Relaxed setting gives comics a chance to experiment
Last Saturday, local comedian and University of Waterloo theology graduate student Zach Charbonneau put on a comedy show in his own living room. Comedians from Guelph and nearby cities like Kitchener and Hamilton gathered to perform in a close, comfortable environment.
Charbonneau is new to stand-up himself, performing for the first time last October. “I got into comedy because a friend of mine had a birthday party, and he asked people to bring some sort of skill or art performance. I didn’t really want to sing in front of a crowd, so I just wrote jokes about my friend,” said Charbonneau. “I ended up having a really good time with that. I thought it was fun and maybe it was something I could work at, and I have.”
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Even after such a short time in the comedy scene, Charbonneau felt a need to contribute — he decided to contribute his living space. “We have a gift with this apartment,” said Charbonneau. “It’s a beautiful place. I live here with my wife and we really like to share our space. We are trying to use it for more than just ourselves.”
Charbonneau thinks the unusual venue can fill a niche in town. “As a comedian sometimes, you feel like you are grinding to perform. You get five minutes to tell jokes in a club and then rush to the next one for another five minutes and so on. This is a place where you can slow down, and just enjoy each other, enjoy the space, and the show,” said Charbonneau.
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The seven comedians who performed on Saturday provided a variety of styles and topics, ranging from how Libyan-Canadian comedian AJ Bate struggled to prove his English proficiency to a citizenship official whose own English was problematic at best, to Amber Dewar’s inappropriate reaction upon finding a sex dungeon at a party. Other highlights of the night included Jason Dalgliesh* contemplating whether to explain his “adult” toys to his kids, and the problems Renee Groux dealt with when dating a Christian man.
The atmosphere of the night was relaxed and positive, with the audience getting to know each other before the show and during the intermission. Comedians had the opportunity to test jokes out and mingle with the audience. After the show, the house remained open for a post-show party, for which most of the audience stayed.
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Charbonneau intends to keep putting quality performers on-stage and sharing his living room with larger audiences in future shows.
*update January 26, 2018: A different comedian was incorrectly named in the print version of issue 184.3. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Photo by Carlos Mandujano