Getting Started in Stand Up

Okay, as some of you have seen I've posted my first stab at writing stand up on critique and have got some pretty constructive feedback. - Thanks everyone who has commented, most useful.

Can anyone give me (and others who have posted recently) advice on the following.

1. How to write better stuff.

2. How to go about performing.

3. How to go about giving the first performance – I'm assuming an open mic evening somewhere.

4. How and when ( assuming it goes well, and I don't shit myself too much) do you go from open mic to paid gigs. Do you get approached or do you going marketing? What is a reasonable fee?

Thank you

Anyone who would like to read my "effort" here is the link https://www.comedy.co.uk/forums/thread/13636

Hi Bigfella

I wouldn't worry about the getting paid bit yet - it can take about 1 - 2 years on average and that's if you gig several times a week, every week. You might get the odd £20 or whatever here and there before then though. There's loads of competition for gigs.

Just keep writing and trying stuff out. Make sure you have loads of jokes in the set you try out first. Try it and see what works. If something doesn't get a laugh at 2 or 3 gigs bin it. If you're really struggling, do knob jokes - they're lazy, but they're a fail safe for any drunken audience.

Rehearse loads. In front of family, friends, the mirror. Even if you're not a hugely confident or even hilarious person a bit of charm and/or likeabilty goes a long way. People will want to laugh at you then.

Ring around local open mic places now. I don't know what it's like where you live, but in London they book months in advance. Some people will not even get back to you - even though you're offering your services for nothing. Pick the less rough pubs and gigs that caharge an entrance fee. Gigs where the audience haven't paid to see you are notoriously difficult - often they just want to watch the footie on the big screen.

Most all remember to breath and just go out there and do it!

Thanks Dolly good advice.

Oh yeah, I'm not really fused about the pay bit obviously at the moment - but I always like to know what can be achieved at the end of the rainbow as it were - I'm an old romantic really.

My problem will be the first gig. I do have a slight stutter, so slight that you most likely wouldn't notice it unless I mentioned it.
But the thing is that stress, makes it worse. Nerves and all that.
The big problem is that I know I have it. Which plays on my mind.

I do make referance in it in my first gag..so I get it out the way.

I guess the only solution is to get up and do it. I need to find a nice open mic gig in Sevenoaks / Tunbridge Wells area.

Go for it!

I have a very slight stutter when I'm tired. I also do loads of Ums and ers. But when I'm doing a rehearsed set I find I don't do it because I know exactly what I'm going to say.

Don't expect to get paid for your first year. Infact just getting gigs will be a struggle. Do a course there's some good ones out there, it'll shave months off your development.
Get your material as right as you can on paper, memorise and rehearse it. The amount of effort that it takes to get a good 5 minutes on stage is high.

But if as you seem quite an organised person why not start your own comedy night? Easier than you think.

Also your first few gigs will suck something rotten.

You could always get a slot at King Gong but that's not something I'd reccomend.

Also standup is a performance art. A mistake I always make is I focus on writing not performing. So where as my carefully constructed gags die a death, the other guy slays 'em with a gag off the Ark.

Quote: Dolly Dagger @ June 22 2009, 8:26 PM BST

Go for it!

I have a very slight stutter when I'm tired. I also do loads of Ums and ers. But when I'm doing a rehearsed set I find I don't do it because I know exactly what I'm going to say.

View original

Yeah. Thats the bloody problem, my stutter is always worse when I am "tied" to the words I use. If I'm just talki ng then it is fine.

Then again I think loads of great comics have a little stutter. Rowan Akinson, Michael Palin is the president of the stuttering society or something.

As you say the only solution is to go for it.

Any recommendations on the course Sooty?

Thank you Griff, yeah I did the Laughing Horse one and it was good for me as I had 2 days workshopping my stuff with other peeps while learning some new writing techniques and at the end I had to get up and perform 5 minutes in front of a pub full of people. (I might have bottled out putting my name down at some other night)

I would go to an open mic night take in the vibe and think to yourself after a few acts "could I get up there now?" then go back the following week and put your name down.

With the stutter and nerves everyone gets nervous and my way of dealing with it is to remind myself of my purpose and being clear on why I want to do it helps settle me down a lot and once I'm on stage no nerves at all.

I would advise you to give it a bash as you could love it and feel real proud of yourself, the worst that can happen is no-one laughs and that 5 minutes seems like 10, the world still revolves, family and friends still think you're great and it was only your 1st bloody time so no biggie!

Good luck and keep us posted

I've just finished Chris Head's stand up course and I'd definitely recommend it.

Has anyone ever come up against a really thick audience, who just don't get the jokes?

Yeah some of my audiences have reacted really bad to my greatest jokes! What are the chances of getting 40 thick individuals in the same room together?

Actually it was a mencap gig

Quote: catskillz @ June 23 2009, 11:03 AM BST

Has anyone ever come up against a really thick audience, who just don't get the jokes?

View original

Said Adolf Hitler to Hermann Goering?

Not read your stand-up routine, but generally from someone who does it for a living...

1. How to write better stuff.
write and rewrite. the old formula.

2. How to go about performing.
not sure what you mean. Look in listings magazines for numbers to book gigs or on Chortle.

3. How to go about giving the first performance – I'm assuming an open mic evening somewhere.
do your first few gigs at open mic nights but try and get on the bill at better clubs so you can watch better acts. It might mean driving an act maybe. Mirth Control will put you on anywhere if you drive.
Don't take advice from 'professional' open mic acts. There's a reason they have gone no further.

4. How and when ( assuming it goes well, and I don't shit myself too much) do you go from open mic to paid gigs. Do you get approached or do you going marketing? What is a reasonable fee?
It will all start to become clear as you gig. It's a bit of both. Expect to start earning petrol expenses and then maybe £20 to close an open mic night. But if you stick with it for a few years and you get good then expect to make upwards of £200 for a set on the weekends. This can be bettered by doing two or more clubs a night plus, if you're lucky, the very lucrative corporate market which seems to have taken a bit of a hit at the moment. Get in with CSA and they'll send you over to Afghanistan or the Falklands for serious wedge.

but most importantly of all - have fun. If you can do that then you've won half the battle.

All good advice - thanks folks.