Book description
Performing Live Comedy is for anyone who has ever thought about getting
up onstage and being funny or for those who have already started. It
offers a breakdown of the process of live comedy and provides a basic
toolbox for the student and aspirant comedian, covering all aspects of
live comedy such as stand-up, music, double acts, ventriloquists and
magicians. Gender, sexuality, ethnicity and disability are also covered
in this book as well as ethical considerations on what we should or
should not joke about. The book breaks down the entire process of live
comedy from writing a simple one-liner to creating a complete act, from
organizing an open spot at the local comedy club to getting into the
Edinburgh Festival and running your own venue. Performing Live Comedy is
full of advice and original interviews with comedians and writers
currently involved in the comedy industry such as Shazia Merza, Henning
Wehn, Ed Aczel, Paul Zerdin and Lucy Greaves. Chris Ritchie created
the innovative Comedy: Writing and Performance degree at Southampton
Solent University. He is the principal editor of Comedy Studies Journal
(Intellect) and has been lecturing on the performance, writing and
mediation of stand-up comedy since 1994.
