Shining a light on a gimmick

As a concept, Comedy in the Dark doesn’t take too much explaining. Cheeky-chappy Joey Page comperes an evening with three comedians on the bill, that are each brought onto the stage in the light, before the lights are turned off and both the performers and the audience are plunged into darkness. Last night, alongside Page, Chris Betts, Ahir Shah and Ellie Taylor all attempted to get a titter out of a silhouetted room that they couldn’t read the reactions of. Page quips that we should have just stayed home and listened to comedy on the radio… but quickly added that this was better because it’s live. Watching comedy in the dark is certainly a gimmick, but does it add anything to theoverall experience?

With a varying weekly lineup, some comics enter into the spirit of lights being out more than others. For instance, Page’s playfully takes off his shoes so that we can’t tell where he is in the space. For many, at any comedy gig there’s an inbuilt fear that at any moment as an audience member you could be picked on to participate or be mocked. Page still plays for audience interaction, but people’s blushes are saved as instead he asks us to cheer in agreement to certain statements, quite liberating really to be able to answer honestly without any judgement from those sitting around you. Page is charismatic performer both with and without the lights on.

Next up Canadian Betts whose material seems to be more an acquired taste, but those that find him funny are highly amused. Noticeably not as playful as Page, and I am not sure if he used the possibility of performing in the dark to its’ full potential. It was helpful to see Shah in the light prior to the dimmer being hit as there was a real disconnect being his appearance and what you would expect him to sound like. An observation that formed a key part of Shah’s routine. The final act of the evening was the chirpy and slightly crass Taylor, whose material was a bit hit and miss, as even she herself acknowledged that some of her material relied heavily on visual cues. Felt very much like this was a warmup for her Work in Progress gigs that are happening next week in Brighton.

Comedy in the Dark is a showcase of four comedians each with a twenty-minute slot, well programmed to tickle a variety of funny bones. 

Seeing it in the dark is a novelty that doesn’t really add anything to the overall enjoyment of the evening, but is a fun gimmick.