Comedy craftsman James Acaster discusses his relationship with his audience and the pressures he faces in the industry. They also explore the challenges of maintaining a persona on stage and the perception and treatment of comedians. Acaster shares his focus on the present, his show writing process, and his plans for future projects.
James Acaster emphasizes the importance of choosing words carefully to create the desired comedic effect.
Acaster acknowledges the vulnerability and pressures that come with being a stand-up comedian, and the importance of not allowing frustrations to negatively impact the audience's enjoyment.
Acaster highlights the importance of patience and not getting frustrated when a routine is not yet finished, along with the significance of following his intuition and writing about things he genuinely enjoys.
Deep dives
Persona and Clarity of Comic Voice
James Acaster discusses how his comic persona and clarity of voice developed over time. He reflects on being seen as a triumphant nerd and how he channels his insecurities and anger into his performances. Acaster shares that he did not initially realize how others perceived him until he started performing stand-up. He emphasizes the importance of choosing words carefully to create the desired comedic effect.
Dealing with Audience Reactions
Acaster opens up about his struggles with handling audience reactions, particularly when he feels frustrated or when the audience is not responding as expected. He shares that he sometimes gets angry or takes it personally, but recognizes the need to improve in these situations. He acknowledges the vulnerability and pressures that come with being a stand-up comedian, and the importance of not allowing frustrations to negatively impact the audience's enjoyment.
Writing Process and Intuition
Acaster discusses his writing process and how it has evolved over the years. He emphasizes the significance of not forcing creativity and instead following his intuition and writing about things he genuinely enjoys. He shares that he finds joy in the trial-and-error process of writing, often trying new lines or ideas during performances to see what works. Acaster also highlights the importance of patience and not getting frustrated when a routine is not yet finished.
Challenging Insecurities and Improving Performances
James Acaster discusses his struggle with insecurities as a comedian and the importance of improving his performances. He reflects on the fear of not being funny enough and always doubting his own shows. Despite critical success and nominations, external validation does not alleviate his insecurities. Acaster shares his process of continuously challenging himself and experimenting with new material, even if it means feeling uncomfortable on stage. He emphasizes the importance of finding the right tone and writing routines that fit the overall theme of his shows.
Discovering the Show and Filming Performances
As Acaster continues to evolve as a comedian, he focuses on discovering the show rather than forcing it. He discusses the joy of filming his shows and having control over how they are presented and perceived. Acaster appreciates the opportunity to showcase his work and the process of refining and improving his routines. He mentions his plans to continue challenging himself and finding new ways to engage with his audience, while also acknowledging the importance of finding and maintaining his own unique voice in comedy.
In the second part of our conversation, comedy craftsman James Acaster examines his relationship to his audience, and how that changes under a variety of different pressures, and also reveals why he never sits down to write.
Unlock 45 mins of extra material from this conversation detailing James' reaction to comedy criticism, and some brilliant advice he once gave Stu, at www.comedianscomedian.com/insiders
