Open Mic Tips

If we were to ever attempt an open mic spot, such as the one that took place at NoKu, on Pikk 5 in Tallinn, Estonia last saturday, we'd give the following pieces of advice:

1) Prepare, but don't over-prepare. Especially a precisely worded script is unnecessary. I mean run through it in your mind and out loud, and have the ideas jotted down on a piece of paper, safely esconced in your pocket just in case, but don't get hung up on a script. You can't possibly remember every single word or if you did you run the risk of becoming too mechanical.
2) Related to 1) use an economy of words, i.e. cut out all unnecessary pointers, asides, reiterations etc.
3) Related to 1) and 2) try to cut out the 'ums' and 'ers' or you run the risk of sounding like Andrus Ansip speaking English. Which isn't a good thing. Pauses and even quite long silences are preferable to this and there are some comics who make an art of this.
4) Face the audience square on. Don't focus on one part of the audience, or the other comics, or still worse, don't turn your back on an audience.
5) Don't overindulge in alcohol before, however shitting it you are. You'll just slow down even more, and run the risk of forgetting things.
6) Ad libbing can sometimes work.
7) Listen to and watch the other comics, both experience and novice. You can learn something from all of them.
8) Don't be afraid to be yourself or try something off-the-wall, especially if the two things coincide.
9) Have a good time. It's a free open mic night, it's not the London Palladium for fuck's sake.
10) Expect to be shit on your first outing (or second or third or fourth). One of our staff once worked with a guy who did standup in London for a long time; he said there was one comic on the scene who was shit. His name was Harry Hill.

So, if we ever give it a try, we'll be sure to re-visit this post..