Stand Up For Charlie – What Does It Take To Roast A Dead Man?
Written by: Will Agnew
Directed by: Chris Swney
A group of stand up comedians deal with grief, guilt and responsibility after the celebrity they verbally destroy at a
comedy roast commits suicide.
Stand Up For Charlie is a dark comedy centred on the people who make us laugh for a living. It's an examination on what it means to get a
laugh out of an audience -- and just how far we'll go to do it.
When the comedians are offered by a seedy entertainment manager to take part in a 'Post Roast' - a comedy roast
dedicated to the already dead Charlie, questions, emotions and the dead are all raised, as the nature of comedy and the
power of words are put on display. Just what does it take to roast a dead man?
The play promises to be an interesting character study on the pressure it takes to make other people laugh, and how
instilling happiness in other people doesn't necessarily guarantee happiness in you. The shallow portrayal of the
entertainment industry and the nature of celebrity are elements also explored in the play.
It's edgy -- the show's subject matter, along with the stand up routines that accompany it and the no holds barred, ugly
truth the characters present to the audience allow a controversial look at comedy and what it means to entertain.
The first play by recent MA graduate Will Agnew from the International Institute of Modern Letters and directed by
frequent Long Cloud Theatre collaborator and Victoria University student Chris Swney, Stand Up For Charlie promises to
be a fresh, unique and energetic show that pushes the boundaries of comedy and gives the audience something to think
about.
93 Kelburn Parade – Drama House Studio
8.30pm
Previews: Thurs 28th Feb, Fri 1st + Sat 2nd Mar
Season: Tues 5th – Sat 9th Mar
Tickets at: slavelabourproductions@gmail.com
$14 Full
$12 Concession
$10 Fringe Addicts/Artists/Preview Shows
ENDS