Having been the class clown at school Henry Palmer decided to try stand-up comedy for the first time in 2016. But he was appalled by the way comedians were treated in the stand-up circuit.
He found himself being asked to travel for several hours to perform for 10 minutes. Not only would he be expected to work for free but would be out of pocket from the travel costs and at times left feeling demoralised.
After speaking with other comedians around the comedy circuit he discovered that his experience was far from unique and it was normal for comedians to work for free until they were able to secure a headline spot. So Henry decided to set up his own comedy night, The People’s Comedy, which he co-founded in 2018 when he was 24.
He wanted to break the trend that made it difficult for those from working-class backgrounds to make it in comedy because they were less able to work for free. Henry, who is from Easton, could not afford to be a comedian if it meant working for free so he makes sure that all the comedians who perform with The People's Comedy get a fair wage.
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While The People’s Comedy has seen success having recently won the Chortle Award for the Best Themed Comedy Night outside London, for Henry there is still a lot of work to do in creating a more inclusive comedy culture. While other art forms such as theatre and music can apply for funding from the Arts Council, comedy does not enjoy the same status.
Henry said: “We aim to provide a platform for comedians to get paid and to be a platform for alternative voices, for the unconventional, non-commercial voices. It was evident to me, since I began performing, that it’s hard for poor people to really break into comedy because it doesn’t pay.
“There’s an expectation that you should work for free until you can get headline or middle spots, which do pay but are few and far between. What’s different about us is that we don’t do headliners because we believe everyone has a voice and a story to tell, everyone’s comedic voice is equal, everyone gets paid the same, apart from comperes who get slightly more.
“It feels less hierarchical and it makes them perform better because they feel they are being valued. We also try to keep the prices low to make it more inclusive.
“We are a Community Interest Company and it’s written into our constitution that everything we do has to benefit the stand up comedy circuit including the comedians themselves. Comedians are often expected to travel two or three hours in the car to perform for 10 minutes for free - it’s just disgusting.
“The comedy which we are platforming is one where art is trying to instigate change. It’s challenging. It’s trying to create progressive change. Our aspiration is to be intersectional.”
The CIC is soon to hold a night of comedy that will platform Bristolian comedians. Previously they have hosted a working class night but for Henry, ‘intersectionality’ always has a big part to play when choosing the line-up. Overall there are five male comedians to every female comedian, Henry tries as much as possible to give a platform to a diverse range of comedians, taking into account factors such as race, gender, sexual orientation and disability.
The People’s Comedy hosts an average of two comedy nights a month in Bristol, where comedians are paid between £30 and £40 for a 10-minute stand up slot. Everyone gets paid the same and there are no headline acts. You can find out more about The People’s Comedy on its Facebook page or website.
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