Comedian Niitin R Mirani is back on his home turf after a whirlwind US tour this summer, ready to mentor the next generation of stand-up hopefuls waiting in the wings.
The 39-year-old Dubai boy, who has shared a stage with some of the best in the business, is conducting a stand-up workshop in the city on August 17, in conjunction with the homegrown VDesi Laughs, which is spearheading the local comedy scene in the UAE.
The workshop, which Mirani explains, is a means to hone budding talent into stepping up into the spotlight.
“The last time I was in Dubai, I saw some really good talent ready to be discovered,” he says. “The idea behind the workshop is to avoid some of the common mistakes we make when starting out in this career, along with addressing hurdles that hinder our climb.”
The stand-up comedian believes one of the biggest setback facing budding talent is the lack of support from families who don’t believe there is a career to be made out of humour.
“I hope to address such issues in the workshop and make them realise the fundamental of a comic’s life is the urge to make people laugh. If you don’t have that, then the battle is lost right here,” he explains.
Ahead of his Offstage workshop, the funnyman speaks to Gulf News tabloid! about the dos and don’ts of breaking into the world of comedy.
Find your voice
“Getting ready for comedy for offstage is more important than what you perform on stage,” says Mirani. “A lot of things that happen in our lives, our personal experiences can be harness offstage to make it relatable to the audience when you step into the spotlight.”
Mirani is also firm that he can never teach budding artists how to approach a joke. “I don’t want to poison someone’s unique voice because there’s a fear they may start sounding like somebody else. It is important to be bring your stamp to your performance and it’s one of the many things we cover in my workshop.”
Try, try, try
Mirani compares stand-up comedy to body building. “Just like it’s important to go to the gym to get the body you want, open mics work in the same way to give you the chance to work out your sets and fine tune it,” says the 39-year-old.
He adds: “You don’t realise how much work goes into fine-tuning a joke. It sometimes takes years and years of practice to take a small through 50 runs before the final cut. The audience of today is very smart and can sense if you are a novice. Ease yourself in. Sandwich in the jokes that would make them laugh and slip in your own personality. That only comes with practice.”
Don’t be afraid to bomb
“The first time I ever performed on stage was in Dubai many years ago, and man did I bomb the set,” Mirani recalls. “It took me 15 minutes of panic-stricken moments to realise I was crashing and immediately switched to improv to salvage the night.”
Mirani explains how important it is not to be scared of the audience.
“Two weeks ago, I was doing a corporate show that was a bad experience overall. But I can’t go into depression over it,” he says. “There are certain jokes that may not work, so you have to learn to let go of then. The prize is in the process. Without failing, you won’t succeed.”
Understand your audience
Mirani has been touring for years, taking his brand of humour to different parts of the world.
“Being able to make people laugh on command can get to your head. You feel like you have a certain power and you can corrupted by it,” he explains. “Ask yourself, are they laughing? Till date, I go early to shows and suss the audience. Understand the city your are in. Be smart enough to understand you can’t feed sushi to an audience allergic to seafood.
“It is important to think on your feet. If a set doesn’t work, then be ready to make a switch.”
Watch yourself perform
“It works for some. But I am my worst enemy because I am just too critical,” says Mirani when asked whether he ever watches his own performance. “I do highly recommend those who are starting out their careers in stand-up to see their work and whether their joke is actually working; know what people are laughing at.
“There’s a lot of energy on stage when you performing and it gets too much for us to remember. Go back to see what are the pauses — which are very important in a standup comedy; hone in your timing as you deliver the punchlines.”
Keep a notebook handy
“I always have my writing pad with me or put things down on my phone,” says Mirani, adding that inspiration can strike at any time. “There was a time I would even record voice notes for myself, but I was pulled aside by cops for talking to myself and that pretty much ended that mode.”
Be original
“There have been cases in the past when I have accidentally quoted another comedian,” admits Mirani. “During improv sessions, you hit playback like a walking CD player. You have to think in minutes. There’s so much intake of WhatsApp and YouTube material that there’s a very fine line trying to decide whether it’s your work or whether you have seen it elsewhere.
“Russell Petters has been called out in the past, as has Trevor Noah. These things happen.”
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Check it out!
Offstage with Niiitin R Mirani
When: August 17
Where: The Hive
Time: From 7-10pm
Price: Dh300