Dying Laughing - Lloyd Stanton, Paul Toogood

Whilst painters, writers, musicians even dancers are talked about as Artists, stand-up comedians are often regarded as mere entertainers - yet their work has possibly more direct affect on an audience than any other art form. These are social and cultural commentators who at their best can change the way we think about important matters whilst making us howl with laughter. A stand-up comedian must be the writer, the director and the star performer, and unlike any other art form there is no rehearsal, no practice, no safety net, the stand-up can only work in front of a live audience - with feedback being instantaneous and often brutal. For most people baring their soul to then have an audience boo or heckle them would be a life-changing trauma, for stand-ups it's a weekly challenge. The film presents the Comedians in silver-tone black and white with beautiful stills style lighting stripping them of the usual environment of brick wall and microphone to focus on their words and their emotions. These stunning portraits are woven with saturated colour supporting footage filmed from the perspective of the Comedian building DYING LAUGHING into a unique glimpse into the agony and ecstasy of performance along with an singular examination into the day-to-day life of a professional stand-up.