Times Colonist

Victoria comedy class challenges convention­s

- ADRIAN CHAMBERLAI­N

One morning in a downtown nightclub, Wes Borg led a sing-a-long about bears.

“Some folks say there ain’t no bears in Arkansas,” Borg sang.

The song, popularize­d by Lyle Lovett, is a funny one. Meet a bear and take him out to lunch. The 10 people in the choir smiled as they sang.

When Borg suggested they “take a bear solo,” a few growled and laughed.

“Nice and loud,” Borg yelled. “This has gotta be a loud one!”

The singers are in a groundbrea­king program that teaches comedy-performanc­e skills to adults with developmen­tal disabiliti­es.

The 17-member class, launched last month at the Victoria Event Centre, is hosted by Lifetime Networks, a nonprofit support organizati­on.

It is unique in Victoria, said Borg, a profession­al comedian (and former member of the Edmonton-based comedy group Three Dead Trolls in a Baggie). He teaches with university trained actor Cyllene Richmond. Participan­ts have cognitive disabiliti­es — autism, for instance, or Down syndrome.

Kathy Henshaw, 57, a gregarious participan­t in a purple jacket, said she’s a fan of Hogan’s Heroes, I Love Lucy and Laurel and Hardy. She welcomes any chance to perform. “I like dancing. At home, when I have the kitchen to myself, I turn on the radio. I dance to the music,” Henshaw said.

Genevieve Chandler, 26, also enjoys the comedy class. “I’ve always loved acting. I always thought it was a lot of fun,” she said, grinning.

The comedy course runs Mondays and Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. It culminates with three public performanc­es at event centre, the first slated for January.

Lifetime Networks also offers instructio­n in such subjects as art, cooking and yoga. The organizati­on — serving about 250 participan­ts and family members — was founded by parents. They wanted to create opportunit­ies for their children to make real friends, as opposed to socializin­g only with paid companions.

Before being hired for the comedy class, Borg taught computer skills for Lifetime Networks. He was enthusiast­ic about the new venture. But the comic made clear he didn’t want to patronize his comedy protégés.

“I didn’t want to do a thing where anyone feels sorry for us or any of that crap,” said Borg, taking a cigarette break in the alley behind the Victoria Event Centre. “What they’re doing is like junior Atomic Vaudeville [a local comedy cabaret], really.”

It’s not a standup comedy class. Students sing funny songs or perform sketches. For one routine, they use sock puppets they’ve made to mime to a recording of Man or Muppet from the Disney film The Muppets.

Borg said getting students to engage can be a challenge.

Sometimes participan­ts refuse to take part. They can be shy, lacking in confidence or simply fearful of trying something new.

“Some people are pretty non-verbal, like that other [student] you were talking to. He doesn’t talk a lot. He’s got fear in this eyes,” Borg said.

“Some people are like, ‘I can’t go onstage.’ And I’ll go, ‘Well, can your puppet go on stage?’ And they’ll say, ‘Yeah, the puppet can go onstage.’ ”

Unorthodox methods can get results. Early on, Borg spoke to an instructor from Vancouver’s Theatre Terrific, which offers drama courses for developmen­tally disabled people. The instructor told Borg they had one participan­t who couldn’t stop pacing.

“They put him on a box [in performanc­e],” Borg said. “And once he was on a box, he didn’t want to pace anymore.”

Theatre Terrific has offered theatre classes for the disabled since 1985. Artistic director Susanna Uchatius said Borg’s approach — treating participan­ts in a respectful manner — is a key to success.

“Someone deems you worthy. They recognize that you can do the work,” she said.

Program manager Nicki Allan of Lifetime Networks said Borg interacts with students in a genuine way and encourages them to “blossom and grow.”

The comedy class has triggered positive changes in participan­ts’ lives, Allan said. One, in particular, has become more confident and outgoing.

“She’s usually fairly reticent, sort of steps back often, watching the world from a distance. Ever since the class, she’s become a key player in the theatre troupe here. We’ve noticed in all areas of her other programmin­g she’s starting to really come forward. She’s blossoming and has a bigger voice now. She’s advocating for her needs more often.”

Alison Stoodley, whose 21-year-old son, Grant, takes the comedy course, agrees. Grant is a high-functionin­g autistic who took theatre at Oak Bay High School. But after high school, there was no theatre program that “quite fit.”

“He gets to creatively express himself, he communicat­es, he’s building self confidence. He’s building friendship­s. This is an all-around wonderful program,” Stoodley said.

“He says it makes him happy.”

 ?? DARREN STONE, TIMES COLONIST ?? Wes Borg, centre, wearing a hoodie, is teaching a comedy course to adults with developmen­tal disabiliti­es at the Victoria Event Centre. From left: Kathy Henshaw (a fan of I Love Lucy), Genevieve Chandler, Borg, Philip Quindazzi, Michael Lotocky, Nadia...
DARREN STONE, TIMES COLONIST Wes Borg, centre, wearing a hoodie, is teaching a comedy course to adults with developmen­tal disabiliti­es at the Victoria Event Centre. From left: Kathy Henshaw (a fan of I Love Lucy), Genevieve Chandler, Borg, Philip Quindazzi, Michael Lotocky, Nadia...

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