Week 6 - This Comedy Lark Is Not Easy!

I am just in from Week 6 of my course with 10 days until the showcase and still feeling quite confused. Last week I was disappointed with the feedback I received. My style was presentational and I was likened to Patrick Moore ( Is that such a bad thing? ).

This week I decided to do less formal preparation, to try and be more conversational as our coach seeks, and I put more of me into it. I bared parts of my heart and soul, unsure if it would be funny, but with faith that I would find the comedy in it.

I was still described as presentational, requiring more emotional texture and set up, more misdirection. In truth I am quite confused and really unsure how the next ten days will go.

I was surprised how airing some of the items brought strong emotions to the surface. I will have to watch that! I am sure a coach would say to try and harness the emotions, but given this evening that may too much to ask in ten days.

I am torn between trying to follow this path the coach is setting or to follow my instincts and put together more of a gag driven, less personal routine. I have fifty plus years of training/development in logic and reason. I can link A to B to C to.......to Z faster than most people and I can admire how our coach can twist and turn the raw, poor material we are dishing up into something with a higher comedic value. I just can't find that in me, my mind seems to be wired differently.

I also struggle, and this may be just that I have been alive longer than the rest of the class and heard more jokes, but I struggle when the highest praise goes to people delivering old material, albeit masquerading it as their own story.

Of course a large part could be that unlike others on the course I have no ambition to be a professional standup. I have no fear of standing on stage either. I wanted to understand standup better and in that I have succeeded. I will do my best not to let myself down next week, but I am aware that it is not make or break

Anyways our coach seems to think we need more help before the showcase. He has set up additional half hour 1-2-1 sessions next week. I need to have my material written down and right now I have no idea which direction I will take or what material I will use. Instead I shall be away to my bed and hope a night's sleep will bring a brighter vision tomorrow.

Dors bien, mes amis.
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