Laughing Online: Indian Stand-up Comedy as Spectator Sport

Abstract

This paper investigates spectator dynamics in the offline and online performances of stand-up comedians, Vir Das and Kenny Sebastian. It studies the performer–comedian relationship through the media theory of John Fiske and John Hartley, the Rasa Box of Richard Schechner and Group Phenomenon of psychology. Media and performance aspects, such as stage setting, lighting, script, identity, complaisance and techniques, are theorised to arrive at insights into spectatorship in stand-up comedy.