Comedy That’s Not Over the Hill

L.A. Cabaret is a small comedy club in Encino that features headliners on Fridays and Saturdays and variety shows, bands and open-mike entertainment other nights. The comedians are diverse in attitude and acts, and the decor gives it an old-time feeling.

THE SCENE: It’s an intimate, comfortable place to enjoy good comedy in a Hollywood-type atmosphere, without having to go over the hill. There is a small lounge with a bar to the left of the main entrance, with a one-person stage and piano. Inside the main room there are tables and a large stage. A full menu is served in both rooms with the entrees priced at $6 for chicken and $10 for steak. Drinks are good and strong, but pricey ($4 for a beer; $4 to $5.50 for mixed drinks), and there is a two-drink minimum with admission.

THE CROWD: The age varies, from a group of college freshmen to a few middle-age couples. The rule is 16 and older and the average is mid-20s. Dress is casual, mostly jeans but also shorts and some long skirts. Audience members who weren’t part of a couple got singled out and joked about by almost every comic to hit the stage. A group of six women and a table of two men were teased ad nauseam.

THE LAUGHS: On a recent Friday night, most of the headliners were men. A lone women performed at the 11:30 p.m. show, but before her, it was all guys. “My scuba diving instructor told me, ‘Don’t bother the sharks and they won’t bother you,’ ” said comic Nick Arandes. “But, how do I know the shark isn’t saying, ‘Hey, that guy’s looking at my girlfriend.’ ” Several of the comedians agreed that the Cabaret is no different than performing at other comedy clubs across the country. One man said it may even be a little more difficult to please an audience here. “With Valley audiences, you really have to perform,” said Mel Kohl, emcee for the early show. “You really have to be a performer, a showman.”

THE GOOD: The club had a good roster of comics that night, performing improv, stand-up and impressions. Although the crowd was small, some performers used it to their advantage. And at least one woman was glad that there weren’t a lot of people: “I like it when it’s not crowded,” said April Sneed, 23, of West Hills. “It gets uncomfortable when it’s too crowded.”

THE BAD: With so few people to laugh, some comics turned to heckling audience members when their jokes fell flat and the silence was too much. Although some audience wags urged them on, for others, it was an uncomfortable moment.

THE WORD: “Who came up with the name softball?” asked Arandes. “I got hit with one of those things and they’re not soft. Why don’t they call it what it is: bigger ball?”

“This is California. Is it mandatory in this state that I have to do an O.J. joke?” asked one comic.

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L.A. Cabaret, 17271 Ventura Blvd., Encino. Shows at 7:30, 9:30 and 11:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 7:30 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays. Club opens at 6 p.m. nightly. Cover $6 weeknights, $9 weekends, with a two-drink minimum. (818) 501-3737.