Comedy club bribes its audiences

It is a perennial problem at comedy clubs: trying to persuade audiences to sit in the front row.

Fear of being 'picked on' often means that comedians end up addressing a row of empty chairs, rather than the people they would hope to communicate with – making for a less intimate environment.

But now one London venue is attempting to tackle the problem, by offering half-price tickets to those 'brave' enough to sit in the front.

Promoter Bobby Carroll, pictured, who promotes The Big Wednesday Comedy Club in Smithfield said he hopes it will be a solution: 'To make sure the act has a full room.'

Carroll said it's always a 'struggle' to get people to sit near the stage of the Charterhouse Bar – even if they are the only seats left.

'People have a real aversion to sitting at the front,' he said. 'Some really try to argue the point or demand refunds when they are the only seats left by the time they arrive.

'A few week back, one woman dragged her husband from the front row to try and sit in the sound booth just as the show was about to begin. All the comedians saw it, making it hard for her not to be a target when she was asked to sit back in her seat.

'Luckily I think everyone was a bit compassionate to her poor husband who had been dragged around the gig like a rag doll. They had had enough attention before the show had even began, all over an irrational fear that the comic might talk to her.'

Yet he says the fear of sitting at the front is irrational, as comedians might chat to the audience very few set out to belittle them.

'I'm not sure where people have got this idea that sitting where the acts can see you is loaded with risk,' he said. 'Most performers I book want to do their best material, not get bogged down in dealing with audience members.

'I think a lot of people are scared the banter will get too personal or they will be rinsed. But most good stand-ups only really hit back if someone is interrupting or heckling the show. If you have just come to laugh and enjoy the brilliant comedians you should have no fear sitting at the front.'

'People scared of the front are missing out though.There are some acts who are famous for their crowd work like Dame Edna and Jimmy Carr - their mocking of the audience is so witty that it becomes a unique selling point for them. I think they also know what lines not to cross and who in their crowds not to cross them with. It is a comic book villain nastiness at worst. No true offence is meant nor intended.'

And he blames 'aggressive' comperes at some of Britain's bigger clubs for spreading the idea that being close to a comedian can be uncomfortable.

'Some MCs at the bigger clubs can be overly aggressive with crowds making gigs almost gladiatorial,' he said. 'I think that is where the problem lies. We are a smaller room; 40 people is busy, 50 too many so we try to only book MCs who can make a small room feel comfortable.

'Hopefully those who pre-book the half price tickets online will realise they are getting the best seats of the show for half the asking price. I just hope some of them run the seating plan past their partners first.'

The Big Wednesday Comedy Club will be offering its half-price front row seats from July 25.

Published: 18 Jun 2014