“A funny man who is going to the top” Liverpool Echo
Despite the ongoing recession one area of entertainment is still going strong. Comedy boomed twenty years ago and is still going strong today.
The public continues to look forward to laughs from comedians such as Liverpool’s own Slaughter House comedian Chris Cairns who stepped out on to the circuit twelve years ago.
With bags of charm and natural enthusiasm making him irresistible to audiences Chris has appeared in a number of performances with famous comedians and other fellow scouse comedian John Bishop.
Known for his ability to be able to deal with a good heckler Chris was crowned winner of the Eric Morecambe comedian of the year in 2002 and was voted Liverpool comedian of the year in 2003.
With his career spanning from strength to strength and a number of successful performances behind him, we met up with Chris and asked him….
Hi Chris, I hear you have done a lot of charity work with young people on Merseyside as well as being one of the tutors for The Comedy Trust. How does it feel to be helping young comedians and giving them a venue in which to start?
“Teaching kids standup is a way of building up their confidence and introducing them into public speaking. It’s really satisfying watching kids who are painfully shy doing really well and actually doing really good. I’ve found it’s normally the popular guy with the loud mouth that falls flat on their face and really struggle with standup. Teaching kids is really satisfying it’s touched my life and changed it in a way. I wish I would have had someone to do that for me.”
You’re known for your ability to deal with hecklers have there ever been times you have found it difficult?
“When I get something funny you have just got to let it go, if I get a good one you can’t just say something back as they think saying something funnier than the comedian is funny. I can deal with a good heckler especially around Christmas time although I don’t particularly like hecklers but I like when they say something.”
Do you find it hard being a scouse standup comedian when you go to different venues across the country?
“It doesn’t do any harm really it depends where you are. I find I get a lot more stick in London like they will say ‘you come down here to knick all our videos’ but people are like that everywhere if they shout something out you have got to be ready to say something back and make sure it’s funny. Although, scouse comedians get away with everything!”
Are there any comedians you look up to?
“I tend to look up to comedians such as: Sean Lock, Lee Mack, Phil Nickel, Jimmy Carr – great comedian, Frankie Boyle and Peter Kay who appeals to everyone. Although I don’t base my material on anyone if you do tend to base your material on anybody then I find you tend to lose yourself.”
Have you ever had a bad review and how does it affect you?
“My first bad review was in 2002 when I was a year or two into standup just starting out really I remember like it was yesterday it was by a guy called Steve Bennett. It didn’t really affect me in fact it sometimes does help you. The thing is he’s seen me perform plenty of times after the bad review and he still has never changed his review of it.”
You have performed in some big venues which was the most special venue and why?
“I’ve performed in a lot of big venues but my most favorable performance would have to be my panto performance in The Royal Court in 2005 with John Bishop. I really enjoyed it, it was the best thing I’ve ever done really it was really great but really terrifying at first but I’d happily do it again another time but I’d like to be a baddy.”
Have you ever had a joke gone bad or gone wrong?
“I haven’t really had a joke gone wrong myself but somebody I know asked a member of the audience what their daughter was called when they answered Maddy he asked do they know where she is. It was around the time of the incident when Madeline McCann disappeared so the audience didn’t find it one bit funny and he had to spend the rest of his time digging himself out of the hole. A joke only really goes bad when people go out to take offence. I tend to get away with a lot of stuff though I get away with murder. Another incident of a bad joke was the Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross situation which was the best thing that’s ever happened to him. A lot of bad press is good.”
When did you decide you wanted to be a comedian?
“I kind of fell into comedy really someone I know suggested I did it as a dare and it went down really well and it sort of spiraled from there. It was my way really of a kind of a way out to getting a proper job so know I can play call of duty all day I’m living the dream.”
Do you have any advice for anyone who wants to start out to be a stand-up comedian?
“Comedy gigs are today better run and it’s harder to get into clubs know if you perceive and work hard then you will get there as comedians drop out in a terrible rate which is probably worse now. We offer open mike nights on Thursdays at the Slaughter House for anyone wanting to start out. We start off with a headline act then near the end of the night introduce new acts sometimes it can be a car crash but they wouldn’t get the opportunity otherwise. If anyone is starting off I’d advise getting an agent as it is key to getting seen and key to being a comedian as they are selling you really on your behalf.”
What makes a good comedy club?
“People just think you just set up a mike and stand performing but it’s not like that at all. A well-run comedy club should be well timed keeping the audience waiting. With our gigs at the Slaughter House we live and die by our acts producing a range of quality acts and make sure it comes natural as a community. You also have to make sure the audience is on your side before you start because the audience can really turn on you and then that’s when it escalates like if you pick on the audience they will turn on you.”
Do you think comedy and comedy clubs have become more popular in the past years?
“Yes, definitely I’ve noticed a rise in the quality of comedy in Liverpool
especially since the recession/cuts/deficit hard times. Comedy does really well and got massive twenty years ago. People want to go out to be entertained I’ve noticed gangs of lads coming to the club a younger generation are becoming more interested. There’s a massive variety of people who are going out now for entertainment and comedy caters for all. Comedy is not very advertised or publicized but the best form of advertisement and best publicity is having a good night out and word of mouth. We have loads of regulars every weekend.”
For great comedy nights out why not visit Chris at the Slaughter House
13-15 Fenwick St, Liverpool, Merseyside L2 7LS 0151 231 6881.
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