British Comedy Guide

My Attempt at Stand Up

I've never done stand up in my life, I've never written anything for it either until now, so would appreciate some feed back on if this is how you would go about it, etc. Also this is a "outline" of what would be said, obviously it would be delivered in a more natural way than it is written.

Thanks:

Hi guys. Sorry I'm late. Nearly didn't make it at all to be honest. My Grandfather died the other week, and his funeral was today, so you know.

I seem to be surrounded by death lately. My grandfather's dog died last week and then my Grandfather. The romantic in me likes to think that my Grandfather died of a broken heart, you know after his beloved dog died. However the realist in me knows that it was probably when the dog pulled them both under the bus, but like I say I'm a romantic at heart. I like to think that, as my Grandfather saw the wheels of the bus roll over the dogs head, and he was pulled under, he thought to himself "I couldn't live without that dog anyway", and he sort of welcomed death with open arms. Though witnesses did say that his final words were "you stupid f**king dog". Which kind of taints it for me really.

It's a shame though. He took that dog everywhere. Her name was Gladys, after my late Grandmother. My mother had bought her for him after my Nan died, so he wouldn't get lonely. So he named it after my Nan. My mother thought that was a lovely gesture. She even insisted we call in Nana. Which took a bit of getting used, but once they gave the dog a blue rinse and made it wear horn rimmed glasses it only seemed natural.

It did cause a bit of a stir with the neighbours at first. Especially the ones in number 43. They'd been on holiday when my Grandmother had died. They knew she was ill, but when they got back and heard the Grandkids shouting from the kitchen "Grandad, nana's wee'd on the floor again" and my Grandfather reply "Just rub her nose in it, and throw her in the garden. She has to bloody learn. Also give a whack with the news paper." Social services were around in no time. It worked out ok.

Like I said, my Grandfather became very attached to Gladys the dog. To him it was like my nan was still alive. And to us I suppose. I remember going round one Sunday afternoon for lunch. My Grandfather had come home from the pub drunk and in a foul mood. Nana just give him one of her looks and carried on making the dinner. And they say poodles are supposed to be stupid. Not this one. She could cook a roast like Delia Smith. A bit heavy handed with the salt in my opinion, but top notch besides that. However on this particular day my Grandfather found fault with everything. He stomped around the house shouting things like "Why is this house not as clean as it used to be?" "Why don't darn my socks anymore?" "Why are you more adventurous in bed these days?" Things like that, you know, which used to hurt poor nana's feelings. But they got on with things like everyone does.

They did however have to stop my grandfather from sending nana to pick us up from school. The teachers said it wasn't safe, even if nana was wearing a high vis vest.

Some advice from a complete novice (although I have been on courses)-

1.Read your routine out loud until the first punchline
2.Identify that punchline and go back through set up and remove any information that is surplus to requirements (even if it is just 1 word)

I say this this as I like the gags and for a first attempt this is ace, however it badly needs editing as watching this live I would go upto the bar and ask for a pint of dog and a packet of grandads!

You don't want to lose people through repetition and info that doesn't improve the punchline.

Good work fella!!

Very funny, Wayne. A well written script filled with comedy, pathos and surreality.

Oh, and this part would work brilliantly in a sitcom - especially if the real 'Nana' was not quite dead yet:

'They knew she was ill, but when they got back and heard the Grandkids shouting from the kitchen "Grandad, nana's wee'd on the floor again" and my Grandfather reply "Just rub her nose in it, and throw her in the garden. She has to bloody learn. Also give a whack with the news paper."

Great stuff!

Quote: wayne lewis @ October 1 2008, 10:05 AM BST

Hi guys. Sorry I'm late. Nearly didn't make it at all to be honest. My Grandfather died the other week, and his funeral was today, so you know.

Bummer. Would you have to arrive late on stage?

Quote: wayne lewis @ October 1 2008, 10:05 AM BST

I seem to be surrounded by death lately. My grandfather's dog died last week and then my Grandfather. The romantic in me likes to think that my Grandfather died of a broken heart, you know after his beloved dog died. However the realist in me knows that it was probably when the dog pulled them both under the bus, but like I say I'm a romantic at heart. I like to think that, as my Grandfather saw the wheels of the bus roll over the dogs head, and he was pulled under, he thought to himself "I couldn't live without that dog anyway", and he sort of welcomed death with open arms. Though witnesses did say that his final words were "you stupid f**king dog". Which kind of taints it for me really.

Unless you have an amazing, instantly likable, confident stage presence and you know exactly how to deliver a long opening joke, I don't think you would be able to comfortable pull this off. Also it's not funny, to be blunt (sorry) I don't think it's bad, keep at it and all that. But i think you need to have a LOT more gags or great storytelling ability.

Quote: wayne lewis @ October 1 2008, 10:05 AM BST

It's a shame though. He took that dog everywhere. Her name was Gladys, after my late Grandmother. My mother had bought her for him after my Nan died, so he wouldn't get lonely. So he named it after my Nan. My mother thought that was a lovely gesture. She even insisted we call in Nana. Which took a bit of getting used, but once they gave the dog a blue rinse and made it wear horn rimmed glasses it only seemed natural.

It did cause a bit of a stir with the neighbours at first. Especially the ones in number 43. They'd been on holiday when my Grandmother had died. They knew she was ill, but when they got back and heard the Grandkids shouting from the kitchen "Grandad, nana's wee'd on the floor again" and my Grandfather reply "Just rub her nose in it, and throw her in the garden. She has to bloody learn. Also give a whack with the news paper." Social services were around in no time. It worked out ok.

Like I said, my Grandfather became very attached to Gladys the dog. To him it was like my nan was still alive. And to us I suppose. I remember going round one Sunday afternoon for lunch. My Grandfather had come home from the pub drunk and in a foul mood. Nana just give him one of her looks and carried on making the dinner. And they say poodles are supposed to be stupid. Not this one. She could cook a roast like Delia Smith. A bit heavy handed with the salt in my opinion, but top notch besides that. However on this particular day my Grandfather found fault with everything. He stomped around the house shouting things like "Why is this house not as clean as it used to be?" "Why don't darn my socks anymore?" "Why are you more adventurous in bed these days?" Things like that, you know, which used to hurt poor nana's feelings. But they got on with things like everyone does.

They did however have to stop my grandfather from sending nana to pick us up from school. The teachers said it wasn't safe, even if nana was wearing a high vis vest.

I do like the ideas being thrown around here, but it needs to be funnier and a lot more polished. But you're off to a good start, keep going.

I know nothing about writing stand-up but I laughed a few times during that and I reckon it's really good.

Maybe could have ended on a bigger laugh as the dog/grandma mixup jokes had been used a few times by the end. And I didn't think the first line was clear enough if it was a joke (i.e. missing the funeral to be there).

Pretty good for the most part, liked the blue rinse bit. The ending could be stronger though.

The delivery is almost as important as the material, look at Eddie Izzard talking about jam.

My advice would be video it (don't worry about the quality) and then put it up here so we can critique the act. Otherwise you could have great material but tell it awfully and die on stage anyway.

Good luck, kudos to anyone attempting stand-up.

It could be great with a lugubrious, straight-faced delivery. Ideally with a Welsh accent.

As Daddy Maz says, you need to heavily edit everything that leads up to the punchlines.

These are the lines where I think you'd get the laughs:

it was probably when the dog pulled them both under the bus

Though witnesses did say that his final words were "you stupid f**king dog"

once they gave the dog a blue rinse and made it wear horn rimmed glasses it helped

rub her nose in it, and throw her in the garden

Nana just give him one of her looks

"Why are you more adventurous in bed these days?"

-- and possibly the bit with the dog cooking dinner, but only with the right delivery (and that would depend on your general stage "character")

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I feel that some of your build ups are a bit too complicated, and you might lose people with unnecessary details. For instance, the third paragraph had me reeling with all the mentions of mother, Nana, grandmother and Gladys - I got a bit confused (and I'm not even drunk, as your audience probably will be). I'd suggest cutting it right down to something like this:

"He got the dog after my grandmother died, kind of a replacement. He even insisted that we call it Nana. That was a bit weird at first, but when he gave it a blue rinse and glasses it helped."

I mean, not THAT. Ignore THAT. But, you know, something more or less entirely like that, but not the same. Or not. Do you know what I mean? etc

I do even after your last paragraph ;)

Thanks all. Reading over it again I can see how parts may be confusing and also that it needs servere triming, to make it punchier, etc. Many thanks to all those who took the time to read this and comment. Much appreciated. I will go and trim it, and hopefully make it funiier.

Thanks again.

Really liked this, first attempt or no, think Mike Greybloke identified the main funny bits.

Aside from that, as ever with stand up, it's going to depend a lot on delivery and your voice and style. Maybe if you record it you can see how the pacing feels and fine-tune it better.

The nearly being late start might give you added pressure to start off, though being nervous/breathing quickly might be quite nicely covered by the "rushed from the funeral" line, and give you a moment to collect yourself.

Inspiring though, would to try and write some stand-up material at some point, but don't think could get near this at a first try. Good luck with it!

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