KOCHI: Stand-up comedy is no longer a concept of the West, especially with more youngsters taking it up as a profession. Sabareesh Narayanan, 22, is bursting the myths of stand-up comedy. He recently performed at the All Things Bright flea market in Kochi.
Sabareesh manifests the climate in Kochi regarding stand-up comedy. “Comedy has existed one way or the other, taking the account of stand-up in Kerala, people are just getting familiar with the genre. For now, stand-up is picking up in Kochi. At this pace, stand-up will reach a full-fledged growth within two to three years,” he says.
From a younger age, Sabareesh loved making people laugh. This trait further opened his way to comedy. “The good thing about stand-up is you get to influence your audience instantly. There is no delay in feedback - be it good or bad - when it comes to live performance. Also, there are no financial investments required when compared to other contemporary media,” he said.
However, stand-up is no piece of cake. The blend of a strong script and live improvisation is the foundation of stand-up comedy. “A comedian should observe what happens around him and should engage in writing scripts regularly. What you see as a five-minute-long stage material is the persistent work of almost six months,” says Sabareesh.
Open mic is the sole teacher of comedians and the lack of adequate open mics in Kochi makes it hard for aspiring comedians. “We have a collective in Kochi comprising the Malayali comedians called ‘Comedy Lounge’ to promote stand- up. When people who work for the same cause join together, it becomes easier,” he says. “The intellect of the audience matters to an extent. We can discuss various sensitive matters and taboos through comedy which will contribute to the eradication of diversities to an extent which is another perk of comedy”.
For those aspiring to be comedians, Sabareesh says, ”You become funny, then you make money. Comedy is an art and we as comedians represent our art. There shouldn’t be room for greed. My dream is to cross the bar of diversities.”