Beloved New York comedy group Simple Town are bringing their show to London after winning the public's attention at the Edinburgh festival with clever and unexpected sketches - from NASA engineers to the audience's secret thoughts.
However, their path to television success has been much more difficult than one might think.
When a band billed as a “cult favorite in New York” comes to Britain, it’s usually expected to be the next big thing. But during a conversation with three of the four members of Simple Town, that romantic notion quickly fades.
“You meet production companies in Britain every now and then who think we could be a bridge to the American market,” says Sam Lanier. “But they don’t know that in the US, nobody is welcoming us with open arms. Most of the people who are involved in comedy development know us – and almost all of them have said ‘no.’”
He also admits that they don't make a living from this project. Despite the success of popular shows like Saturday Night Live or the recent Netflix hit I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson, sketch comedy is not a surefire path to fame or fortune, even in the US.
Like many British bands of the same genre, the members of Simple Town hold down other jobs, pursue film projects and continue to perform on stage out of a passion for comedy. “We believe so much in this work,” says Felipe Di Poi. “What we’ve created together is the best that any of us have ever done.”
The group consists of Sam Lanier, Felipe Di Poi, Will Niedmann and Caroline Yost, along with their director and collaborator Ian Faria. They humorously call themselves “four teenagers in their thirties,” a slogan that was born from a horror movie parody and reflects their lively energy on stage. “We find it funny the contrast between youthful energy and the fact that we sometimes feel tired of life,” says Niedmann.
Their performance at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe last year was praised for its fast pace and unexpected humor. The sketches move from one idea to another with almost spontaneous freedom: a scene with three NASA engineers worried by the arrival of a new colleague, a moment where a spectator's inner thoughts become part of the show, or situations depicting the tensions of modern America.
Although the themes sometimes touch on political or social issues, their creative process always starts with a simple comedic idea. “We look for laughter first,” explains Niedmann. Over time, they have begun to improvise more on stage, moving away from rigid scripts and creating a more spontaneous atmosphere with the audience.
This approach is also inspired by their experience in the alternative comedy scenes in New York, where humor often arises from unexpected moments and collaboration with the audience.
Although financial success remains uncertain, for them the project has a much greater value. “We always thought of it as a band,” says Di Poi. “It’s just that, economically, being in a five-person band is not always easy.”
Niedmann sums it up humorously: “We know it probably won’t make us rich. But we keep going because it’s an important part of our friendship and our lives.”
Lanier adds with a laugh: "However, if someone wants to pay us, we won't say no." /GazetaExpress/
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