July 2024: How do I look?

Because Sometimes Jokes Aren't Enough

If you follow me on instagram, you will probably know that I bought a new hat. It’s a pretty big deal but not what this newsletter is about.

The Female Comedian Starter Kit

I am guilty of relying too heavily on my joke writing and not enough on the sell to get laughs. The jokes are my favourite part. Solving a word puzzle and then standing on stage and saying “look how clever I am”. I will never get sick of that.

Sometimes before it’s my turn to go on stage, I watch a larger than life comedian kill with what is essentially loud noises and arm movements and I think “why is that funny?”. Sometimes I don’t think it, I say it out loud and then realise that should have been an inside thought. Watching a comedian invisible door kicking their way through drinking stories might not be your cup of tea, but we can learn a lot from the sell of a comedian who is zero material and 100 percent vibe.

I often forget that stand up comedy is also a visual medium, to my absolute detriment. I am wasting an entire sense, and sight is a pretty important sense. Not just in comedy, also while driving. Theres a reason Charlie Chaplin was funny to everyone. Sight crosses language and cultural barriers. It’s the reason “I know what I look like” jokes kill across the board.

I don’t know where you guys are at in your career, nor do I want to know ( you might be doing better than me). I am still in the ‘I don’t have my audience, I just have an audience’ phase of my career and I cannot afford to lose half the room because I wasn’t willing to commit to a bit.

What is my face doing?

This is most important in between jokes. Stay in character. If I am angry about something for 3 jokes then I need to keep that emotion during the laugh breaks too. If I break into a smile after each punch line then go back to angry again I have broken the illusion for the audience and it is not as fun for them.

Where are my eyes looking and have I made everyone aware that I can see them and they are part of it or have I just looked forward. Some rooms (Comedy Store, Comedy Republic, others I can’t think of right now) have a very wide space and if you look straight ahead the whole set then you have engaged with 50 people in a 300 seater.

What are my hands doing?

Are they flailing about out of sync with your words and distracting people from your point? Yes. Yes Stephanie they are. I’m working on it.

What is my body doing?

We all have different comedic styles and there is no right or wrong, but whatever your body is doing, make a choice. I am still. That means still, it doesn’t mean shuffle about and scratch your arm. There is no power in that. Still is a choice, playing with your sleeve is not still. I’m not a movement expert, Im still at the not letting it get in the way of my act stage. Some comedians are phenomenal. I watched Tom Walker mime a gun in one joke and when he finished the joke he put the imaginary gun in his pocket before starting the next joke. That’s next level shit.

What are my clothes doing?

Like all female comedians over 30 I wear nice jeans, and a Gorman top.

Wear whatever you want in my opinion. But if you are clever about your styling you can use clothes to bump up the character.

I have been described as brutal and sardonic so I like to wear bright or soft colours to exaggerate the surprise. I also wear sneakers and jeans because I want to feel comfortable.

Some people use a statement outfit as branding. It’s super smart, but I am not a brand, I am a person so I like to dress like a person and if that makes me less successful (It does) that’s fine.

I have been told by a number of comedians (male) that I should dress up more on stage and I will always take a note but these comedians (male) have only seen me at unpaid spots (the only gigs they can get) and should shut the fuck up. I make a point of not dressing up at open mics because I am running new stuff and I want my outfit to reflect that this is new and not polished. It’s a great way for me to seperate the pro gig from the fuck around gig in my mind. Also, I will not be taking fashion advice from a 40 year old wearing whatever their mum bought them for Christmas last year.

Be mindful of little details. I have a beautiful shirt that has a 20c coin sized yellow circle near the collar and when I wear it people look at it and think “Is that a sticker? Does she know she has a sticker on her shirt? Should I tell her?” and once they are distracted, I’ve lost them and have to get their attention back.

Am I selling it hard enough for the size of the room?

If you are lucky and talented or just one of those things, you will get opportunities to perform in theatres across Australia. These are like a comedy rooms except way way better.

Before a theatre show, I always sit behind the spot where I will be performing and listen to the crowd from there. It gives me a sense of what it will feel like when I am on the other side of the curtain also it makes me look like an insane person.

photo taken by Lauren Bonner at Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre

If this option isn’t available to you, then stand at the back of the crowd and watch a bit from there. That way you can see what the audience sees and make some assessments that could help your set. Are there blind spots? Does the stage feel very far away? Is there a balcony ? Because if there is a balcony you need to engage them too. If you don’t, they will feel like they are watching on TV and zone out and you have just lost 200 potential laughs.

I guess my main lesson this month is to remember to think about how I present myself on stage. Adding a bit of sell helps get your jokes over the line. The comedy purists don’t need it but most audiences in Australia don’t know or care about comedy and will appreciate and reward the assist. It can make the difference between getting 40 percent of the room and getting 80 percent of the room. 100 is impossible. If you think you are getting 100 percent of the room I challenge you to zoom in on a crowd photo taken when you’re on stage.

The jokes will always be the most important part to me. They are the steak. But don’t be afraid to add some tomato sauce for the stragglers.

Side note: if you’re just serving up a big plate of tomato sauce, you are not a chef.

Thanks for reading.

Steph