Quote: Kaboosh @ January 5 2010, 9:37 AM GMT

Good to hear, *he wildly jumps into the conversation* I'm at the Bristol Heat for the Laughing Horse NATY in Feb *runs away, shouts from a distance* I regret nothing!

View original

In my experience, bearing in mind this was about 3 years ago, the competition shows are nearly always very well attended, although often some of the audience will be friends of the acts and as such may not laugh very much at the other acts.

Best thing to do is treat it like any other gig, enjoy it if you do well but don't get bitter when the almost inevitable travesty of justice happens and someone you think was rubbish gets through and you don't!

Winning a competition is good but there are plenty of very funny and successful comics who've never won any and never even come close.

Quote: Tony Cowards @ January 5 2010, 9:58 AM GMT

In my experience, bearing in mind this was about 3 years ago, the competition shows are nearly always very well attended, although often some of the audience will be friends of the acts and as such may not laugh very much at the other acts.

Best thing to do is treat it like any other gig, enjoy it if you do well but don't get bitter when the almost inevitable travesty of justice happens and someone you think was rubbish gets through and you don't!

Winning a competition is good but there are plenty of very funny and successful comics who've never won any and never even come close.

View original

Will bear in mind, have got a pretty decent set, which am getting paid for, which is a bonus.

I think win or lose, these are just good for getting noticed by the promoter, assuming you're any good.

Good luck!

I did a new acts comp on Saturday (a much smaller deal). There was a good turn out but it was mostly friends of the other acts as the previous poster said. I came third on the basis that the judges liked me and the audience hated me! Actually got booed when it was announced I was in the final three! Oh how destroying, but it was a really good learning experience and I reckon it was pretty good for me.

Hope you fare much better! Have fun!

I agree with Mr Cowards. treat it as a gig with potential extra benefits. It's easy to get rield up with open mic new act type competition thinies. I used to. Hence why I no longer do them.
Mind you I'm not really that new but saying that that didn't seem to stop some who used to...heh...oops I'm off again.
Anyhow the last time I did a laughing horse new act comp wotsit it was well attended and good fun. Even though I lost out to someone who did the hackiest pun ever.
Oppsey again, just can't help myself sometimes.

Quote: Kaboosh @ January 5 2010, 9:37 AM GMT

Good to hear, *he wildly jumps into the conversation* I'm at the Bristol Heat for the Laughing Horse NATY in Feb *runs away, shouts from a distance* I regret nothing!

View original

I'm in that heat also. I haven't been taking the standup too seriously, so I don't think you'll have much competition from here. I've arranged only one gig in Jan to practice and that's it. It'll be good to see you perform though!

I totally agree with Tony C that 5 and even 10 minute sets seem incredibly short now, and difficult to make as funny as longer sets. When I did my first set five minutes seemed like a lifetime.

Earls Court on 21st I think.
Am doing a practice gig tonight (at Party Piece) where I hope to run a little long, tape it and then snip for my weaker/more obvious jokes & have a really tight set. FHM won't happen twice! I also signed up for the Hackney New Act competition which has been radio silence ever since. I'm not particularly in it to win, more for the experience of playing bigger rooms and playing in front of regular crowds, rather than just other open mic acts.

I've written a fair bit of material (including some "bits" to break up the one liners) now so it would be fun to try 10 or 20 minute sets - but not till I sort out my memory issues.

Just as a bit of advance warning for anyone on here who's dabbling in stand up, I'm involved in a semi-regular comedy night in Covent Garden called "The OO Club" (pronounced Oooooh, like a very camp pantomime ghost) and in March we will be launching our antidote to comedy competitions called "The Hackneyed Empire New Hack Competition".

If anyone wants to be considered for a 5-7 minute spot please email theOOclub@hotmail.com with the subject HACKNEYED EMPIRE NEW HACK COMP and we will begin allocating heats (which will all be held in the Walkabout in Covent Garden aka The OO2 Arena).

If that wasn't exciting enough we are hoping to line up a top MC for the competition, Michael Hackintired.

Quote: thefridaylink @ January 4 2010, 4:44 PM GMT

Stoke Newington
Pangea Project
PartyPiece@gmail.com
or just turn up and ask nicely
Run by Tom Webb

I've been impressed
a) by the quality of acts on
b) by the friendly/supportive nature of audience - heckle free

It's a good place to try out new things.

Anyone done a Laughing Horse gig yet?

View original

cheers for that bud. by the way, are those 2 email addy's?
or is it just the one?
also, do they have website at all?

Quote: Tony Cowards @ January 5 2010, 2:41 PM GMT

Just as a bit of advance warning for anyone on here who's dabbling in stand up, I'm involved in a semi-regular comedy night in Covent Garden called "The OO Club" (pronounced Oooooh, like a very camp pantomime ghost) and in March we will be launching our antidote to comedy competitions called "The Hackneyed Empire New Hack Competition".

If anyone wants to be considered for a 5-7 minute spot please email theOOclub@hotmail.com with the subject HACKNEYED EMPIRE NEW HACK COMP and we will begin allocating heats (which will all be held in the Walkabout in Covent Garden aka The OO2 Arena).

If that wasn't exciting enough we are hoping to line up a top MC for the competition, Michael Hackintired.

View original

are you really doing that mr c?
forgive me but the post kinda looks like a mickey take?
what's it all about then?
is the cold making me slow today or something?

Just the one email ... computer was acting up.
Not really a website as such ... There is a Tom Webb website.
It really is Open - he will let anyone one and the varying quality is party of its charm.

Have been reading the chortle threads about pay to play/bring a buddy systems in London - which are all over ... I might try getting it together and doing some proper gigs in a bit. More begging emails I guess.

Tried stand-up last Dec and it went fine BUT the audience were all chums!

Quote: Tony Cowards @ January 5 2010, 2:41 PM GMT

Just as a bit of advance warning for anyone on here who's dabbling in stand up, I'm involved in a semi-regular comedy night in Covent Garden called "The OO Club" (pronounced Oooooh, like a very camp pantomime ghost) and in March we will be launching our antidote to comedy competitions called "The Hackneyed Empire New Hack Competition".

If anyone wants to be considered for a 5-7 minute spot please email theOOclub@hotmail.com with the subject HACKNEYED EMPIRE NEW HACK COMP and we will begin allocating heats (which will all be held in the Walkabout in Covent Garden aka The OO2 Arena).

If that wasn't exciting enough we are hoping to line up a top MC for the competition, Michael Hackintired.

View original

Seems like a piss take, not sure.

TONY!

Answers please

Quote: Chopz @ January 12 2010, 5:54 PM GMT

Seems like a piss take, not sure.

TONY!

Answers please

View original

Nope, well obviously it's a bit of a joke but it is happening, we're just confirming the dates.

Cool - in what way is it the antidote to comedy competitions? Congrats on getting Michael btw.

Quote: Stan Doubt @ January 13 2010, 11:29 AM GMT

Cool - in what way is it the antidote to comedy competitions? Congrats on getting Michael btw.

View original

In the same way that "I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue" is the antidote to panel games, oh and we have Michael Hackintired MCing not the similarly named TV comic.

I am in the Brighton heat for 'Laughing Horse - New Act Of The Year 2010'

So if anyone is around then come see me, I will even squeeze to buying you a beer.