Sketchy Question?

When we write sketches on here, should we write it as a joke or write it as it should be, if professionally done?

When reviewing a sketch for someone, do you look for a good joke or do you look for a correctly written piece?

See I've just written this sketch here - https://www.comedy.co.uk/forums/thread/1931

And I think I should have made it clear what was happening from the start, in the action line.

That the John character was actually Dr. John and he was conducting a Gay & Deafness test.

But if I'd done that, the punchline would have been revealed, before you read it. And I've wrote it as you would have seen it on the TV. So it would be a better read.

Is this a bad habit? Do we need to start writing our sketches as they would be if professionally done?

I just read your sketch before reading this and whilst I didn't realise he was a doctor (I thought, for no real reason, that it was some sort of job interview) it didn't spoil the punchline. The fact that you mentioned the gay and deafness test at the end was sufficient and I think you're right, it could have spoiled the punchline, but obviously that wouldn't have been a problem on tv.

If its part of the puncline then just put man or woman until the reveal. When I look at sketches I always look at the joke/punchline rather than how its written. But formatting it in the correct way makes it look more professional, easier to read and you have more of a chance of getting it comissioned.

Yes, of course the formatting needs to be correct, I don't think there is any doubt about that.

But if a character for example needs to be revealed at the end.

MAN
Hello

BOY
Who are you?

DAD (MAN)
I'm you daddy son!

I'm sure technically he should have been known as DAD from the start, but for a reader it would of give it away.

No you put in the directions 'MAN IS REVEALED TO BE BOY'S DAD'

So it's ok for him to be known as two different names?

Well you would keep it as MAN if its a sketch, assuming its ends quickly after the reveal. For a sitcom you would probably have to use the right name from the start but in the directions make sure that it says that the character/audience aren't aware of the character's true identity.

Yeah, that makes sense.

Quote: Leevil @ May 26, 2007, 2:54 PM

So it's ok for him to be known as two different names?

View original

No. As AJP says, keep character names consistent. Never dialogue tag Fred Davies as Fred then as Davies or Fred Davies. That confuses the poor scriptreader. So when you do the reveal, still keep the name tag the same. In a sketch this is no problem.