Pass The Hat, Pass The Bucks

Tags: amateur comedians, Pass The Hat, Regina comedy, stand-up comedy, The Stand-Up Diaries

On the third Friday of the month in Regina, that citys collection of comedians gather at The Exchange on 7th Avenue.  Think a Lydias type of vibe but only half the size. There are two licensed rooms, the one on the left usually has a band of some sort or a live performance, while the room on the right is for the monthly phenomenon known simply as Pass The Hat.

It only holds 40 to 50 seats with standing room along the east wall and towards the back of the room.  Basically the premise is simple.  Dane Imrie runs the show, having been recognized by CBC Saskatchewan as one of the top people under 30 years of age in our province.  Sometimes he hosts while other times he will delegate that position to one of the other comics.  He sets the lineup, and if there are too many performers he will do a lottery where if your name is picked, you go on.

The number of comics usually varies from month to month, as I have seen anywhere from five to ten on a given night.  They all get a tight time limit of five minutes.  Then at the end of the night, the hat is passed around.  Whatever is collected from the audience that night is evenly distributed among the comics who performed that night.

It’s a unique atmosphere and has different sort of a vibe, one that distinguishes itself from the comedy club or the bars where we usually perform.  When I didn’t perform in Saskatoon for 18 months, it was Dane that extended an invitation for me to come and perform.

It’s a great example of teamwork.  If you ever find yourself in Regina on the third Friday of the month with a couple hours to kill in the evening, go and check out Pass The Hat.  For more information, you can check out their Facebook fan page of the same name.

It’s been a neat experience to be a part of, and I hope to be back there soon.