“YES, AND…” is the rule-of-thumb response in improv comedy. It’s also a great way to lead. The ‘yes’ immediately encourages the acceptance of the contributions added by others, rather than shutting down the views of others, and the ‘and’ opens the contribution for further positive refinement. The words ‘no’ and ‘but’ are the polar opposites. Listening to others is a valuable leadership skill. Comedy can …
(Updated November 24, 2024) Adelaide has a small number of open mic comedy rooms, but new rooms open up regularly, and newbies are strutting the boards weekly. Here’s a current list, which also includes those that are curated: MONDAYS TUESDAYS WEDNESDAYS THURSDAYS FRIDAYS SATURDAYS SUNDAYS If you’re interested in becoming a Hard Knock Knocks graduate, be sure to join our …
Can you teach someone how to be funny? Theoretically, yes. The funny bone is not a womb. It’s not present in some people, but not in others. However, there is a definite pre-existing condition that gives a clear indication, like height for a jockey or basketballer, that a career in comedy is more likely. So what is that condition that …
A comedian could kill on one night, but bomb on another, with the only difference being the audience. Conducting an AUDIENCE analysis, ahead of your gig, is one way you can increase the chance that you will kill in stand-up comedy. Here’s the eight letters of the acronym explained: Attentiveness Comedians are not always the centre of attention. Sometimes it’s …
How many Indians does it take to change a light bulb? Hey listen, we have one point three billion, take as many as you want. Alright alright, not a great joke, but then again, I never was funny. I was never the funny kid; I was the shy kid, the kid who sat in the corner and laughed at funny …
We’ve all been there. It’s new years eve, and armed with one too many chardonays we announce to complete strangers that this year we’re going follow our dreams! *hick* And this year, our new year’s resolution is going to be…perform stand-up comedy! There’s one of two scenarios at this point. ONE Your friends start laughing at you (notice: not with …
Keynote speaker Sir Ken Robinson’s TED Talk titled ‘Do schools kill creativity?‘ has been watched over 63 million times. It’s the most watched keynote speech of all time, and it’s also hilarious. At the time of writing, the best Bill Gates had been able to achieve was 5.5 million, Larry Page and Sergey Brin of Google, 1.8 million, and even …
The Australian comedy circuit is tough. Unlike the US, where large comedy-club-supporting cities are separated by a few hours drive, it can take a day, or longer to get to the next audience in Oz. Worst still, these towns (yes, normally towns), are not linked by air, but by long, boring single lane roads and zero visual inspiration. How to …
Your last presentation would have been a raging success. The introduction was confident, your structure clear, and your conclusion evoked a hearty applause. “Are there any questions?” you asked, as you beamed confidence…
