I'd be interested to find out which members of the BSG have tried their hand at stand up comedy, or fancy trying it sometime.
What was the experience like ?
Did you go on a course beforehand ?
How did your preformance(s) go down with the audience ?
Is anyone currently trying their hand at open mic nights ? Or has anyone actually been paid for any gigs ?
If anyone has any gigs coming up let us know, I'm sure there would be a few people interested in popping down to take a look.
I used to be a Pontins Bluecoat in 94 and tried it once then. I hated it - even though I got a few laughs. Maybe it was the size of the audience - 1200 people, half of which were screaming kids. Horrendous. I'd much rather hide behind a PC.
I was asked today whether I wanted to be in a sketch of mine that Hat Trick are filming and I turned that down too. The older I get the more cowardly I become I think. Or wise - not sure which.
Haha
I auditioned to be a Blue coat many years ago.
I don't think I'm quite extroverted enough, might have been fun though.
Lee, there are some opportunities in life that you just cannot turn down, and that is one of them. Do yourself a BIG favour, and try and get yourself back in that sketch.
Not had the bottle (or written the material) yet, but one day may...oh, it's too scary!
Agree with Catskillz, sounds like too good an opportunity to let go, Lee. At least have a go as it's filmed, no? Plus can play the character as you imagine. Anyway, good luck with the sketch regardless!
So Fred, have you done much stand up yourself?
Quote: Rob0 @ April 29 2009, 10:20 PM BSTSo Fred, have you done much stand up yourself?
I went on a course back in 2000 and did a gig at the end of it.
It went down quite well & I was buzzing for days afterwards (I've still got it on video somewhere)
Did two more performances:
One at the Piccadilly theatre for their Christamas party revue (don't ask - I died on my Arsenal)
And I did the last ever open mike night at the Cosmic comedy club In Fulham, which was won by Jarrod Christmas - who I've seen recently singing on that new pot noodle ad.
I enjoyed it immensely at the time, but never fancied taking it any further as it would have meant writing another joke.
Quote: Fred Sunshine @ April 29 2009, 9:52 PM BSTI'd be interested to find out which members of the BSG have tried their hand at stand up comedy, or fancy trying it sometime.
What was the experience like ?
Did you go on a course beforehand ?
How did your preformance(s) go down with the audience ?
Is anyone currently trying their hand at open mic nights ? Or has anyone actually been paid for any gigs ?If anyone has any gigs coming up let us know, I'm sure there would be a few people interested in popping down to take a look.
Great, Okay, Good, Okay but disappointing.
No course, the few funny things about me wouldn't adapt into a course too well(this kind of style is involved in my normal talking mannerisms http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ii6KY87xwWI ).
Brilliant with a giant lag at the end, obviously out of place but (just about) worked, lost loadsa people near instantly and won them back before losing them again, lost a contest to a person who done a direct lift of Steven Wright(but delivered like Tommy Tiernan).
Haven't done anything in a while, gonna try and be more social next year in college though so I'll hopefully get back to it. Not many places to do things here though(Galway, Ireland).
I've got loads of stand up material, but I'm not going to do anything with it until my sitcom is completed. The thought of getting up on stage terrifies me, but it's something I've just got to do one day.
Regarding the subject of the buzz of performing, I remember Paul Merton saying he was buzzing so much after his first time on stage, that he walked all the way across London, from East to West, to get home, in the early hours of the morning. Also, I think Keith Allen once said that he was so pumped up, after his first performance, that he climbed onto the top of the train he was travelling home in/on.
My one strength in standup is my absolute persistence.
My 3 main weakness's; lack of talent, hatred of the audience, everything else.
I did a routine in a burger queue in driving rain in Hull, grim basements and occaisonally people laughed.
I got paid twice.
Quote: catskillz @ April 29 2009, 11:29 PM BSTI've got loads of stand up material, but I'm not going to do anything with it until my sitcom is completed. The thought of getting up on stage terrifies me, but it's something I've just got to do one day.
Regarding the subject of the buzz of performing, I remember Paul Merton saying he was buzzing so much after his first time on stage, that he walked all the way across London, from East to West, to get home, in the early hours of the morning. Also, I think Keith Allen once said that he was so pumped up, after his first performance, that he climbed onto the top of the train he was travelling home in/on.
Material is only material when you perform it infront of an audience.
Quote: catskillz @ April 29 2009, 11:29 PM BSTI've got loads of stand up material, but I'm not going to do anything with it until my sitcom is completed. The thought of getting up on stage terrifies me, but it's something I've just got to do one day.
Regarding the subject of the buzz of performing, I remember Paul Merton saying he was buzzing so much after his first time on stage, that he walked all the way across London, from East to West, to get home, in the early hours of the morning. Also, I think Keith Allen once said that he was so pumped up, after his first performance, that he climbed onto the top of the train he was travelling home in/on.
Yeah it was like that for ages, there's few things I can think of that'd be more nerve inducing though. Most people are terrified of public speaking, let alone public speaking with the goal of getting everyone to laugh while wearing a big sign reading "I THINK I'M HILARIOUS".
I want to, and think I'm gonna have to at some stage to get anywhere in comedy.
Written loads of stuff that needs honing into a proper act, but the stage bits absolutely terrify me (as I tend to shrink back into the crowd generally)
And I've been on 'stage' with you, Fred so you can see it needs work! I thought my character of 'terrified, shaking news reporter reading from a sheet' came across spot-on the first time 
Dan
Go Dan!
Quote: swerytd @ April 30 2009, 9:12 AM BSTAnd I've been on 'stage' with you, Fred so you can see it needs work! I thought my character of 'terrified, shaking news reporter reading from a sheet' came across spot-on the first time
Dan
It was a tour de fource.
There wasn't a dry eye in the house.
Though I do do a mean Mathew Horne...
Dan
Quote: swerytd @ April 30 2009, 9:55 AM BSTThough I do do a mean Mathew Horne...
Dan
Seriously Dan you should give the stand-up a go. Maybe do a course first to get over the nerves?