Improv, Stand-Up and Belfast’s Alternative Comedy Scene with Frazer Robb & Laura Conlon

In this episode of Wasted Creatives, I’m joined by comedians Frazer Robb and Laura Conlon for a conversation about improv, stand-up and the growing alternative comedy scene in Belfast. Frazer talks about how he first got into improv, travelling to Chicago to train and bringing those skills back to Belfast at a time when improv comedy was still finding its feet here. We discuss his improv group Wonder Frog, his journey as a stand-up comedian, and even how teaching improv led to him meeting his wife. Laura shares her own route into stand-up and improv, the difference between performing prepared material and creating comedy live in front of an audience, and how different audiences respond to each style. We also talk about Turnstyle, the alternative comedy night she runs in Belfast, and how different styles of improv are being explored locally. There are stories about corporate improv gigs, including one Wonder Frog performance that had to be shut down after the audience got a little too crude with their suggestions, as well as a wider chat about how online clips and crowd work have changed the dynamic between comedians and audiences. I talk about my own experience of getting into improv through classes taught by Frazer, and the creative release it has given me outside of my day-to-day life. We also talk about what it means to follow your creative talents while still working 9–5 jobs, and the reality of trying to juggle work, life, comedy and creativity when there are only so many hours in the week. A conversation about comedy, creativity, risk, audience dynamics and the strange joy of making things up in the moment.