Stand-up comedy help: Constructing your first 5 Page 5

Quote: Chris Forshaw @ August 23 2010, 5:28 PM BST

Me and a friend have made a pact to finally take the plunge and give it a go in a month or so, and this thread has helped a lot.

One big worry of mine is remembering my set though because I do one-liners exclusively. I've kind of grouped them and I think they flow well and do kind of jog my memory about what comes next, but is the only way to remember it really just to keep reading it through?

Cheers

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I was once told that with one liners, as long as you know the individual jokes, it can sometimes be easier to try to memorize the order of the punchlines.

The way I always learn anything (including songs, scrips,speeches etc) is to break it into sections. I learn them all seperately (in usually 5 sections) and then start building them together. So I will then move onto getting through sections one and two together, then build up to all 5. Then to make sure I'm 100% I try starting from the different sections- so I will talk through 2 3 4 and 5. Then 3 4 5, then 4 and 5 etc. This means that if all else fails and you blank, you're practiced in starting from a later point.

Does that actually make any sense?

Ah that could work well because it is already basically broken up into 4 sections.

I can remember the jokes individually, its just the ordering and trying to remember what goes where that throws me off.

I like the blog by the way. Very fun read

Hooray for me ! Thanks

Good luck by the way- if I pick up anything from my first gig which I think would be handy for you I'll let you know !

One big worry of mine is remembering my set though because I do one-liners exclusively. I've kind of grouped them and I think they flow well and do kind of jog my memory about what comes next, but is the only way to remember it really just to keep reading it through?
Cheers

I've seen a couple of people doing it for the first time and openly looking at their hand or a piece of paper for some prompts.... they both actually managed to turn that itself (i.e. pretending to do it on the sly but knowing it was obvious) into a joke which in itself got a good reaction.... as did telling the audience to f*** off when they rumbled him

If I were doing a large number of 1 liners I would probably try and remember it by some weird associations between each adjacent joke.... the same way I used to learn millions of cases for law exams. So if joke 1 is about teletubbies, maybe joke 2 is about bears (teletubbies look like teddy bears), then joke 3 is about sharks (animal theme), then joke 4 is about film (sharks makes you think of Jaws). The links might not be as obvious as this but as long as it makes sense in your head it doesn't matter.

Quote: Chris Forshaw @ August 23 2010, 5:28 PM BST

Me and a friend have made a pact to finally take the plunge and give it a go in a month or so....

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Same here! A drunken conversation took place when me and my mate both revealed that we both secretly wanted to do stand up. We decided to start going to a few stand up nights to get a feel for the standard, type of audience etc.... but we've been doing that for 2 months now.... and just when we decided to put our names downs we find out there's a 2 month waiting list!

Luckily my mate is on first so I can learn from his mistakes.

Nat - I think you mentioned you didn't want to post stuff as it doesn't come out right in text.... so what you could do is record it into a PC mic and upload it

Just remember have fun! Even if no one laughs enjoy yourself.

Like sex, even if your 5 minute disapoints.

F**k the audience and enjoy yourself.

And try and get a shock/laugh that's always fun.

Oooh no, you'll have to wait until after the gig now ! I've finalised my set, so if I get any feedback (positive or negative!) I might psyche myself out.

I'm sure you'll kill.

All this talk of standup has got me thinking of having another pop.

I've tried to order them so that there is a loose connection between each joke to help them flow and aid my memory, but I'm still not certain that will be enough. I'll find out I guess.

I was just asked by my friend to help her with her stuff at first, but she dragged me into it. I'm glad though because I've been thinking about doing it for a while and been writing material sporadically for ages. It's alright for her though, she's a proper performer. I don't like leaving the house!

Good luck to you two as well

Quote: sootyj @ August 23 2010, 8:49 PM BST

I'm sure you'll kill.

All this talk of standup has got me thinking of having another pop.

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By 'Another pop' I take that to mean you'd done it before ? How many gigs did you do ?

Quote: Nat Wicks @ August 24 2010, 9:43 AM BST

By 'Another pop' I take that to mean you'd done it before ? How many gigs did you do ?

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Quite a few, if you include the creepy King Of Comedy-esque gigs infront of cardboard cutout people in his basement.

Quote: Matthew Stott @ August 24 2010, 9:47 AM BST

Quite a few, if you include the creepy King Of Comedy-esque gigs infront of cardboard cutout people in his basement.

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Oh. Not just me then...

I so want to do stand up but scared to do it on my own!

GOOD LUCK NAT!!!

Thanks Charley- you should definitely give it a go ! Just so you can say you've done it once.

It would seem that I need to do very little work in learning my routine, as I've done that much work on it, I already have it off by heart ! I just need to work on the order a little as I have changed it round a bit.

Also, I've been bullied by my best friend, so I am now taking 3 people to my first gig.