Interview with James Bone

CB: How long have you been gigging in stand-up?

JB: I did my first gig in January of this year so in comedy terms I’m still a proper newbie I guess. I’d had it in my head to get up for a good while and after going to check out a few open mics I decided it was time to take the plunge, and now there is no going back I fear.

CB: How would you describe your comedy?

JB: Ooh it’s hard work describing yourself in any walk of life as more often than not you end up coming across like a complete plank, however on the basis of this sentence alone I’d suggest most of what I talk about is centred around a fair bit of self-deprecation. I also touch upon some more light-hearted stuff such as unemployment, casual racism (not me) and petty crime (no comment).

CB: Which comedians influence your comedy?

JB: I’m influenced by nearly everything good I see in one sense, but there is something about the American comic’s way of performing that often leaves me struggling to breathe through hysterical laughter, from the legends like Woody Allen, Richard Pryor et al to the likes of David Mills and Lewis Schaffer performing and living in London today. In terms of the newer folk I saw John Kearns’ show in Edinburgh this year which was not only very funny but a true piece of art, I had to walk around the city alone for about three hours just to regain my everyday thoughts!

CB: Did you always want to go into comedy?

JB: The idea was always knocking around somewhere in my head, but I spent most of my teens and early twenties playing in bands and dancing badly to techno every weekend to really give writing and performing comedy the full attention it deserves. In the end there’s only so many times you can have a deep and meaningful conversation about bananas with a complete stranger on a dancefloor at 8 in the morning, before you begin to think perhaps your slightly deranged thoughts could be put to better use!

CB: How do you go about writing your material?

JB: I always carry a notebook with me and will often record an idea onto the trusty iPhone. This can be a bit tricky in public places as it looks to other people as if you’re having an extremely weird telephone conversation. Lately though the more I gig I try to just go onstage and try ideas out a bit more loosely, generally knowing after a few gigs if something is a keeper. And if not it swiftly gets binned.

CB: Do you gig as a stand-up full time or is it more of a part-time hobby? If so, do you find that your main job influences your material?

JB: Ha surely there are less taxing things on the soul to do as a hobby than stand up! Like most of us still in the early stages though I’m out gigging most nights, but cannot call it my full-time job for a while yet I’d imagine. I had a respectable full-time job until very recently and it definitely influenced my material, I did like the people though so they’re safe.

CB: What do you find the most enjoyable and frustrating parts of the amateur comedy circuit?

JB: You quickly realise how many great people are just trying to do exactly the same thing you are, and so you’ve immediately got a common ground with someone even if you’ve only known them for two minutes. 2013 has been my most successful year yet in terms of Facebook friend requests and I have my fellow comics to thank for that. The frustration comes when occasionally certain nights just don’t seem very worthwhile and you think you’d be better off at home with a cup of tea, but at the end of the day I have respect for anyone putting on a night…and no-one is forcing me to attend!

CB: What’s your favourite type of audience to perform to?

JB: People up for the craic and willing to engage.

CB: Have you been heckled a lot since you’ve started gigging? Do you enjoy being heckled? What’s the best heckle you’ve had?

JB: I’ve not actually been heckled too badly just yet mostly all in good form, and I like interaction with the crowd so I’m more than happy with that. If someone came out with a great heckle I’d have no problem tipping my hat to them, I’d just have to make sure my comeback was better.

CB: What advice would you give to new acts thinking of starting out in comedy?

JB: We’re all beginners essentially and there’s a very communal type of atmosphere at many of the new act nights with really nice people, so find the right ones for you and just crack on. And then do ones where you can’t buy a laugh and see how you react to that. The whole stigma associated with “dying” on stage means absolutely nowt so don’t let that side of things scare you too much, all that matters is that you believe in your material. But all comedy is subjective and in the grand scheme of things I know no more than anyone else, you could see me and think I am a crime against the art of stand-up and this whole interview will have just been one big embarrassing episode. Let’s hope not, but even if that were the case I wish you the best of luck!