Stand up Downfalls

restisaweapon from Don McDonald's Comedy Zone

Wed, 06/09/2010 - 00:15

(7330 Views 4 Comments)

When I think of what makes Stand up comedy so tuff I can only find a few things that are what I consider tuff in this decipline. Being in front of a crowd, large or small, brings fear into many. I don't find being in front of people to be all that scary. But what I find the most anoying is getting stuck while delivering my material. Then the presence of the crowd comes into play and makes getting stuck even harder to contend with. I find myself rabbit trailing; trying to find my way back to the track that I was on. But sometimes it is so hard to regain my place. And in worst case it leads to a freezing up.

I wonder what sort of skills or tricks other stand ups have for dealing with getting stuck. Penny for your thoughts?

Comments

5:40 pm

marbs

I think this is one instance where having a short attention span actually helps me out. In normal conversations, I find myself losing track of what I was going to say that it's become relatively easy to just run with something. Therefore, if I'm in front of a crowd and feel like I'm beginning to lose track of my schtick, I just start riffing. But, then again, I've always felt boring if I try and come up with a set list of jokes I want to use. just an observation.

5:40 pm

restisaweapon

Yeah I guess that would be and advantage to be having your thoughts move so quickly. I just do have that component Marbs. I did discover in a resent stand up piece I did where I had 10 minutes to perform. But had 17 minutes of material memorized. It ended up that moments of potential sticking ended up being covered by just moving to what I could remember in what was coming. By the time I finished I had dropped about 7 minutes of material and it worked out perfect. So I was thinking it might be a strategy to always have more material memorized than I need in order to keep the performance moving and not end up in a total seizing of the performance. (Always a big fear of mine)

10:40 pm

marbs

That's definitely a good solution to the problem, Don. I find another good solution is to constantly work on improv skills. I spent a few years with an improv group, and that helps me to think on the fly in the event i'm short on material or my planned material isn't getting quite the reaction i wanted. Also a good way to deal with hecklers. XD

3:27 am

Maverihk

I have a set of cards in my Hand, Place them in the Entrance, for customer questions, and place a few of your own for funny answers. Then when you get a block, refer to the cards, I have a few comments and questions from the audience, apologies if I don't get to yours due to time limit, but here we go. Some planted ones would be like. I don't think your funny, you should give up Comedy. Signed, MUM. I have seen more torture than this, Signed, Adolph. Question from a Teacher, Tell me something you'r not good at beginning with the letter D, and then answer, Spelling. Make some of your own up.

Stand up Downfalls