About Flip N Funny

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Initially, this blog was designed to track my development as a comic. Although that remains true today, the blog has evolved into something more. The FlipNFunny Blog is now a catchall medium to express my thoughts on any subject whether it concerns comedy, films, sports, or life in general. Essentially, if I feel strongly about something, you can expect to see my thoughts here. Thank you.

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Review of This by Melissa James Gibson

THIS - Jan.28.11


It’s been a long time since I’ve been to the Vancouver Playhouse. In fact, it’s been nearly 20yrs since the last time I was there for a play. Taking in This by Melissa James Gibson was an excellent way to get myself reacquainted with the production values the Playhouse puts forth. I’m pretty sure that there have been changes in staff since my last visit, but I distinctly remember the elaborately detailed sets they had in the past. I can report their high standards have not changed.

As for the play itself, I strongly suggest you see it. In a nutshell, the husband Tom (Todd Thompson) cheats on his wife Marrell (Karen Holness) with their friend Jane (Megan Follows) and spit hits the fan. Originally, Jean Pierre (Fabrice Grover), the French doctor was intended to be set up with the Jane but we eventually see that his function in the play is to be a hanging temptation for Marrell and it’s unclear whether or not she took the bait. As for Alan (Dmitry Chepovetsky), the human stenographer, he’s the Greek chorus and comic relief all at once. Nearly all the best lines come from Alan.

Although the performances were flat from time to time from a couple of the players, the writing was so strong that it made up for any of the timing errors the cast made regarding their lines. Obviously, I can’t be certain whether or not a couple of the actors were having an off night, or their timing was dictated by the director. As a comic watching the production, the material would have been better served if they picked up the pace. On handful of times, I thought their timing was a beat or two slow.

As funny as the material was, the most interesting aspect of the play is what it says or doesn’t say about adultery. The title “This” is the word used by Tom and Jane to refer to their adultery. Is Gibson saying adultery has become so commonplace that we no longer need to even use the word “adultery”? The word “this” is so common, that we virtually eliminate all negative connotations by using “this” when referring to “adultery”.

For me, the most intriguing question of the play is does society accept adultery because we’re now able to rationalize it with our intellect, or is our intellect the last line of defence? With Jane being a student at the Ivy League school and Tom being the self educated employee of institution, is Gibson painting a picture of Intellectualism vs. Pseudo/Self Intellectualism? The audience is shown that Tom calculated that his wife withdrawing sex, plus Jane being recently widowed is a rational equation that will lead to sex. It’s interesting that Tom, the unaccredited intellect initiates the affair with Jane, half expecting the Ivy League grad to turn him down. Is the playwright inferring that the “true” intellectual, Jane, could have ended the affair before it began?

It’s a great sign for any play or movie, when your brain continues to churn the morning after you’ve seen it. I suggest you see This before it’s run ends.


Thursday, January 13, 2011

The Secret of Comedy

Raw Canvas Lounge - Jan.11.11
Set Time - 5.30min

First time at Raw Canvas Lounge. What a cool place! I can’t comment on the quality of the food or drinks because I just had my regular prison fare (glass of water). If you’ve never been, half the space is reserved for diners and the other half is reserved for artists. There are about ten easels set up for art enthusiasts to take advantage of. And because the venue respected art, it seemed to have permeated to the staff who showed respect to the comics and the art that we were refining. They were friendly and respectful. Much respect to Darcy Michael and Jane Stanton for setting up the cool ass venue.

As for my set, this was a promising development. I forgot to do the Beauty and the Beast reference to one of the jokes and it seemed to have smoothed out the bit which I’m happy about. Unfortunately, that portion makes me giggle. Unless I can successfully restructure the tag I might have to remove it indefinitely. The preceding joke, Surrey Costco, is surprisingly getting a bigger response. I may need to switch the order if this continues.

Tuesday night also served another reminder that my material makes me The Secret of Comedy – strong enough for a man but made for women. As in my material seems to be written for women to enjoy, but men get a good kick out of it too!

Sunday, January 9, 2011

False Start @ Lanalous

Lanalous - Jan.09.11
Set Time: 7min (approx.)

I wanted to start off the year on the right foot. I wanted to go out and have fun and destroy the room on my first set of the year. I wanted people laughing soooo hard that they would shoot their drinks out of their noses. I wanted them laughing so hard that they actually start coughing up organs. THAT DID NOT HAPPEN!

Instead I received a drunken woman asking me math equations. I shit you not. After my joke, This, she yelled out "what's the square root of 3+1?" My response was "do I ask you how to shoot heroin?" Not exactly the best comeback but I was able to get back at her a little.

As for the remainder of the set, I think I need to spend more actual rehearsal time rather than just practicing in the car. There's an old New York joke that goes like this -

Tourist: How do I get to Broadway?
New Yorker: Practice! Practice! Practice!