An Interview with Matt Green
Matt Green is an English comedian, actor and writer. He was also the President of the prestigious Cambridge Footlights from 1999-2000. Since leaving University, Matt has enjoyed success as both a stand up and actor, having appeared in various TV and Radio shows. Here we talk about how Matt got into comedy, who his influences are and whether comedy is Art.
H: How did you get started in comedy? Was there a point where you realised you were funny?
Matt Green: I’ve always enjoyed performing on stage, and got involved in lots of shows at school and then university. For a while I thought I might try to be a serious actor, but I soon realised that getting laughs is a lot more fun. I performed sketch and character stuff for a couple of years before taking the plunge into stand up about six years ago.
H: How would you describe your stand-up to those who haven’t heard of you?
MG: I’m quite fast-paced and I do a mix of observational and storytelling material, with a dash of political and topical stuff and a sprinkle of audience interaction. I compère a lot and really love being able to improvise with the audience to create something unique.
H: What’s your writing process like?
MG: Most of the time I just wait for the inspiration to strike and always make sure I have a notepad with me. When I’m preparing for an Edinburgh show I tend to gather as much material as I can together and then start writing routines out and seeing how they could fit together. But as far as I’m concerned a huge amount of the writing process happens onstage: sensing how an audience is reacting to something and adapting it accordingly. A joke is never fully ready until it has been tested in front of a few crowds!
H: Do you think the internet/technology is too present in comedians’ careers nowadays or are you embracing it as much as possible?
MG: I feel a bit ambivalent about this. My new show is called Too Much Information, and is partly about the rise of technology and how it is affecting our lives. I suppose I think that it is dangerous if it distracts us from other things that are important, but as a comedian new technology has some huge advantages. Things like Twitter and Facebook are brilliant for staying in touch with people who have enjoyed your work, and can provide a really valuable support network with other comedians, promoters and people in the industry. Plus obviously YouTube and other media sharing sites have made it so much easier to get your material out there and seen by people.
H: Who would you say your influences are? Do you ever see echoes of their work in yours?
MG: I’m sure I have loads of influences; I watch lots of comedy and have done since I was growing up. I was a huge fan of people like Rowan Atkinson and Eddie Izzard when I was growing up, and I’m sure I have moments in my act where my admiration for them comes through. More recently other comedians such as Chris Addison, Daniel Kitson, Paul Sinha and many many more have inspired me to try to be better. If I could achieve anything like what they have done I’d be very happy.
H: Do you think comedy is something that should be cerebral, that people should pick apart, or can it just be a bunch of silliness that people laugh at? What sort of comedy do you prefer?
MG: I think it can and should be both. I love the political rabble rousing of Mark Thomas, but I also laugh myself silly at Tim Vine’s inspired idiocy. It takes intelligence and skill to do both of those things. I probably slightly prefer the cerebral side of comedy, but in the end it’s just about how well it’s done. I’d far rather see a good silly comedian than an average cerebral one!
H: Is comedy Art?
MG: I think that’s a bit like asking: “Is music Art?” Some is, some isn’t. I think that one of the fascinating things about comedy is that it is the only art-form that requires a physical response from an audience. You don’t have to have people crying in your audience to have a successful tragedy, but you do have to provoke at least some laughter to have a successful comedy. That’s not to say that comedy has to make you laugh all of the time: some of the most interesting comedians like to play with that tension of when (or even if) there is going to be a punch-line. Someone like Stewart Lee is an obvious example of that. I think some comedians are true artists, although many might be better described as craftsman: they have learned and honed the skill of getting an audience to laugh, which is no mean feat. I don’t know if I’d consider what I do to be Art with a capital “A”. I hope it’s entertaining and sometimes thought-provoking, but the main thing is always making an audience laugh. That’s the most important thing.
H: You’ve appeared in various TV shows, is this an area you’re actively pursuing or are you content with being on stage?
MG: I still enjoy acting very much and would love to do more of it. The collaborative and immersive nature of acting is very different from stand up, where you are always essentially working alone and moving from gig to gig, analyzing your performance on your own as you go. I find working with a company on a play or a cast and crew on a TV show is a great way to recharge my creative batteries and I usually return to stand up afterwards with a lot more energy and focus. I’d also love to do some stand up on TV or radio, but those slots are incredibly competitive at the moment so I’m happy working on the live circuit for as long as people will let me!
H: Are there any ideas that you find yourself returning to when writing your material? What do you think are you favourite things to talk about on stage?
MG: Most of my most durable material comes from myself. Incidents from my life, thoughts and experiences I’ve had which I can share with the audience. Sometimes these are big stories, at other times they are little moments or observations I’ve had which lead to a funny idea or joke. I’m also fascinated by language and the way in which it is used and abused. I’m always on the look out for a telling phrase that reveals more than the speaker intended: a lot of my more topical and political material comes from this.
