Hi all, trawled for ages looking for this subject, but couldn't find it.
I have my first open spot coming up next month and I need to start putting my material together into a coherent 5 minute set.
I'm looking for tips!
I already know the standard "end on your funniest joke, start with your second" and "a laugh every 30 seconds", but does anyone have any other pearls of wisdom?
Anything is greatly appreciated.
Try to construct a vague narrative to your set, that way it's easier to remember and easier for the audience to follow.
For instance I'm currently re-working my 20 minute set and I've structured it so that I start off with two quick jokes about my day (obviously they haven't really happened to me that day but for the purposes of comedy), then I introduce myself, do a couple of jokes about my name and where I'm from, then move into material about my family, then where I live and my relationship, then jobs, gigs etc, etc until I get to the finish which is just a few of my best gags (but still in a vaguely logical sequence) strung together into another mini-section.
Don't worry too much about linking but make sure you know what comes next and rehearse, rehearse, rehearse.
If you know your material inside and out then that frees up your brain to think of other things whilst you are performing, that way if something funny happens in the room you can address it without having to concentrate on not forgetting what comes next in your set.
When you first perform 5 minutes seems like a long time but to me now, it's barely time to come on stage, introduce myself and do a handful of gags!
Brilliant, thanks Tony, really appreciate the advice.
The stuff I have at the moment is pretty well grouped; I've got a couple of minutes on my home town and childhood (the standard things), then a bit on moving away which ties in, and a one and a half min 'anecdote' (complete with jokes, but needs a stronger payoff at the end). I think I should be able to seg them all together easily enough.
I'm pretty good at memorising, thankfully, I did a load of plays and singing in school and college and never forgot a word ! Of course, I never got heckled...
Is is a good idea to have some heckler comebacks in the pocket ? You know, just to be on the safe side..
Hmmm...my own personal view is that 5 minutes doesn't really give you time to deal with heckling so unless it's really disruptive I would just ignore it, and, to be honest, heckling is fairly rare anyway (certainly "nasty" heckling is very rare).
Perhaps just have a response or two ready, but the most important thing if you are going to respond to a heckle is to first repeat the heckle into the microphone, this does two things 1) it allows the entire audience to hear the heckle and 2) it gives you an extra moment or two to think up a response.
Also remember that with spontaneous stuff, including heckle responses, you don't necessarily have to be that clever just reasonably quick, the audience will give you extra credit for doing something "off script", oh and also, if you do think of something very funny then make sure you make a note of it for future use, I've had improvised heckle responses that have eventually become part of my set.
Most of all, be confident and at enjoy it (or fake it so that you look like you're enjoying it), because if you're not then neither will the audience.
Have fun and let us know how you get on. 
Thanks Tony, I shall keep everyone updated.
Via the medium of dance..
Or the blog. Either way.
Good luck & I look forward to hearing how it went.
I'm not really one for self-help books, far too arrogant for that, but have read Gene Perrett's step-by-step comedy writing - it's really good. Specific chapters on crafting you stand-up routine as well as loadsa other stuff.
Best of luck!
Phanks guysh !
Quote: Rick Allden @ July 27 2010, 7:15 AM BSTI'm not really one for self-help books, far too arrogant for that, but have read Gene Perrett's step-by-step comedy writing - it's really good. Specific chapters on crafting you stand-up routine as well as loadsa other stuff.
Best of luck!
I can vouch for that book, it is good. I 'borrowed' a copy off Ben Ricketts about three years ago and it's still on my book shelf.
Note: Ben- do you want it back? and hows tricks?....I should PM you really shouldn't I.
P.S. I have no authority to vouch for anything. Good luck with the standup.
You can keep the book, man! PM me, man!
Will do man!
Quote: Nat Wicks @ July 26 2010, 11:14 AM BSTHi all, trawled for ages looking for this subject, but couldn't find it.
I have my first open spot coming up next month and I need to start putting my material together into a coherent 5 minute set.
I'm looking for tips!
I already know the standard "end on your funniest joke, start with your second" and "a laugh every 30 seconds", but does anyone have any other pearls of wisdom?
Anything is greatly appreciated.
In a single word - just relax...
Prescription drugs ?
I've done stand-up here in Rome and the funny thing is, once you get your first laugh it's not only doable but enjoyable. The audience are lovely though, they're usually friends and relatives and ready to piss themselves at a moment's notice.
The best advice for me came from Logan Murray's 'Teach Yourself Stand-Up', where he insists most crowds are there to like you so relax and give 'em the benefit of the doubt! It's kinda like a party, you and the audience WANT to have fun so you force yourself a little bit. Hence the clichés, kick off with a sure-fire gag to get you and the viewers in the mood and sling out any dead wood.
The other thing is to know your stuff as well as poss, that way you'll feel more psychologically prepared and this'll show. It also means you can enjoy yourself and deal with the audience instead of just reciting a script at them.
Oh and don't get pissed as a fart before.
Thanks for the words of wisdom, Michael. I have 3 weeks now- I'm getting increasingly excited/nervous !
I'm struggling to find a really sure fire killer joke for the opening- I'm performing in Newcastle but I'm from Middlesbrough, which is a bit of a 'joke town' as far as Geordies are concerned, so I was planning on opening with my section about my home town. As long as the audience is mainly locals, that should go down pretty well..
I wish I was good at one liners- my material is mainly 3 liners and anecdotes, so hard to pick on standalone bit to open on.