Andrew Tarvin knows a thing or two about comedy. His whole business, Humor That Works, is built around it.
Drew kindly agreed to spend some time with me recently dissecting my third open mic set. His experience, wisdom, and creativity left me with countless ideas to improve what I’m doing.
Here are a few key things he shared that you can use too.
Get a lot out of a single premise or single idea. Find more examples to add to each bit.
Extend physical act-outs longer and in new ways.
When I’m comfortable enough with a set to perform it without my note card, keep the card in my pocket for reassurance.
To improve the flow, rethink the order of jokes and stories.
When writing comedy use the following framework, “If this is true, what else is true or could be true?”
Consider alternative language if cursing doesn’t feel right to you.
Have fun with crowd work but be mindful of your time on stage.
Drew left me feeling inspired and excited to hit my next open mic and test these new ideas. His feedback and advice were both supportive and thoughtful.
I’m re-writing my whole set today and will try it again soon. Drew gave me so many ideas for reworking and extending my material. It’s no wonder this is how he helps his clients.