British Comedy Guide

Town Heads.. Daggers at Dawn. Page 2

Quote: charley rance @ June 4, 2007, 3:32 PM

I mean does a sketch always have to end with a joke? I dont know.
Who can answer that for me?

I think you need a big laugh (usually the biggest) at the end. The other jokes should just build up to it. If it doesn't, people will always say 'showed promise but kind of fizzled out' and if it does 'That was FANTASTIC!'.

The more you write, the more apparent this becomes.

Think of/watch your favourite sketches and sketch shows and you'll see they do.

Just my thoughts.

Dan

To be honest, I found it a little old fashioned and twee.

Cheers Dan & thanks for the comment Winterlight. That was actualy cool you found it old fashioned because thats how I wanted it to appear. They are old folks. I have this need to turn a really old couple into wannabe youngsters but I dont think that will be very charming.

Thanks to all who commented. I have taken all on board.

Sketches don't have to have punchlines just look at Spike Milligan and Monty Python. I wouldn't worry about punchlines as they can be added later. What can't be added, and what you already have, is three dimensional characters that the audience immediately understand and empathise with. So in short worry about punchlines when you redraft.

You could always get someone else to write the actual punchline although I think they work Ok.

Somone wants a job

Quote: ajp29 @ June 5, 2007, 6:32 AM

Sketches don't have to have punchlines just look at Spike Milligan and Monty Python. I wouldn't worry about punchlines as they can be added later. What can't be added, and what you already have, is three dimensional characters that the audience immediately understand and empathise with. So in short worry about punchlines when you redraft.

I'm not sure I completely agree with the above. Spike had been established a long time and the Pythons had killer links to add continuity. All of them had been established as writers before Python came into being.

As an aspiring writer producing written sketches, I think it pays to have a punchline if at all poss, unless you are offering a group of sketches as a finished project.

Although saying all that, Charley could present this lot as a whole series.

i say shalom to those that are blessed

you are i was going to say why not mention meat and 2 veg...

but you did

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