Cape Town’s “winter comedic tonic”, the Jive Cape Town Funny Festival, is celebrating 26 phenomenal years at the Baxter Theatre when it opens in June. Well-known comedian and actor Alan Committie, who has been the show’s MC for 16 years, doffs his hat at festival founder, curator, and producer Eddy Cassar and, in his inimitable tongue-in-cheek way, explains what makes the country’s premier comedic variety show “magical”.
1. Describe the Jive Cape Town Funny Festival …
It’s the tonic to any winter blues in the Mother City. It constitutes a month of joyous crowds meeting high-quality comedy entertainment.
2. How would you explain its magic to another comic?
Thirty opportunities to play to 500-plus people who want to laugh. It’s ideal for honing and subtly changing moments. [You are in] the company of four to seven other comics over an extended period and [have] the opportunity to watch them do what they do well.
3. What is special about performing at “Jive”?
The size, enthusiasm, and generosity of the audiences. The way Eddy looks after his comics and creates this annual opportunity.
4. You’re a key contributor … how did this come about and how long have you been involved?
I met Eddy in 1997 when he was doing the Smirnoff Comedy Festival. At that point, I was doing comedy character impressions (Mr Bean, Austin Powers, Johan van der Walt). For the first three or four years, I was the audience pre-show warm-up act (in the foyer and the theatre auditorium).
We did some street theatre performances in the foyer in those days, clowned around in the seats with the audiences and even did a “bad” straight play with a huge set to open one of the festivals. Loads of fun was had.
But then Eddy asked me to MC the Vodacom Children’s Funny festival and from then I only ever MCed for him. It was my happy place. And we have always worked brilliantly together.
5. Do you remember your very first Jive performance?
I don’t, to be honest. I’ve MCed 16 of them over the years. I remember the year I got chicken pox halfway through the festival! And being stuck in the toilet with gastro and fellow comedian Riaad Moosa having to do an extra 15 minutes. Talk about a theatre run!
6. Has the audience evolved? Do they respond differently?
Eddy has taught the crowd to expect clean, clever, and high-quality entertainment and they have consistently responded with huge attendance, early booking, big block bookings and, most importantly, very big reactions and guffaws.
7. You are very skilled at working your audiences … how does this go down at the festival?
It’s the mainstay of my MC act. I break down little bits from my annual, new stand-up show. But most of any one evening is spent building a relationship with a particular crowd. At the Baxter Theatre, every night is about finding four or five people who can become part of my “comedy narrative” in the show.
8. What are the main challenges of performing stand-up night after night and keeping the show moving along?
My task is to warm the audience up at the top of the show, get some big laughs in as early as possible and then to create the right energy and space for each successive comedian.
If an act ends kinda low key, then I must lift the mood for the next performer. If a comedian kills and leaves the crowd baying for more, I subtly level them out a tiny bit so that the new act can forge their own path through their set.
Pace, energy, and clarity are my tools to ensure that a night made up of disparate comedy styles and content becomes a cohesive delight.
The challenges are that I am there every night from 19h30 to 23h00. I’m the only act that has to maintain concentration throughout the evening and tune in repeatedly to what’s happening on stage. In a 30-day run that can get a little tricky and tiring but inevitably once the show starts the comedy energy and momentum kicks in and takes over.
9. What is the secret of being a successful comic in SA today?
There is no secret. And there is no formula. It is a mad, uncaring lover who treats you with respect and adoration one day and rebukes you the next! You just hang on madly because the addiction of getting laughs and speaking your truth in front of a crowd for money is the purest form of live entertainment and theatre!
10. Is the Jive audience diverse enough?
It doesn’t need to be. It’s a collection of individuals who make up an audience and that audience forms a group personality for that evening.
11. What are festival founder and curator Eddy Cassar’s special attributes?
A warm-hearted, generous, hard-working family man who takes pride in his ability to find the symbiotic and mutually beneficial relationship between sponsors, artists, and audiences. This is his super-power. He is supreme at it.
Did I tell you he is a good man? That is the essential necessary core of his success. And his wife, Jane [co-founder of Eddy Cassar Public Relations], who does all the work and gets no credit.
12. How does he ensure The Show Must Go On year after year? It’s quite phenomenal?
He is meticulous, diligent, and passionate about the projects he takes on. And he’s a bit of a workaholic. And Jane says he must.
13. Businessman, friend, PR guy, impresario … what is he to you?
To me he is a friend, a mentor, a friend, a brilliant promoter, a friend, a superb business-relationship strategist, and a friend. He is also a [cold-water] swimmer. But I ignore that cause swimming in the sea is just stupid. But he’s a friend so I will accept it.
14. The Jive formula … what is special about it?
Win-win-win for everyone that is involved. It’s that simple. And therefore, almost impossible to re-create.
15. Is there any one season of Jive that you still remember as outstanding and world class?
It’s always the last one I was lucky enough to be involved in. Until the next one.
16. Is there anything else you’d like to say?
I am hugely privileged and fortunate to have had these opportunities to work on the Funny Festival. And my working and personal relationship with Eddy and his family is the real treat. Every year I look forward to the month spent with him and the cast, making people laugh. But also, he doesn’t pay me enough. And the shows can always be 17 minutes shorter. Does he listen! No! Sea water in his Maltese ears. Sigh.