Photos by Colin Hamilton/Freelance Photographer
LEFT: US-based Will Sylvince performs at Backyaad, Constant Spring Road, last July. RIGHT: United States comedian and actor Shang during his performance.

Krista Henry, Staff Reporter

As jokers continue to be imported from across the seas, the appeal of international acts goes past the music industry and into commercial comedy. Along with the proliferation of comedy shows, especially in the Corporate Area, has come a larger number of overseas stand-up comedians on Jamaican stages.

In recent years, there have been some who have graced local shows on more than one occasion. These include Will Sylvince and David Arnold from the US, Slim from the United Kingdom, Rachel Pryce from Trinidad and Tobago and Drew Thomas and Michelle Buteau, who are currently in the United States.

According to comedian and co-organiser of the 'Comedy Buss' competition, Christopher 'Johnny' Daley, the trend of having overseas comedians on local shows has been growing over the years. He says that he was one of the first comedians to introduce this with Red Stripe Comedy tours years ago which featured international acts. "My effort to bring them is to showcase American comedians over here, to kinda blend overseas and local acts, also to show them that our acts are on par with the business and that there is a viable avenue for stand-up comedy in Jamaica. In terms of our local audience if you bring what they see on BET and HBO, they will be drawn to the show," he told The Sunday Gleaner.

Ready for comedy clubs

Daley says that at the recent Jamaica/U.S.A. Connection show, held last Sunday at Backyaad, Constant Spring Road, the U.S.-based Shang told him that Jamaican acts are more than ready for comedy clubs in New York. Daley believes that the link will help the comedy community overseas to be more aware of Jamaican performers. "We want to push that link so that we too can go overseas to perform," he elaborated. He agrees that the Jamaican comedic community welcomes international acts with open arms.

According to Daley, the overseas acts are like 'well-oiled machines', as "they have a very deep culture of comedy in the U.S., they are more free in their subject matter and a lot more X-rated. Our audience can't really take what pushes the borderline. Our comedy needs to graduate in terms what our audience is used to, but it takes time to build that understanding".

For comedian Ian 'Ity' Ellis from the duo Ity and Fancy Cat and a director of Ellis International, organisers of shows such as Comedy Fest and Christmas Crack-Up, there is one major reason why international comedians are becoming so popular on local shows. "There is one obvious reason; we don't have enough stand-up comedians in Jamaica. We have to go overseas where they are, especially in the communities where you have comedians a dime a dozen," Ity said.

Small life

He explained that "in the art of stand-up comedy, the life of a joke is very, very small. Down here it's the same people in the field, so the creativity dwindles a bit". According to Ity, Ellis International has brought numerous artistes from outside of Jamaica to its shows here, including comedians from the Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, the United States, Canada and England. He attests that International Comedy Fest in 2005, which had the largest number of overseas acts, was hugely popular.

Ity also believes that a comedy show that features mainly international comedians would be successful. "The audience responds to them well once yuh come good, 'cause yuh Jamaican crowd hard to please," Ity explained.