

With all this, my main concern now, is how to make audience laugh for ten minutes!

A new part invented yesterday, while I was waiting my turn at the hospital :

"Born in Transylvania, I'm not a Vampire! My skin does not support sun. My eyes no longer tolerate strong light. But my teeth no more strong enough to bite!" and two other bits that went even better.

* Kaleida opening night went very well for me. Audience, organiser, and me, happy.

Michelle Obama - proves the impact of Personal Stories

At Democratic convention, the 4th of September, a magnifique speech by the first lady of united states, demonstrating the huge impact of sharing personal stories.

Here is the whole speech, but you can jump to look from 3 minutes and half... directly...

Tonight at Oxford, Monkey Business

Gigging tonight.

The Oxford, is on 256, Kentish Town, London NW5 2AA, Monkey Business Comedy.

Worried how it will go, and exhalirated at the same time.

No matter, soon I'll have behind me 50 successful comic performances, 100 speeches most with stories, each time I worry again, want to make it better, a little different.

While my stories are each time different, as I have lots of up and downs to tell about, the gig set carries very slowly. Improving testing with small spoons at a time. Writing it down, learning new bits, adjusting. I learned a lot by Standup Comedy. I continue to learn. Looking forward to meet new audience. And soon, combine comedy with stories, give them in the middle of music.

Most important, we are creating, and I imagined created the workshop with others imput too, about Personal storytelling. Just listened to Michele Obama's speech at the Democratic Convention, and was convinced more then ever of the impact of Personal Stories, exemples, in a speech. 

New Spark London storytelling in Hackney

Spark London: True Story-telling Open Mic

1st performance this Monday (and every second Monday of month from now)

Hackney Attic, Hackney Picturehouse 270 Mare Street, Hackney, London, E8 1HE, United Kingdom

Dave Pickering hosting

 

1st Theme: Back to School

The holidays are over and how better to face the jolt back into the "real world" than to come and share stories about it? Going back to school, going back to work, or even revisiting your past, we want stories about returning, about ending and about "the best years of our lives".
 

Spark London run true story telling events all across London... and now they’re coming to Hackney! 

 

The new Open Mic will showcase the stories of East Londoners and will take place on the 2nd Monday of each month at the Hackney Attic. Come along and watch people tell their true stories based around that month’s theme. Expect the unexpected as people sign up to tell their stories. It's an exciting and engaging atmosphere.

Perhaps you'll even be tempted to tell your story!