Meet me on the other side…
The University seems to place great emphasis upon the destination of its graduates. It loves to tell you that some of its graduates go on to training, that some go on to employment, and that some go on to further education. All of the jobs seem very respectable; medicine, management and journalism to name but a few. I could name many more, but I don’t want to bore you more than I am doing already. One thing, though, that wouldn’t immediately find its way onto my list of graduate jobs is stand up comedy. However, one York philosophy graduate now boasts the most successful comedy club outside London. That is quite a claim to make, and so I caught up with this graduate, Dan Atkinson, so he could tell me more. And he did…
Dan runs ‘The Other Side Comedy Club’ in York. The idea behind it is simple. Dan puts loads of people in the bar at The City Screen, and gets a couple of comedians to do some sets, often doing one himself. Doesn’t sound like much, but the club is fast becoming a big hit. The club has grown from strength to strength, and now boasts a sell out event once every fortnight. The club has been so successful that now Dan will be able to put on a show once a week. The Club hosts some big name acts on the comedy circuit, too, including Jimmy Carr, Phil Nicol, and Hatty Hadridge (you know, Holly from Red Dwarf…). OK, they might not sound big, and I’m sure that you can think of bigger names in comedy. Dan went on to say that the best people in stand up are those who stay true to the comedy circuit, avoiding all of the hype that comes with comedy on the TV.
I asked Dan how he actually got into it all. He told me that he had always had an interest in comedy. He seemed reluctant, though, to name specific influences, instead seeing himself as an individual whose comedy was individual, and not particularly related to anyone else. He was in a comedy double act when he was eighteen, but when the other guy moved into drama, he found it was time to revaluate his situation. He soon went to university and got a degree in philosophy. When I asked him what the most stupid thing that he ever did at university was, he simply told me that he had been to Toffs, and that it was an event which he never wished to repeat again. I can’t say that I blame him. During his time at the university, he found himself drawn back to comedy, and in his final year, had his opening show in town. This was largely due to the help of The City Screen, who were able to provide Dan with a venue, and who have remained the home of ‘The Other Side Comedy Club’ ever since.
Well then, Dan, why stand up comedy? (Admittedly, I’m not exactly sure what sort of jobs are available to philosophy students, but I wouldn’t have immediately thought of standing up and telling jokes). Because stand up’s funny, he replies. It isn’t really that glamorous, big or special. Instead, he says, it’s just funny. Well, I’d guessed that much. Dan emphasised the importance of intimacy in stand up comedy. He told me that stand up comedy can never work on television, as the comedian isn’t able to engage with the viewers. Put the comedian on front of a live audience, however, and then things change. You then have people you can work with, laugh with (or laugh at), and take the piss out of. No two shows are ever the same, because no two audiences are ever the same. He told me that his audience is a right mixed bag, from students to pensioners and just about everything else in between.
Dan remains sceptical about stand up on television, and when I asked him which, television programme he would drop if he was able to drop one, I discovered some long lying bitterness. His reply was ITV’s ‘Take The Mic’, televised stand up aimed at getting up and coming comics more well known. Dan appeared on it once, but was horrified to note that his performance was severely edited and so his script became a jumble of one-liners, what he refers to as ‘comical jazz’. Dan was not a happy man when they did that, and it seems that he has maintained his loyalty to the live audience ever since.
Dan’s biggest venture comes to the fore this summer. The York Comedy Festival, originally no more than an idea in a pub with a pile of mates, takes over York in week 9 of the summer term. With a huge range of performers taking part, in over 40 events, in a range of venues including the cinema, Barbican, and Opera House, this promises to be a week not to forget. With expected sales of up to 10,000 sales, this promises to be an event you cannot afford to miss.
If you cannot wait until Week Nine, Dan has a few events planned in Halifax College bar, as well as the usual ‘The Other Side Comedy Club’ once a fortnight at the cinema. At £7 entry, its cheaper than a night in Ziggy’s, and you will probably have a hell of a lot more fun.
Looking forward, I asked Dan where he expected to find himself in 10 years time. Rolling more tobacco he smiled, and said that all the smoking, drinking and stress will probably have killed him by then. So go and support this man. You’ll be sorry if you don’t, because he might be dead.
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