Photo Flash: Drunken Chorus' I NEVER TOLD A JOKE IN MY LIFE Begins Tonight

Contemporary performance company Drunken Chorus will premiere their new show tonight and tomorrow, February 11 and 12, 2015 as part of FIRST Festival of solo performance at The Tristan Bates Theatre in London. The new show, which catalogues historic failures in stand-up comedy routines, had its world premiere at the Kulturhuset Stadsteatern in Stockholm in August last year, where it was described as 'Comedy genius!' (STOFF Festival Director). Scroll down for a sneak peek at the cast in action!

'Or I could walk on to the stage, look at the audience, say 'Never mind,' and then just walk off.' In I Never Told A Joke In My Life solo performer Chris Williams recites an endless list of all the things that could happen in a comedy act - from fights with the audience, to sing-a-longs, walk-outs and on stage deaths.

Audience participation is a significant element of the show. Volunteers are awkwardly present on the stage for most of the performance - and given ambiguous roles with very little instruction. Says Chris Williams, the performer of the show: 'The audience have a very strange role in this show - a handful of them become performers in the piece, but they're not really given enough instructions to know what to do. And they remain on stage for some time, standing awkwardly whilst the performance limps on around them. It's bizarre and unsettling, and a scenario that normally you'd do everything you can to avoid.'

The show creates a troubled comedy out of the failures it describes, shifting between humour and moments of darkness. The audience are lulled into a false sense of security - encouraged to laugh, join in and even dance on stage. But from time to time the performance pulls the rug from under them and creates a dark hole in the narrative - often leaving volunteers stranded on stage without instructions, whilst some tragic scenario is described for the rest of the audience.

The title, I Never Told A Joke In My Life, is a quote from one of the show's key inspirations - troubled American comedian Andy Kaufman, who would deliberately antagonise his audience, often sabotaging his own comedy sets. Other inspiration comes from comedian Anthony Griffiths' 10-minute description of his daughter's battle with cancer, Justin Bieber vomiting on stage, Jimmy Carr's tax avoidance schemes, and the ultimate failure of all - the death of Tommy Cooper, live onstage and television.

Woven into the performance is also a story of failure in performance from performer Chris Williams's own career - a moment that reveals some of the more personal and darker inspiration for the work.

'The band at the back of the auditorium could begin to play. And there could be an awkward ripple of applause. And the screen could turn black.'

The show is the creation of Drunken Chorus directors Chris Williams (who also performs the piece) and Sheena Holliday. The pair are also producers of the acclaimed DRUNKEN NIGHTS project - a unique series of live performance events and development opportunities for artists creating work for pubs. (More info: www.drunkennightsblog.wordpress.com).

The show will be performed at 9.15pm on 11 & 12 February 2015 at The Tristan Bates Theatre as part of FIRST Festival. Tickets are £10 / £8 and can be purchased from the box office (020 7240 6283), or from the website: http://tristanbatestheatre.co.uk/whats-on/first-2015-i-never-told-a-joke-in-my-life

I Never Told A Joke In My Life is supported by Rich Mix, Pot Luck (Accidental Collective) and 5Ideas (The Nursery Theatre). The show had its world premiere in Stockholm in August 2014.

Photo Credit: Kristian Pirotta

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