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Mel Mellers Masterclass
Prested Hall, Essex
24th November 2016
Reviewed by Wyn Jones
Mel
Mellers is a man well known within the magical fraternity. His acerbic wit and
caustic put-downs, all done with a glint in his eye, have been experienced by
many. “I like what you did with your hair... nothing”.
What people don’t necessarily appreciate is the work put into the routines,
jokes and witticisms. Comedy writing is something that is a struggle for many of
us and is a very useful weapon in any performer’s armoury.
At the end of October, in an idyllic hotel just outside Colchester, Mel hosted
his Comedy Magic Academy with 30 or so delegates. The event was superbly
organised by Steve Short and lasted well into the evening culminating with ‘An
Audience with...’ We were also introduced to his occasional writing partner
Catherine Jarrett, a lady who knows how the mind of Mel Mellers works more than
most and who often colludes with him on projects.
The course was extremely in-depth, covering the mechanics of comedy and how Mel
goes about writing his gems. He explained how he fills several journals with
ideas in a year, and the tips he uses to turn an idea into a routine. An insight
on how idea generation evolves into workable routines was littered with great
‘Eureka’ moments which saw the fog lift in one’s comedy brain.
Delegates were asked to bring a routine from their repertoire to perform: either
an established one that could be examined, critiqued, polished and improved
upon, or a new one where the performer needed help in turning an idea into a
professionally polished performance piece.
During group exercises, the comedy do’s and don’ts that Mel was keen to
highlight became apparent, and each person understood more about the principles
behind convergent and divergent thinking. The ‘Joke Web’ is something that was
scribbled down by many, as everyone could see the simplicity, yet the importance
of utilising something that could help structure the plot, gags and script for
any routine.
One particular nugget of information that was imparted was the concept of
‘branding’. This is about how, through branding one’s act, we can turn from
being ‘A’ comedy magician to ‘The’ comedy magician that our bookers want.
A fair proportion of the time was spent on the importance of the plot. Without a
decent one, all the comedy writing becomes a jumble of gags loosely linked to
the trick being performed. By working out the necessary plot, the script becomes
easier, and more relevant, but there was also a lot of fun with the gag writing
portion, where delegates came up with some very funny alternative meanings to
words.
During one exercise, we were each given a card at random with a commonly
performed magical effect, such as uneven ropes, or torn and restored newspaper,
and we were asked to ‘re-imagine’ the standard trick and come up with our own
routines. It certainly got the creative juices flowing and some genuinely good,
workable ideas came out of it.
With lunch and dinner thrown in, and opportunities to chat with performers from
across the genre, the day was an extremely worthwhile venture for anyone wanting
to improve their comedy writing skills. It was a great way of seeing how the Mel
Mellers character and brand thought and worked, and the methods he uses. This
wasn’t a lecture. It also wasn’t like an acting class by someone who no longer
treads the boards. This was a masterclass by a successful, hard-working
performer at the top of his game.
There is a train of thought that puts a value to conventions, lectures and
courses. That particular way of thinking subscribes to the belief that if you
come away with one significant trick/routine/piece of information, it’s value
for money. Well I came away with a completely new routine, plus the potential
for another, and 2 major improvements for something I do already. More
importantly, the tools and mindset to be able to sit down and formulate an
original and funny take on anything I put in my act, rather than relying on the
stock routine that comes with it that everyone else will be doing. So from me,
the course gets a big extending thumbs up.
Anyone interested in the next event can contact Mel by emailing: melvynmellers
'at' aol.com
Photo: Mel Mellers and event organiser Steve
Short.
© Wyn Jones, December 2016.
Wyn Jones is a professional comedy magician and also a children’s entertainer performing as Mr Merlin.
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