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Well I had yesterday, not one of my better gigs, at a students union. It sold out at 140 people, so they hit capacity, and here is the rundown:

Facebook routine - random selection in the audience, i ask them to "update their status on facebook" and can say anything they want. A prediction scroll is onstage, they said a status ("in a lecture, very bored"). They go onstage to open the scroll. The girl changed her mind last minute ("My lecturer's a w*nker"). The prediction said "My lecturer's a Tw*t" - it went down well . All was done whilst I was offstage, so it was a nice quick opener to establish that I'm not too terrible!

Clue-dunnit - my cludedo routine. I had to adapt my original method due to venue, unfortunately it didn;t work and I failed to get a peek for the final revalation. Took a punt, and got it wrong, but the volunteer wasn't very pleasant about it so the audience were on my side.

Lift - I have never been so bad in my life. Never has it failed in the past. First girl? Didn't work. Second girl? Didn't work. One you can get away with, whereas two is pushing the boat a little...I got a guy on stage and it worked with him. I felt like hugging him, I'll be honest!

Spec read's audience's mind - Worked perfectly, went down really well. Had to adapt the presentation to fit the audience, and wasn't my favourite. It worked well though, so that is what counts!

spec reads spec's mind - a random spec is on stage and thinks of the answer to a question suggested by an audience member. Another volunteer read's their mind as to the answer of the question. I'm not sure how well this one went down. It seemed to work, and got a decent reaction from the guy on stage.

collard - always triple check your work. I put the carbon paper on upside down. Don't ask how I got out of that one, it wasn't pretty!

finale - not going to say what it was, but thank god I chose something that was guarenteed to work. It went down brilliantly, and was a good ending to the show!

There was an ongoing game throughout the show as well splitting up the effects with a couple of minutes banter

All in all not one of my better gigs, which is gutting as I was hoping for a regular repeat booking of twice a year...it still sold out though, so we'll see what happens!

Beardy wrote:Facebook routine - random selection in the audience, i ask them to "update their status on facebook" and can say anything they want. A prediction scroll is onstage, they said a status ("in a lecture, very bored"). They go onstage to open the scroll. The girl changed her mind last minute ("My lecturer's a w*nker"). The prediction said "My lecturer's a Tw*t" - it went down well . All was done whilst I was offstage, so it was a nice quick opener to establish that I'm not too terrible!

This one sounds interesting - do you mind saying what the routine for that one is? (Don't worry, I'm not after how it was done or want to steal it, I just like the idea of predicting a facebook status and want to hear more )

kolm wrote:

Beardy wrote:Facebook routine - random selection in the audience, i ask them to "update their status on facebook" and can say anything they want. A prediction scroll is onstage, they said a status ("in a lecture, very bored"). They go onstage to open the scroll. The girl changed her mind last minute ("My lecturer's a w*nker"). The prediction said "My lecturer's a Tw*t" - it went down well . All was done whilst I was offstage, so it was a nice quick opener to establish that I'm not too terrible!

This one sounds interesting - do you mind saying what the routine for that one is? (Don't worry, I'm not after how it was done or want to steal it, I just like the idea of predicting a facebook status and want to hear more )

No worries; the routine is simple really. It was a student audience. This is how it played out pretty much word for word:

"Hello there, what's your name?

Anna

Hello Anna, thanks for coming. Now Anna am I right in assuming that you have heard of facebook?

Yes

And you have a facebook account?

Indeed

So you are aware of how to update a facebook status?

Yes I am

Brilliant. Now Anna I'm after a bit of a quirky start to this evening. In front of you on stage you can see a young strapping lad wearing glasses. He is not me. He is however, as you can see, holding a scroll. This scroll contains a prediction of a decision that you are hopefully going to make in a few minutes. I would like you to think of a facebook status - now don't make it a common one such as "is going out on the town tonight" or "went out last night and is never drinking again", as they are very common statuses amongst students. I do, as I said, want an interesting start to the show, so think outside the box a bit. Do you have a status in mind?

Umm...err...yes I do

Would you like to say it nice and loud so everybody can hear?

Errrm...in a lecture, really bored

In a lecture, really bored...is that right?

Yes

I'll be honest Anna, I did say I wanted an interesting start to the show, and that is pretty sh*t if I'm honest...

*laughter from the audience*

Are you sure you want that? You don't want to change your mind?

I'm sure

Ok Anna then can you please go on stage and put your fingers into the top and bottom of the scroll for me? Now before you open it I do want everybody to be happy that you had a free choice. Would you like to change your mind?

Err...go on then

What?

I said yes

Sh*t

*laughter form the audience*

Most people don;t wish to change their mind at this point Anna. Are you sure you want to?

Yes

Now don't feel pressured Anna, you can keep with the original choice if you wish!

I want to change it.

Fair enough - a bit unexpected, but we'll wing it. What would you like?

God my lecturer's a w*nker

*laughter*

What subject do you do Anna?

Psychology

Then let us hope that your lecturer is not here tonight!

If you would like to open up the scroll nice and slowly for me

*God my lecturer's a Tw*t"

*amazement, gasps, applause, and I run up the isle from the back of the auditorium*



Is that good enough info?

Don't worry too much about the show, we all get those once in a while. It sounds like it finished off ok in the end. I really love the idea of the facebook prediction, nice thinking

Yeah, don't dwell on it too much. Learn from the mistakes and move on.

I agree that the opening routine sounds nice - particularly with you at the back of the room

I get a feeling of 'Zapped' in the workings but that just could be me! Personally the whole Facebook thing leaves me a bit cold (even though I have an account!) but if I ever find myself faced with a roomful of students, I can't think of a better subject to use!

And the others are right - don't dwell on the bits that didn't work. I bet the audience didn't notice the bumps anywhere near as much as you did!


Sean

Klangster1971 wrote:...but if I ever find myself faced with a roomful of students, I can't think of a better subject to use!

As far as students are concerned, I think 'Alcohol' might beat it as a subject.

DaveM wrote:

Klangster1971 wrote:...but if I ever find myself faced with a roomful of students, I can't think of a better subject to use!

As far as students are concerned, I think 'Alcohol' might beat it as a subject.

Hey... we resent that!

...true though

Beardy wrote:Facebook routine - random selection in the audience, i ask them to "update their status on facebook" and can say anything they want. A prediction scroll is onstage, they said a status ("in a lecture, very bored"). They go onstage to open the scroll. The girl changed her mind last minute ("My lecturer's a w*nker"). The prediction said "My lecturer's a Tw*t" - it went down well . All was done whilst I was offstage, so it was a nice quick opener to establish that I'm not too terrible!

Loves it, loves it lots. Nice and relevant, excellent opener.

Beardy wrote:Lift - I have never been so bad in my life. Never has it failed in the past. First girl? Didn't work. Second girl? Didn't work. One you can get away with, whereas two is pushing the boat a little...I got a guy on stage and it worked with him. I felt like hugging him, I'll be honest!

Not sure I'd attempt an effect a second time let alone a third. What was the audience reaction like after the various attempts?

Beardy wrote:Is that good enough info?

Yes, and it sounds like a great routine

Hey Chris don't be so hard on yourself, as we discussed at Tab Mentis, at least you are up there performing not just hypothesising about it.

Take the experience, learn from it, move on and be stronger as a result.

Klangster1971 wrote:I get a feeling of 'Zapped' in the workings but that just could be me! Personally the whole Facebook thing leaves me a bit cold (even though I have an account!) but if I ever find myself faced with a roomful of students, I can't think of a better subject to use!

Nope, no zapped here!

And the idea went down a treat

Van_der_Belt wrote: Not sure I'd attempt an effect a second time let alone a third. What was the audience reaction like after the various attempts?

I had no choice, I had already failed to get the final revalation in cluedunnit; people actually thought I got lift purposefully wrong to heighten the tension. The reaction was good though!

kolm wrote:

Beardy wrote:Is that good enough info?

Yes, and it sounds like a great routine

Thanks

A_n_t wrote:Hey Chris don't be so hard on yourself, as we discussed at Tab Mentis, at least you are up there performing not just hypothesising about it.

Take the experience, learn from it, move on and be stronger as a result.

Thanks!

And you, in particular, will hate the method for facebook, calling me a "b@stard" as a result

Buy me a couple of pints at mentis and I may just give you that honour

Well it sounds to me like it actually went rather well, from the audience's perspective at least. And it's them as counts...

Ted wrote:Well it sounds to me like it actually went rather well, from the audience's perspective at least. And it's them as counts...

It's when I got everybody to name a sheep and then gave no reason during collard that I just wanted to melt...and when the second volunteer in lift failed...