Upstart Crow

[PlectrumElectrum]

Anyone watch this? I thought it was fab, I didn't know Ben Elton wrote it but instantly thought of Blackadder watching it. David Mitchell was great too, he's perfect in the role & all the other actors are just as good. I've not laughed so much in ages.

[WestleyAndButtockUp]

People always talk blithely and dismissively about "canned laughter".

Upstart Crow was recorded before a live studio audience. That is different to canned laughter - I'm pretty sure I've read that no BBC programmes have laughter tracks laid over the top of them.

The laughter you hear is the laughter that happened on the night - just like all the traditional-type sitcoms I've been in the audience for.

[stareatthetvscreen]

but there was laughter at all the unfunny bits westley

[Davros]

I was surprised to see it described as "canned laughter" as it sounded natural but I thought there must have been developments in its sound

[PeaceLoveAndDiscoBiscuits]

I wanted to like it as I like Ben Elton and David Mitchell, but the canned laughter did for me and I had to turn it off. Shame.

[PeaceLoveAndDiscoBiscuits]

Wow was it really a live studio audience? Serves me right for not RTFT before posting. It really sounded canned though.

[WestleyAndButtockUp]

but there was laughter at all the unfunny bits westley

But opinions differ on what is unfunny, right? As this thread proves.

And when you've made an evening of it, to go and sit in the audience for an 'event', and you're quite pleased to see some celebrities, and there's a very professional standup comedian keeping you laughing in between takes, and you've got experienced comedians in the cast who make really funny remarks if they screw up - well, you can see how there'd be a lot of warmth towards the endeavour, in the room.

That is how sitcoms are made.

[WestleyAndButtockUp]

Let's say David Mitchell screwed up a couple of lines at the beginning of the evening, but made some acerbic remark about how Shakespeare, or Ben Elton, wasn't a very good writer. And let's say he started riffing, each time something went wrong, joking that Ben Elton was a lot better writer than Shakespeare, because x, y, and z ....

[WestleyAndButtockUp]

That's how an unfunny joke might be reacted to with over-the-top laughter.

[WestleyAndButtockUp]

Canned laughter was only really used in the 1970's, and mainly in the USA. Articles which seem to know what they're talking about (inside-industry) say it's not used at the BBC. Ever.

[confusedandemployed]

I thought it was OK, and will probably improve over the series.

I agree that the jokes

[confusedandemployed]

Gah bloody phone.

I agree that the jokes about the writing were much funnier than the ones with modern references.

And if the laughter wasn't canned, then it was definitely edited and very annoying

[ghostoftheMNchicken]

I hope it does improve. There were moments where it shine and really felt different to other sitcoms - the 'if you do your research bit' mentioned above for example.

It could have been wonderful and smart and original. It wasn't quite there.

[ThoraGruntwhistle]

If it wasn't recorded in front of an audience it would have been shown to an audience and their laughs recorded. They don't literally play the sound of laughing from something unconnected over the top of it. I did laugh at a few bits but the audience sounded very enthusiastic.

[PeaceLoveAndDiscoBiscuits]

Westley are you Ben Elton?

[Badders123]

I'm sad (massive Ben Elton fan) but I didn't laugh once.

[WestleyAndButtockUp]

No, I'm funnier than Ben Elton.

But much, much lazier.

[WhirlwindHugs]

I didn't really notice the laughter (because I laughed!) but Westley's explanation majes sense to me - I can't think of any show/film I've laughed at every single joke in but at a live show I generally would, because of the atmosphere.

I think it did a good job of appealing to a wide range of ages without being relentlessly dumb which a depressing number of sitcoms are.

[officerhinrika]

I liked it and all the casting.
Victoria Coren said on Twitter that it wasn't canned laughter, she'd been there and it was as recorded.

[Davros]

Apart from anything else DD (13) stayed and watched it with us and enjoyed it. That's got to make it good programme in my opinion!

[stareatthetvscreen]

i think v coren has a vested interest :)

also surely admitting to using canned laughter would be also be acknowledging your show wasn't quite funny enough...

:)

[WestleyAndButtockUp]

Are you saying she's lying about there being a live studio audience?

Or that you don't believe the studio audience laughed as much as the broadcast seemed?

[stareatthetvscreen]

nooo not lying just the laughter seemed ott

[PeaceLoveAndDiscoBiscuits]

Westley now I'm wondering if you're VCM

(Just in case you are, I love you)

[ghostoftheMNchicken]

nooo not lying just the laughter seemed ott

I think they ply the audience with alcohol beforehand.

[WestleyAndButtockUp]

There is a bar for the audiences at the BBC, but you have to buy your own.

Free tickets to shows via a couple of websites.

Dunno if audience shows are still shot in London, or are they now in Manchester?