Canadian Comedy Award Nominee Christel Bartelse, now appearing at the Hamilton Fringe Festival, will soon be taking her new show, “Oneymoon,” to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. This interview took place in July of 2015.
James Strecker: Actor Ed Asner once told me the famous story about a comedian who, as he was dying, was asked if it was hard to do, to which he responded, “Not as hard as comedy.” So tell me some of the reasons why comedy is difficult to create and perform and how you overcome these difficulties. Or is comedy easy for you?
Christel Bartelse: Comedy is brutally hard, but, when you love what you do, it makes it easier. I love to make people laugh. But really, I write what I know about and try to find the funny in the situation. Of course, what I find funny, may not be what someone else finds funny and therein lies the challenge. I’m constantly re-writing and tweaking to get the most out of the joke, or the moment. I also know and spend time with a lot of funny people who inspire me and keep me sharp.
JS: I was amazed last night at your performance of “Oneymoon” how physically demanding a show it is. How do you keep your body fit for a performance like this and also how do you keep your voice in good condition?
CB:I have to admit I am tired, but then I remind myself that in the UK I’ll have over 22 performances so, if I’m tired now after 9 shows, I’m in trouble. I do a lot of yoga and stretching, which I have to do, but luckily enjoy. I’ve always been an active person and a physical person, it is what I love doing, this pushing myself to new levels – although, with each passing year, I’m noticing my age. Ha! Last year I tore my ACL, which was both terrifying and painful. Since then, it’s just slightly affected what I can do on stage. But this show keeps me fit. The show is my exercise during my run. As for my voice, I do worry. What tires it out more than the show, however, is the constant flyering I do, which will of course be constant in Edinburgh. I’ll have to take good care of it. Resting when I can, lots of hot tea, and the occasional whiskey. I love talking and never stop, but I do have to force myself to. If I do over 10 shows or so, I usually get myself a Mic, which helps take some of the strain off the ole vocal chords. I actually have always wanted to create a silent show, but no one believes I could do this, ha!
JS: In this one hour performance, you have to maintain an arc for your character and a development of the story while, at the same time, realizing all the potential of each scene, so how do you satisfy all these demands and what pitfalls do you face as you do?
CB: That’s funny because the night you saw it, I actually think I blanked. It’s so frightening as a performer when this happens. Luckily, I love improvising and playing with the audience, so I just incorporated it into the show. Also, Caroline Bierman, my character, is strangely my alter ego, so she’s just a heightened version of me, so it’s not too much of a stretch. The hardest part is that I often go off script, and sometimes I get carried away and have to remember my place in the script and make sure to bring it back and not risk undermining the arc of the show.
JS: One thing I like about the show is your implicit but subtly understated understanding of how people struggle to live and what becomes of them as they do. Could you explain how you manage to pull this off in such a very funny show?
CB: Why thank you. I didn’t know I did that so well. Again, I just write what I know and then try to find the funny. I think this show has a universal message because we all struggle to find love, and we all struggle with loneliness. And often, even in a relationship, you can be lonely. I think the show has something for everyone and that’s why people can relate or enjoy it.
JS: Something else I appreciated was your sense of timing, the length of time you pause before speaking again. How does one know whether to wait three seconds instead of two, say, and how does one learn such an essential skill?
CB: Timing is so important. I actually am well aware when my timing is off. I was speaking after my show to Colette Kendall, who does The CockWhisperer, and we were discussing that it’s amazing how aware you are when this happens. You just have to get it back. But sometimes you just have an off night. It happens. This is something that does take time to figure out. You can do a joke one night, and then again the next night with a little more of a pause and it may have more impact. You play and find this as you go. But it’s quite obvious when one’s timing is off. Breathing is key. I do teach my students to B-R-E-A-T-H-E. And in every show I remind myself: “Take a breath. Pause & breathe.” You also are hoping for laughs, so once you get your show in front of an audience, the timing changes. You don’t want to barrel through the laughter either. Enjoy the moment and just as it’s dying off, give them the next one. It’s a continuous process, you are constantly learning as you perform, especially with a relatively new show. When I did the first show in the run, it was around 50 minutes, and now it’s closer to an hour, so right there you can see the impact of timing and how it is constantly evolving as the show evolves.
JS: You teach in several areas, so maybe you could tell us what is difficult for your students about learning the following: Improv? Movement? Physical Comedy? Clown?
CB: I love Clown and I love teaching Clown, but it’s definitely the hardest art form to teach. It’s all about listening, listening, listening. To yourself and most importantly to the audience. And when you get a laugh, repeat. They always want to move on to the next thing. I say “We liked that, do it again” What’s difficult for my students is that most of them wish to be standup comedians, so in the beginning they don’t have the awareness that a joke can be funny with a physical punch up, an action, a pause, a breath. It’s really being in your body and not just in your head. I talk a lot about impulse and listening. And most of the work in my class is done in silence. It’s more about the physicality and facial expressions. A lot of my students end up loving Clown, but in the beginning I think everyone has a fear of “What the heck is this?”
JS: A few years ago, a clown from Cirque du Soleil explained for me how a clown in performance must be acutely tuned in to an audience and able to intensify their state of involvement, so could you explain some ways that a performer manoeuvers an audience to where the performer wants them to be emotionally and mentally too.
CB: My “signature” in all my shows is audience participation. But I know this isn’t for everyone. Luckily I do think I have a gift for this. I love bringing people up, but making them shine. Never to embarrass them. Making them have a moment on stage, where they helped the show along and the audience thinks, “Wow, that person was great. “ But yes, I need to be so acutely attuned to my audience and listen to who I bring up. I scan the audience right off the top of the show, I look at who would be great and who’s into the show off the top. Really looks like they are open to the entire experience. Once I have them, I coach them in the best way possible to make them shine. This run in Hamilton, I’ve been blessed with some of the best audience participants ever. Each night is a gift. But don’t get me wrong, I have a couple of great stories where I wasn’t so lucky. Not sure it was bad luck or maybe I wasn’t in tune that night and really picked the wrong person. In this case, the show often takes a dive. Then you have to hope to win over the audience again. I think that by having a close relationship with my audience it can help develop their empathy for the character. This is a particularly crucial element for my show – it won’t work if they don’t care about Caroline or aren’t invested in her emotionally.
JS: It’s gutsy to incorporate an audience into one’s performance, as you do, so please tell us what other risks there are for you and what you do when an interaction with an audience member isn’t working.
CB: I once had an audience member who wouldn’t leave the stage. I brought him up, his bit was done, it got a laugh and he just refused to leave. I think he wanted to carry on the “relationship” or the show with him in it. It got really awkward, but eventually the audience started yelling at him to get off the stage. They were totally on my side. Once he eventually returned, I made a joke and moved on. And I love the risk each night of picking someone. I do teach my students, however, if they are going to do this, you must always praise the audience and thank them for coming. I’m so grateful for anyone who comes, because they are helping me advance the show.
JS: How does a performer learn to “read” an audience and also how does one bring a somewhat dead audience to life?
CB: Someone once said to me, “Don’t ever blame the audience” and I do try to stick to this motto. If the audience is “dead,” it’s my job to get them to wake up. But I have to say, sometimes you just get a weird vibe and sometimes, no matter what you do, they may just not be with you, although, sometimes, silence just means they are listening. However, on the Fringe, you’re doing your show at so many different times that if you do get a noon audience or a midnight audience it can be different than an 8:00 pm show.
JS: What are all the reasons that your gig at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe is important to you?
CB: This is huge for me. I’ve always wanted to go. I was always curious to see what this Festival is like and I’m finally going. So in a sense, I’m making my dream come true. That’s important. My top reasons for going are to check out the festival and see what it’s really about. To be inspired by so many artists. I also want to experience the UK market and to understand what direction I need to move in to create even stronger work. And, of course, to see how my show goes over there and the reaction among that audience versus North American audiences. I’ve been playing Canadian audiences for so long, and I L-O-V-E them, but I wonder what it will be like with a group of Scottish people in my crowd.
JS: What do you enjoy most about your career as a multi-dimensioned artist? What do you enjoy least?
CB: I love what I do. I feel so fortunate that I get to be doing my work, to paying audiences, and that if I can impact or change someone’s life or have them entertained, this brings me great joy. What I do find challenging is, because I have many focuses and do so much, it’s hard to sometimes throw myself fully into what I do 100%. I’m trying to write, produce, and perform and it gets to be a lot for one person. Which is what I probably enjoy least. So many times I do wish I had a solid team to help me. I’m so grateful always for my director, my tech, but it’s all the publicity and getting bums in seats that I do on my own, and it would be nice to get some help.
JS: I have to tell you that, when I’m feeling blah, I play the two minutes of your show “Chaotica” on YouTube, because it is one of the funniest takes on our absurd empty-headed culture that I’ve seen. What are your feelings about the place of absurdity in theatre – and in life in the world for that matter?
CB: That’s so awesome. I love that bit in Chaotica. I actually love that show, but it’s just hard to tour. But that aside, I love absurdist humour. This is what makes me laugh. It is important, both in life and theatre, to step outside the convention and norm and this is where true creativity comes alive.
JS: I know you have worked on and reworked ‘Oneymoon’ over several years and that you’re even now doing some revisions to it, so please tell us why a work takes so long to create and if one can ever be finally satisfied with a work one has created.
CB: I don’t think I’m ever satisfied. That’s just me. I think it can always be better and it’s never finished. But what I’m also learning is sometimes, we have to let it go. There is probably some danger in constantly changing it nightly as well. But I love that a show continues to evolve. As I grow, my show needs to change and grow.
JS: We certainly get an impression of you as a person from your performance, whether this be accurate or not. So how does your comedy reflect who you are and what is there about you that one might not guess from seeing your shows?
CB: I’d love to hear what impression you have of me. The fact I’m a high-energy neurotic, crazed perfectionist? That is about right. As I said, Caroline is a bit of my alter ego. So many of my reviews always state I’m a strong, confident performer. What one may not know is that I’m actually incredibly insecure about my work, and that I suffer from extreme nerves. Once I’m up there, I’m in my happy place, but before any show, is not a pleasant state for me.
JS: What do you want to be doing in five years from now?
CB: Five years from now, I still want to be performing. I don’t think that will ever go away. But I hope I’m getting better and better and would love to play bigger stages and have a producer. Someone who really believes in me and wants to support and help me 100 %. And maybe I’ll be playing in the UK. That’s one of the other reasons I’m super excited about Edinburgh. Oh, and of course, I’m hoping for financial security. I keep promising my husband and my family that one day the payoff will be huge –say I with a wink- but at the end of the day, it already is, as from a personal perspective, that I get to do what I love and that is something not a lot of people get to do. The security will follow……I hope…