At one event in Edinburgh the entire front row took their clothes off and no one noticed.

On another evening in Leicester, some of the audience fell asleep.

Welcome to the world of Comedy In The Dark, the stand-up night where no one knows what is going to happen, not even the performers.

“The point is to do something a bit different,” explains Geoff Rowe, the founder and director of the Leicester Comedy Festival.

He came up with the idea four years ago as part of an initiative to make the festival more environmentally friendly.

“It is not supposed to be a revolution. We don’t want to make every comedy show in the dark.

“I would describe it as a stunt, a different way of seeing comedy. It’s a different experience for both the audience and performers.”

With the show’s growing popularity, yearly events at the Leicester festival and runs at Edinburgh and London’s Udderbelly, Rowe has booked Comedy In The Dark’s first UK tour.

It’s a long way from that inaugural show organised as part of The Big Switch-Off. That one-off gimmick was made to encourage people to turn off their lights, which Rowe decided to do after hearing of restaurants in the dark and other novelty, energy-saving events.

“It could have been a disaster,” he says. “And we had no long-term plan at all. It’s grown because people keep asking us to do more; because venues and performers and audiences want us to do it.

“I don’t think it will go on forever but it might. There are always new acts coming up and it’s something performers want to have on their CVs.”

For comedians, Comedy In The Dark is a good chance to learn about their relationship with the audience – especially given there’s no seeing an audience’s wincing or wavering.

The byproduct, obviously, is that the lack of visuals means physical comedians and mime artists are a no-no.

“We had a puppet show and it felt a bit weird. It felt like there was a person in the room doing lots of silly voices.

“It really is pitch black. You can’t see your hands in front of you. It’s totally immersive. No one could see the puppets or the ventriloquist’s lips not moving.

“It’s fair to say we’ll not book one again.”

Those who can’t sit still or control their bladder should try something else – for one hour it’s lock down.

Rowe says that makes for a deadly silent intensity or a rowdy, riotous rumble.

“Sometimes it is comfy and subdued like a storytelling. Other times, because the comics can’t see who is heckling, it can get chaotic.”

Rowe recalls the night in Edinburgh where the lights came on and the naked punters in the front row shocked everyone.

“The comedian had no idea. The group had obviously pre-planned it.

“I wish people did that more. Comedians often take their clothes off then the lights come on – it’s fairer that it should be shared among everybody.”

Carl Donnelly, Ed Gamble, Zoe Lyons and David Morgan are booked to play in Brighton – names Rowe reckons have the night-time chops.

“The great thing is we have no idea what is going to happen. Most of those comics coming to Brighton have done the show before so they know the format. “We have high hopes for something special in Brighton. It’s well known for being quirky, so hopefully it won’t disappoint us.”

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