You have your friends and family in constant uproar – but could you entertain a crowd of strangers? With a sea of expectant little faces staring at you in the spotlight, could you drop an outrageous funny?
One of the best ways to become a comedian and to get noticed doing it- is to attend classes. Teachers with years of experience will give insight into the world of comedy, standup and how to succeed in it.
Steve Roe teaches comic improvisation at London’s Hoopla school and feels that every comedian should start with classes. “They are a safe place to practice and experiment before getting in front of an audience.
“Classes teach you the basics of comedy and build confidence. They give you an idea of what you want to do, but after that it’s up to you, so go for it!”
Despite the idea that a standup comedian is the most confident person in the world, it has been said that some of the most successful names in comedy suffer severe stage fright. Take for example, Lee Evans, with sell out tours and such a successful career; every time he performs the great comedian still has huge problems with walking out onto the stage. Despite stuttering and sweating; he has audiences screaming with laughter. As the saying goes- practice makes perfect.
Comedy teachers believe that no lesson is quite as effective as getting on stage. Steve said: “There are loads of things you can only learn by getting out there and performing, and then getting out there and doing it again.” Hoopla finds that the students that pass through classes and step out onto the big, empty stage are getting more and more impressive. This means that the talent has just been sitting at home all these years… are you one of them?
“We had an end of course showcase last Wednesday that blew my socks off… it was one of the best shows I’ve ever seen; hilarious!”
As for those that don’t want to pay for classes, don’t worry, stand up for what you want and you shall receive.
Tony Vicich, who teaches at Comedy Schools in Los Angeles, feels that; “Anyone can run down to their local pub and talk them into doing a stand-upcomedy night. You do not need to wait for someone to hire you.”
Steve also believes that if you want it that much, you can make it work in your own way; “The power is back with the performers, so they can focus on their audience and their act.”
However, despite being able to make it on your own, Tony thinks that in order to do so you need to make sure you have the talent. “Comedy is like anything else. Some people are more naturally inclined towards it.”
Tony advises that if you’re not naturally talented at performing standup, you should get help from a pro. “A good comedy teacher is like a good guitar teacher. They can help you over some unnecessary hurdles and teach you the notes and chords.
“We have had people from our class go on to tour the US full time, play characters in sitcoms and episodic shows, do commercials, and land radio gigs. Were we the reason? Absolutely! Without us they would have died in the gutter of alcohol poisoning.”
“A good comedy teacher is like a good guitar teacher. They can help you over some unnecessary hurdles and teach you the notes and chords.”
So if you like alcohol and jokes then get yourself to a class because you’ll need all the help you can get. Or, like Tony says, you might be the next guy passed out in the gutter.
But, be careful when choosing a class to attend, as all teachers specialize in different areas: Tony’s school is specifically for standup, “We cover craft and technique, how to tell a joke and how to write a joke in detail”, whereas Steve’s class teaches improvisation.
So, you’ve taken the lessons, you’ve mastered the fundamentals of funny… what now? There are so many ways for a new standup comedian to get noticed- from local gigs to comedy competitions and festival performances, anyone can get involved.
One of the main competitions to aim for is ‘Laughing Horse New Act of the Year Competition’. With a top prize of £2000 and a number of locations including London, Glasgow and Brighton, you could go far with this title under your funny belt. The competitions previous finalists have included Russell Kane, Greg Davies, Jack Whitehall and Rhod Gilbert.
Another great competition to enter is the ‘City Life Comedian of the Year’ in Manchester. This event is open to all and boasts a great list of finalists including Peter Kay, Dave Spikey, Johnny Vegas, Jason Manford and John Bishop.
Don’t fancy a competition? Then get your name known by the ever-expanding festival crowd at the ‘Free Edinburgh Fringe Festival’. There are great 35 performance spaces across 18 venues and you could earn yourself some welcome dosh, as it pays around £50-£100 a day. Russell Kane, Alan Carr and Stewart Lee are just some of the big names that have graced the stage already.
However, you choose to find your way into the world of funny, don’t take yourself too seriously and remember to have fun. You can follow Hoopla on Twitter @Hooplaimpro.