I'm preparing for my first 5-minute open mic, and I was just wondering, do you rehearse your stuff out loud, as if performing?
I have no trouble talking in front of people - I teach students and give presentations at work, and am fairly confident projecting myself and talking at a good pace. But I find it almost impossible to talk as if to an audience, but without an audience. It just feels weird.
Do you have the same problem? How do you get round it? Can you rehearse in your head?
Yup no other way to get your timing right.
Surprisingly difficult to find somewhere to do it though.
It's essential to practice aloud.
Words and phrases that trip easily off the pen and through your mind can often stumble over your tongue and teeth. Better to find out the troublesome stuff in your bedroom than on stage at the O2.
For most comedians there should in fact be little or no difference between performing in your bedroom, performing down the local boozer and performing to a packed house at the O2. Once the spotlight (real or imagined) hits you, you're on - and your performance should be more or less the same no matter who's watching.
Clearly, different audiences will necessitate different pauses and different responses to heckles, etc, but for the most part you should know your act so well and perform it so effortlessly it's as if you're on autopilot.
OK, thanks guys.
It makes sense - I write advertising for a living and it does help to read things like radio voiceovers aloud, to get a feel for any kinks in the rhythm.
I think it's just the idea of actually performing it, not just reading aloud, that I'm getting stuck on. I'd better wait till everyone's out of the flat and then just try to get over it.
Quote: martinallangrey @ 23rd June 2015, 11:12 PM BSTkinks in the rhythm.
That would be Ray Davies.
I used to stand on a bridge near my house and perform to the canal