From the first time Byron Bertram did a stand up comedy gig he loved it. That was 20 years ago.
What he enjoys most is the love from the crowd.
“Telling people stuff that they identify with and cracking them up it’s just really an amazing feeling. It’s a drug, making people laugh and giving them some excitement and joy,” said the comedian.
Bertram grew up as an only child in an artistic household and attended a school for the performing arts as a teen. He also watched a lot of comedy.
He has an innate ability to impersonate people and accents that he practised by impersonating teachers at school when he was a child. He admits that in high school he became a class clown.
Now Bertram has travelled the world with his comedy. He has been to England, Ausralia, Scotland, Belgium, Holland, the Isle of Man, the United States, Dubai, Japan and Hong Kong.
London, England is his favourite place, he says, because of the British ability to laugh at themselves.
Bertram is bringing his comedy show to the ACT in Maple Ridge. His show will touch on topics like travel, mental health, sports and the human condition.
He enjoys talking most aboutmental health.
“Just the inner workings of it, the human condition, the mind, how it can go to dark places or funny places,” said Bertram.
”A lot of comedians are really insular, social awkward, neurotic weirdos that aren’t exuberant at all,” he said.
“I’m more outgoing,” he laughed.
The Byron Bertram Comedy Show takes place at 8 p.m. on Nov. 10 at the ACT Arts Centre, 11944 Haney Place in Maple Ridge.
Doors open at 7 p.m..
Tickets are $28.50 for adults, $26 for seniors and $25 each for a group of ten or more.
Partial proceeds from ticket sales will be going towards the Friends In Need Food Bank.
For more information call 604-476-2787 or go to theactmapleridge.org.