MANILA, Philippines — Stand-up comedy will never be the same again after Simon Clayton and Mary Bourke walk down the aisle in a hilarious wedding ceremony officiated by Filipino comic Mikey Andres to highlight Prime i Events’ In Sickness and In Wealth at Johnny B. Good, formerly the Hard Rock Café, in Glorietta 3, Makati, on March 11.
For sure, there won’t be a dry eye in the audience as Clayton and Burke guarantee a night of non-stop laughter, leaving everyone in stitches and in tears of hilarity. Clayton and Burke have been in the laugh business for over three decades so they know what it takes to keep the crowd coming back for more in an enduring career.
Doors open at 6 p.m. for wine and cheese tasting then the Part 3 band will entertain until the main act begins at 8 p.m. Saira Budhrani of Prime i Events said the show pokes fun at marriage and unravels the pet-peeves that husbands and wives encounter. “Mary is quick with her punchlines and wives will be able to resonate with her,” said Budhrani. “She may look conservative but her jabs are definitely not. Simon, on the other hand, likes attention and makes everyone in the audience his friend while he’s on stage. He’s half-Jamaican, half-English and he loves to talk about himself, coming from mixed heritage. Expect a lot of family-related humor which we all can relate to at one point or another in our lives.”
Clayton and Bourke are making their Philippine debut. “I don’t have any expectations, that way I can’t be disappointed,” said Clayton. “If they’re open-minded and up for a laugh, this is as much as I can ask of anywhere I perform. If you make an audience laugh, you’re in business. If you don’t, you’re not. I’ve been in comedy for 30 years, eight in a double act and 22 as a solo stand-up comic. I started out wanting to act but didn’t get into drama school. I went out to work and started a double act because I was too scared to perform on my own. When that finished, I realized I had a funny bone and enough confidence to get laughs on my own. As a comedian, you’ve got to know when to hold and when to fold, in the words of Kenny Rogers.”
Clayton said his favorite comedians include Laurel and Hardy, Richard Pryor, Bill Hicks, Joan Rivers, Les Dawson, Andre Vincent and Bourke. He described himself as a comedian, improviser and actor. As for Bourke, she said her comic idols include Patton Oswalt and Maria Bamford. A comic sitcom writer and playwright, the Irish-born Bourke has been in the laugh industry for over 25 years.
“I work nine hours writing every day,” she said. “Inspiration is perspiration. I’m very disciplined. In the show, I’ll be talking about being Irish and I have some amazing stories. I hope the Filipino audience is fun and open to new experiences.”
Clayton said his inspiration in relating funny stories comes from people, news events and personal thoughts. “I try to turn anything that makes me laugh into material,” he said. “Everybody has funny thoughts but they forget them straight-away. I try to hang on to them, write them down and shape them into jokes. When I see or think of something that made me laugh, I write it up then try to whittle it down, find the correct wording to get the joke across. The jokes won’t work if you use too many or the wrong words. I’m always editing the structure, trying to hone it for maximum effect. Sometimes, the editing is done while on stage in my mind, then I have to get it down so I don’t forget.”
The wedding bells will ring loud when Clayton and Bourke take to the stage with Filipino comic Muman Reyes as best man. In a rowdy twist, Clayton plays the bride and Bourke the groom. “For those who have not experienced stand-up comedy yet, we believe it’s time to say ‘I do’ with Simon and Mary,” said Budhrani.
Ticket prices are P1,500 for VIP (reserved seating), P1,000 for standard (free seating) and P750 for balcony (free seating). For ticket reservations and show details, call 0920-9717055, 0917-5703057 or TicketNet at 911-5555.