Stu Murphy: Improv suggestion blocks
Published: Thursday 20th July 2023
After 30 years of playing at the Edinburgh Festival as part of improv and sketch shows, Stu Murphy has decided to move towards what scares him and try his first hour of solo stand-up...
"Waking up after surgery that's gone wrong."
"A werewolf working at Ann Summers."
"The last chocolate bar in the vending machine pleads passers-by to eat him."
These are the kinds of suggestions I get every week as an improv comic and they are particularly inventive ones at that. Yes, there's the usual cries of "dildo", "guy with tourettes" and "gynaecologist" but it's the inventive ones that spark the most joy in me. I mean, I can of course do you a gynaecologist scene if you want but it's gonna get graphic fast and you'll wish you'd never suggested it. I have no shame, you see.
People are sometimes surprised by what they can shout out with minimal thinking time and there are returning audience members who clearly have been mulling things to call out for a couple of days, bellowing them out loudly, quickly and with no small amount of pride. I love audience suggestions. Audience suggestions can be great.
But this fringe I am, for the first time, leaving all that behind me to do my first full hour of scripted stand-up in a show fittingly called DEBUT in the depths of the Tron Bar, late into the night. And I must admit, I'm a little nervous. Scratch that, I'm very nervous.
The reason is that there'll be no audience suggestions and hence no prompt as to the kind of topics that particular crowd will find funny. I've had to pre-empt what they'll go for and...gulp...write material. I know that for the vast majority of comics that confession will be met with a puzzled shrug but for me it's a pretty daunting prospect. I've invited many stand-ups to join my improv shows in the past and around 60% find it a terrifying prospect to abandon pre written gags and trust their luck as it were.
Well for me it's the other way round. I don't know whether or not anything in my life will be relatable to the audience and I'll admit to playing out scenarios in my head of non-laughing crowds simultaneously getting up to leave 10 minutes in, leaving me alone in the knowledge that I absolutely do not fit in with them and their lives.
I guess I'll just have to trust my luck and my instincts and have a little faith in my abilities that I've accrued over the past 30 years of making stuff up on the spot. I hope you'll come along and see how I do.
Of course, if anyone wants to shout something like "A blind man who's allergic to his guide dog", that would be appreciated.
Help us publish more great content by becoming a BCG Supporter. You'll be backing our mission to champion, celebrate and promote British comedy in all its forms: past, present and future.
We understand times are tough, but if you believe in the power of laughter we'd be honoured to have you join us. Advertising doesn't cover our costs, so every single donation matters and is put to good use. Thank you.
Love comedy? Find out more