Xavier Castells: “The Jazz Comedy Club Barcelona is a spectacular cocktail to enjoy on a Sunday afternoon”

If you're easily amused, and you enjoy live shows, every Sunday you have an appointment on the terrace of the Hotel Jazz. Between 8pm and 10pm, this unique and unrepeatable space, located 3 minutes from Las Ramblas, becomes a place where you can enjoy the Jazz Comedy Club Barcelona. Hosted by Xavier Castells, various comedians like Chris Groves, Sergio Marín, Alex Martín, David Amer & Carlos Mancera will have you in stitches with their antics. And if you're trying to improve your English level, even better, as there will be performances in Spanish and in the language of Shakespeare. We discussed this topic and others in a pleasant talk with Xavier Castells, who showed us what's behind a monologue.

How do you get started in this world?

It started as a hobby, I loved the format. I would watch all the comedy I could, I even created a blog called the Monologue Geek... then, over time, I joined a monologue academy and this adventure began, which still endures today, 6 years later.

Is a stand-up comedian born or made?

I believe that both are important. You have to be born with the spirit and motivation to make people laugh, and then the rest can be learned. In Spain, there are great academies and teachers at both national and international levels. Although the best way to learn is to write and test, make mistakes and rewrite until you find your formula.

The first time is always special. How was your first performance?

Yes. The first time is usually very special. Mine was at a place in Gracia called Versailles, and it actually went very well and that's what got me hooked to continue. The first performance is what makes you consider if it's your thing. There are a lot of emotions and a lot of concentrated adrenaline. And in this profession, what hooks you is this, the adrenaline that comes from making people laugh. Otherwise, I suppose it would also affect you a lot. That's why I've always been grateful to my first teacher for making sure everything was in place to minimize the risk. So, my first performance was a success.

What part of the monologue is script and what part is interpretation?

It's a combination of both, but the script is the most important and the acting helps you to enhance it.

Do you prepare the texts yourself or do you have scriptwriters?

Most comedians write our own material. We are scriptwriters, directors, “actors”, salespeople, managers...

Is the monologue improvised?

Most of it is scripted, although there are specific moments during the performance when improvisation occurs, mainly with the audience, but there is little improvisation.

We've seen monologues of 5 minutes, 10, and even 30 minutes. What would be the recommended length?

For a performance, the advisable time is about 60-70 minutes.

Grandmothers who run marathons, tipping in America... can any topic be turned into a monologue?

The monologue is usually written about a point of view or a personal tragedy. Americans say “comedy is pain and truth”. We tend to write about our own pain or observations about life and society. Then we try to make it transcend through humor.

On YouTube, you can be seen performing monologues in English as well. How do you manage to do comedy in a language that is not your own?

I've been fortunate enough to perform in English in various places around the world: the United States, England, Ireland, Croatia, Belgium... In the end, people laugh if what you say or your perspective is funny. When it comes to monologues in other countries, they have to be about more universal things or about the country in question. For example, the video about tipping in America vs Barcelona that I have on Youtube is especially funny for Americans or for anyone who has been there and experienced that situation. In some way, they can identify with or empathize with what you're saying or with the character.

Have you ever experienced a situation where the audience didn't laugh? How do you salvage that situation?

Of course. It has happened to all comedians at some point. There are many factors that influence a live performance, things that depend on you and things that don't. When it happens, you try to turn things around using all your strategies. But if you can't, you have no choice but to finish with as much dignity and professionalism as possible and afterwards analyze critically how and why it happened, and improve what's in your control.

And finally, introduce us to your Jazz Hotel show and sell us on why we shouldn't miss it.

Well, the Jazz Comedy Cub Barcelona, is going to be a novel show in Barcelona, as it is on a terrace with wonderful views of the city, combined with the best comedians nationally and internationally. It's a spectacular cocktail to enjoy a Sunday afternoon. I always recommend watching live comedy. And besides, if the place is as beautiful as this one, it multiplies the quality of the experience. Every week we will have the best national and international comedians, we will do one week in Spanish and another in English and there will be many surprises…