Comedy club

A comedy club is a venue where a variety of comedic acts perform to a live audience. Although the term usually refers to establishments that feature stand-up comedians, it can also feature other forms of comedy such as improvisational comedians, impersonators, impressionists, magicians and ventriloquists.^[1]

Some forms of comedy can have distinguished venues such as improvisational theatres, which host improv or sketch comedy, and variety clubs which may also host musical acts along with comedic acts.

Types

Comedy clubs are usually broken down by comedians into "A rooms", "B rooms", and "C rooms":

A rooms usually cater to people with movie deals, people with television shows, and generally well known acts.
B rooms are where the best aspects of both A rooms and C rooms meet. Young comics need B rooms as a stepping stone. These are rooms where someone doing a 10- to 15-minute set (hosting/MCing) can be asked, after they've been going up long enough, to do a 20-minute set (featuring) and so on. These clubs also typically allow dirtier material, since they can become established names for "dirty" comedy or shows that usually cover adult themes.
C rooms act as "neighborhood" comedy clubs, for the most part. The headliners are not usually very well known or popular, and the audiences are random walk-ins.

History of Comedy Clubs

Morocco

The documentation of Moroccan comedy spaces traces its roots back to the 17th Century, encompassing rich performance practices like Labsat and Sultan Talba.^[2] The origins of comedy clubs can be traced to Labsat, an extravagant performance arts festival, with the noteworthy milestone of the first show staged within the king's, Sultan Mohammed ibn Abd Allah, palace. The evolution continued with Sultan Tabla, a theatrical celebration that served as a precursor to more modern al-halqa. Al-halqa, characterized by storytelling circles infused with elements of humor, played a pivotal role in shaping comedy performance spaces and practices.

The period of French colonization from 1912 to 1956 marked a significant chapter in the history of comedy clubs in Morocco, having heavy influences on artistic practices.^[2] Following the decline of French colonial dominance, comic theaters emerged as distinct spaces, gaining prominence in the 80s as a response to the heightened cultural interest in addressing humorous real-life concerns. The theatrical landscape saw a flourishing of comic theater, employing humor and cultural critique to entertain audiences while fostering a connection with real-life experiences.

The spaces theaters and comedy clubs provided created cultural space for a future of comedy in Morocco. Now, Moroccan comedy clubs function as important spaces for humour and cultural commentary.

In the Media

Comedy clubs are featured in the media and other cultural content. They often serve as the basis for stand-up comedy specials, where comedians are filmed at comedy clubs and theaters as they perform. These humorous spaces are also featured heavily in the show Seinfeld, where a staged comedy club serves as a vital place where the lead character, Jerry Seinfeld, performs and socializes.

Design

Comedy Clubs advantageously use their space to cater to their audience and create an optimal experience. Defining characteristics of well set up Comedy Clubs all play into the audience’s psychological states with the goal of making them laugh and enjoy their experience to keep coming back. Some important factors that make the

Lighting Most Clubs adjust their lighting to darker tones with the aim of creating anonymity in the crowd. Anonymity has the effect of producing more genuine responses in individuals, while also decreasing amount of external stress produced by being seen (Zimbardo, 2018). The darkness factor is a key element to get the crowd feeling more relaxed in their space, especially for more controversial jokes which most comedians often make use of.

Space Comedy Clubs use low ceilings and small interior spaces to create fuller looking crowds. Low ceilings are especially important for most comedy clubs since laughter is an important part of their ambience. Laughter is proven to be contagious in humans (Thompson, 2006), and low ceilings allow for the sound of laughter to bounce back from the ceilings and be heard throughout the space. In higher ceilings and bigger spaces the sound of people’s laughter vanishes almost instantly. Lower ceilings contribute to a more joyful space.

Temperature Comedy clubs opt for colder temperatures for multiple reasons. A main reason for colder temperature is that the comedian does not get too flushed and tired under the hot spotlights and cold room. The second and more influential effect is on the psychology of the audience, audiences become more alert and evidently more focused on the performance which usually elicits more laughter as a result.

List of notable clubs

Improv

References

^[3]

External links

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^ "Comedy club", Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford University Press, 2023-09-01, retrieved 2023-11-09
^ ^a ^b Bassou, Mohamed; Krefting, Rebecca (2022-12-30). "The History of Moroccan Stand-Up Comedy". In Chilana, Rashi Bhargava, Richa (ed.). Punching Up in Stand-Up Comedy: Speaking Truth to Power. London: Routledge India. p. 37. doi:10.4324/9781003352808. ISBN 978-1-003-35280-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: editors list (link)
^ Zimbardo, P. (2018, March 30). Who is that? the study of anonymity and behavior. Association for Psychological Science - APS. https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/who-is-that-the-study-of-anonymity-and-behavior Thompson, A. (2006, December 12). Study: Laughter really is contagious. LiveScience. https://www.livescience.com/9430-study-laughter-contagious.html NDeuschle. (2021, May 13). How the science of the comedy club design can inspire you to create a better space to succeed. Peter McGraw. https://petermcgraw.org/how-the-science-of-the-comedy-club-design-can-inspire-you-to-create-a-better-space-to-succeed/

[1] "Comedy club", Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford University Press, 2023-09-01, retrieved 2023-11-09

[:0-2] Bassou, Mohamed; Krefting, Rebecca (2022-12-30). "The History of Moroccan Stand-Up Comedy". In Chilana, Rashi Bhargava, Richa (ed.). Punching Up in Stand-Up Comedy: Speaking Truth to Power. London: Routledge India. p. 37. doi:10.4324/9781003352808. ISBN 978-1-003-35280-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: editors list (link)

[3] Zimbardo, P. (2018, March 30). Who is that? the study of anonymity and behavior. Association for Psychological Science - APS. https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/who-is-that-the-study-of-anonymity-and-behavior Thompson, A. (2006, December 12). Study: Laughter really is contagious. LiveScience. https://www.livescience.com/9430-study-laughter-contagious.html NDeuschle. (2021, May 13). How the science of the comedy club design can inspire you to create a better space to succeed. Peter McGraw. https://petermcgraw.org/how-the-science-of-the-comedy-club-design-can-inspire-you-to-create-a-better-space-to-succeed/

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