ENGLISH STAND-UP COMEDY NIGHTS
Dear audience, please follow these tips and regulations when attending our comedy night. These are only for your benefit and to assist us in making our comedy night a successful one! We appreciate your participation and co-operation!
Audience Etiquette
o THE BASICS: LIGHT & NOISE DISCIPLINE
> Cell phones, Pagers, Blackberries: Turn them off or set them to vibrate. Never take a phone call during the
show. If it can’t wait, find a place away from the show to take the call.
> Conversation: Keep it quiet and under thirty seconds. Voices carry, even over a sound system. Let other people
hear the show, your friends will still be there to talk to when the show is over.
> No Flash Photography: It distracts and disorients everyone.
> Do Not Heckle the Comedian: Heckling is interrupting the performance to upstage, disparage, or throw off the
comedian. It is never acceptable, and the quickest way to ruin the show for everyone. It is also the quickest way
to be humiliated in front of everyone. You have been warned! ;-)
o PLEASE DO NOT INTERRUPT THE COMEDIAN
> The common excuse for this is “I’m helping the comedian.” Comedians are professionals, they do not need
help. That “help” just derails the show and wastes everyone’s time, same as heckling. Exception: If a comedian
directly engages you in conversation, you are a-ok to respond. Some of the best comedy happens this way, and
can make for a memorable experience. Be ready to let it go when the bit is over.
o RESPECT THE STAFF & PERFORMERS
> When talking with an employee of the bar, pay attention and be polite.
> BE QUIET WHILE YOUR FELLOW COMEDIANS ARE ON STAGE. Obviously this is just disrespectful. If you
absolutely must talk to someone please go outside. If you are a smoker, you can also go to the smoking room!
o FREE ENTRY AT OPEN-MIC
> The entry to the comedy night is free. We suggest you show up early to the venue so you can buy your drinks
and find yourself the best spot. The sooner the audience settles, the timely we can start our performance.
o PASS ON THE HAT
> At some point during the performance at our open-mic show, we pass around a HAT to collect money for our
performers to praise them and support them for entertaining us. Remember, this is just a token of appreciation
to encourage our performers to continue entertaining us at the comedy night! A lot of them have their day jobs
and it takes a lot of effort, time, practice & creativity to come with new funny material and perform in front of
the audience. We are thankful for any donations!
o LAUGH AND ENJOY!
> Have fun!!! Open mics are a great way to try out new material in front of an audience, and a great way to meet
and mingle with other people. You should leave your attitudes and egos at home and come out to make people
laugh with your jokes and have a great time. :-)
We're looking forward to see you again at the next comedy night!