Showtime!

Sometimes all it takes is a big idea and an empty stage. Performers Inc, started by international stand-up comedian Papa CJ, is an informal forum where the closet artiste can bask in the spotlight’s glow. Papa CJ, a finalist in NBC’s “Last Comic Standing”, (Season Six), explains that Performers Inc serves as a platform to “showcase talent and is an opportunity to grow; as you can grow only in front of an audience.” He would know having made a name for himself in the competitive British comedy circuit.

Performers Inc had their premiere show Shaken n Stirred last month at Mocha Bar. The first show saw a motley crew of much talent and some absurdity. While some of the performers had evidently never been on the stage before, a few impressed with their complete confidence and sound material. “Bryan Adams is not invited,” says Papa CJ with a laugh, “It’s about finding our own stars.”

The previous show included everything from a boy band to a Hindi stand-up routine. With the policy of an open stage, artistes are not whetted before they perform. For Papa CJ it’s a simple philosophy, “There is no guarantee of standards. But it’s so hard to get noticed. Most people who get into the art field are taking a massive risk. They deserve to get a chance. If in the first five minutes you tell someone not to come back, you kill him.” In order to support talent, Performers Inc also plans to call back artistes who are popular with the audience. In this way, talent is recognised and promoted.

If the emphasis is on new acts, it is also new venues. Performers Inc uses social spaces like bar and cafes, acknowledging that these fill up easily with a varied audience. For Papa CJ, the winning advantage of a “small space is that it feels full”. To transform casual diners into an attentive audience, the bar however remains closed during the performance. The focus has to be on the artistes. Performers Inc is also planning a story-telling session, where people will get a chance to narrate a story in seven-minutes on a given topic. Having seen this format work outside of India, Papa CJ is confident it will go down well in Delhi, as the city has a penchant for all things ridiculous and sublime.

Catch Performers Inc on Sunday 12th July at Mocha Bar, Nehru Place.

For more, contact:http://www.papacj.com/contact

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