Last night I did a gong show called Rawhide Raw in Liverpool at the Royal Court Theatre. That's not as grand as it may sound - the gig was actually in the downstairs bar to about 60 or 70 people.
As gong shows go it's a pretty good one for learning the trade.
For a start, it's a small crowd and small crowds are much more difficult to warm up. They are more self-conscious about laughing out loud and you have to get most of them laughing before you get a critical mass. With a bigger crowd of say 250, you only need 20% of them to laugh and it lifts everyone else. So a smaller crowd is a much better measure of how good (or bad) you really are - there's nowhere to hide.
Also, the format at Rawhide is different. You get five minutes grace before the audience are allowed to gong you, which gives you time to try out material and to build rapport. This is invaluable stage time.
So how did I get on? Well the bell sounded to mark the end of my 5 minute grace period. And then the gong sounded one second later and I left the stage. I might be exaggerating - it may have been less than a second.
What went wrong?
1. I didn't establish rapport with the audience.
2. My opening line fell flat on its face.
3. Some of my jokes were shit.
4. I think I scared the girls in the front row.
What went well?
1. I now have a few gags that have worked every time - that's a good start.
2. I also have a few that have consistently bombed and will never see the light of day again.
3. I got a very big (and prolonged) laugh for an ad-lib. I am good at them and I now realise I need to be a bit more spontaneous.
4. I wasn't nervous and I didn't feel humiliated when I didn't get a laugh - just a bit frustrated
5. I still want to be a comedian.
6. I did actually get a few good laughs.
What next?
1. I need to work at rapport - I think I'm a bit preachy on stage. I need to connect more and to relax a bit and smile once in a while.
2. I need a solid gold opening line - I had a really bad start last night.
3. I need to ditch about 50% of my material and sharpen up the other 50%
Better get on with it then.
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3 comments:
I agree that you are funniest when you are relaxed and (often) off script...so relax on stage, what's so hard about that???
I tried to be a writer once and one of the best pieces of advice given to me was given when I failed to complete a piece because I got fed up with it: "if you're bored writing it, think how we must feel having to read it!"
Have fun on stage and if you're not the chances are the audience aren't either.
You have a unique view of life (who else combines being a business analyst with comedy and Buddhism?) and I for one would like to experience more of your observations from that unique perspective.
Keep going - Mary and I are counting on you for another great night out!
Thanks for the great comment Guy.
Yes I have been thinking about bring a bit more of my own personal experience into the act, particularly Buddhism. I think I'll start to move more in that direction now that I've got over the initial hurdle of getting used to being on stage.
Just so impressed that you are learning so much and not getting nervous on stage and getting back out there again and again.
By the time I get back to England next you are gonna have it polished and fabulous, and I want to come to a gig.
Besos, sis-in-law-to-be
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