The Macau Talk Show Association held an open mic showcase of local stand-up comedy last Wednesday, with members sharing their views on stand-up comedy in an exclusive interview with The Macau Post Daily last week.
Newly established this year, the Macau Talk Show Association is a non-profit organisation that aims to develop and promote stand-up comedy performances and popularise stand-up comedy education in Macau and neighbouring regions.
Stand-up comedy, an art form that originated in the US in the 19th century, has evolved into Hong Kong’s “dung duk siu” (棟篤笑) and the mainland’s stand-up comedy known in Putonghua as “tuo kou xiu” (脫口秀), both of which have developed their own distinctive local brands, while open mic generally refers to live performances in venues such as cafés, nightclubs and comedy clubs, where the audience can get up on stage and perform, regardless of whether they are amateurs or professionals.
Macau Talk Show Association President Fong Sek Un (方錫源) said that stand-up comedy in Macau was still in the early stages of development, and as such he hoped to develop a cluster of stand-up comedy talents in Macau through open mics, recitals and training courses.
※Judging from the open mic last week and the performance of the newcomers, I believe that the development of a Macau stand-up comedy style is just around the corner,” said Fong.
From Open Mic to Talk Kings
Last week＊s open mic showcase, entitled Talk Kings, was divided into a male and female showcase and featured 18 people performing stand-up comedy.
Fong said the number of performers attending last week＊s open mic showcase far exceeded their expectations of eight performers per open mic showcase, describing the performances as “quite amazing” as the comedians took advantage of the opportunity to perform with a quality close to that of regular stand-up comedy.
Association member Leong U Pou (梁宇寶) admitted that she＊s not much of a talker. But she was quick to add that she’s more spontaneous in front of her friends and often comes up with jokes on the spur of the moment, saying that she has a habit of collecting ordinary things in life and turning them into resources for comedy performances.
Leong pointed out that there are not many stand-up comedy shows in Macau, and they are relatively new to local audiences, so she wanted to seize the opportunity to perform in a stand-up comedy show where she could leave her usual self behind, sometimes being condescending, sometimes being cynical. “I wanted to package the pain and injustice of life into jokes to make not only myself laugh, but also the audience,” stressed Leong.
First time participant Chan Chon Long (陳俊龍) said he had had doubts about his lines before going on stage, feeling nervous and anxious, fearing embarrassment if the audience didn’t laugh at his jokes. “I was so nervous that I didn’t eat for a whole day,” he revealed. Chan recalled his performance at the show, saying that he was pleased with it and felt relieved that people laughed.
Laughter brings people together
Fong said they would bring together stand-up comedy talents from Macau and the Greater Bay Area (GBA), using Macau as a launching pad to promote stand-up comedy and Cantonese culture.
Fong said that all performers are welcome to attend their monthly open mic shows, and the association will also invite comedy professionals to provide training at least twice a month for members, for anyone who’s interested in developing their own comedy and performance career or enhancing their sense of humour.
Fong said, “By doing this, we believe this can contribute to the talent pool of comedy in Macau.
“We hope to make life more laughable and build a friendly relationship with each other through jokes,” said Fong, adding that comedy is a tool to make people happy and face everything in life with a smile and cheerfulness.
Fong also revealed that the association will be holding a formal show called “Talk Kings – The Bachelor” early next month to mark Double 11, aka Singles’ Day, when they will invite well-known mainland comedians to perform in Macau.
Anyone interested in the upcoming events of the Macau Talk Show Association can go to its Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100080914116105 for more information.
Macau Talk Show Association President Fong Sek Un (方錫源)
These photos provided by the Macau Talk Show Association show last week’s open mic stand-up comedy show.
