Stand up – funny because it is uncomfortable.

Lack of risk in theatre: well intentioned self-righteousness.

When people are uncomfortable they want to laugh.

Go to the dark place for people to feel it. / Go down to come back up.

The bafoon – status, peaks and trophs.

Steering away from the overtly political – a play set in a nuclear sub marine in the apocalypse.

The show that happens in the foyer because the theatre was locked.

People knowing the game.

What is the thing that can go wrong?

The Prudes couple going to have sex on stage…first twenty minutes ‘naaa they are not going to do it’, 21 minutes in ‘wow what they might actually have sex in front of us’, fifteen minutes later ‘no they aren’t’ – would have been a cracking twenty minute piece.

The invitation: the first bit is the most important. Comedy is the first thing that makes people feel relaxed. To go to somewhere dangerous you have to go somewhere familiar.

The audience need to risk caring.

Humour can really be used to address the audience caring and investing in caring.

It’s not what the humour is but the context its used in.

What is the real risk: honesty and vulnerability.

Katie Hopkins viral video. What was achieved? Morally dubious. But she has had her twitter suspended. Is what they are doing productive? Public shaming.

We have to be strict about telling people that they are wrong.

Not doing the easy thing and pointing and saying: ‘you/they are wrong.’

Risky: vulnerability, love and openness.

Brene Brown.

Maybe it is really risky to show someone we disagree with, love.

How would you define risk: risk + humour – clowning. Humour comes from being your utmost vulnerable. Funny seeing people making mistakes…being your authentic self is risky.

Interactive work: audience putting themselves on the line. Risk letting go of control.

How do you witness risk for the audience?

Feeling exposed, eb and flow.

Not making overtly political work but going to the theatre to escape.

Element of distraction.

Risk: putting forward the ‘wrong’ message to create conflict in the audience.

The audience also has responsibility coming into the space. They can come into and out of the space (they need to feel able to do this).

If we try and protect every possible subject the work won’t exist.

There is so much negativity and division. How can we reach each other, otherwise what is the point?

Start off as a hero and end up an idiot. Start off an idiot and end up a hero. The gift of heckles.

A character that starts at risk…and the change.

Should the performer always be at risk, is that what makes the audience empathise.

Cases where risk has gone wrong – audience barricaded the door. / drunk people. / stand-up and dying on stage / audience members that outsmart the comedian