Comedians go to great pains to put together an act (or ‘set’ as some of the hipper, younger comics prefer) that contains enough funny lines, quirky observations and flatulence jokes to entertain an audience from the moment they set foot on the stage to the moment they walk off to wring the sweat out of their stage suit.
I’ve recently been mulling over the many years I’ve spent comed-ing up and down the country and around the world, weighing-up the pros and cons.
I can’t think of any other business where, if your professionalism and hard graft is greeted by complete silence, you’ve failed.
All your prepping, writing and re-writing into the early hours, rehearsals in front of the mirror with a recording device nearby, that dreaded pre-show state of nervous agitation which for many never goes away . . . all for nothing.
Comedians and comedy experts talk about the importance of comedy ‘timing’.
They say “Bob Monkhouse was a master of timing” or “Eric and Ernie’s timing was sensational”.
The point I wanted to make (“Glad to hear you’ve got one this week, Phil”) is that I’ve never quite understood this mysterious ‘comedy timing’ in all my years trying to make people laugh – mostly succeeding.*
I just typed those last two words* with my fingers crossed.
I know about the ‘rule of three’ in comedy and the importance of pausing for comedic effect, particularly when I approach a punchline or get this close to the point of the story that will tickle the audiences collective funny bone.
I know too, how to fool an audience into thinking the story I’m telling is seemingly headed towards a risqué pay off, only for me to pull the rug from under them by taking the joke to an innocuous but nonetheless laugh-inducing ending.
I’ve said before that a comedian is like a magician. The magician physically diverts the audience’s attention away from what he’s really doing, while a comedian does it verbally.
Their diversions ensure the final ‘reveal’ will surprise and delight their audience.
Maybe I’ve got ‘timing’ but don’t realise it?
Now that would be funny!