So How Do You Run a Comedy Night?

                                           So how do you run a comedy night?

 

Loads of pubs and clubs have a regular comedy night

Although they do take an awful lot of care and attention to set them up and also keep them running.

 

You need a good room, funny acts, a microphone, marketing and a budget

 

Usually a night has a format of a headline act, 2 support acts and a compere.

There’s a break between each act to sell drinks

 

Comedy nights usually start at 8.30 pm and finish before 11pm

 

1.Separate rooms

In most cases you are best to have a function room away from where regular drinkers might be at the bar. You don’t want to offend people by trying to make them laugh when they have popped out for a quiet drink. People need to be in a “comedy environment” to feel comfortable enough to laugh, they don’t want to be intimidated

 

2.Funny acts, we are experts at finding the right acts for the right rooms. Our nights regularly feature acts who have appeared on TV shows such as “Live at the Apollo” “Russell Howard’s Good News” “Best of the Edinburgh Fringe” and also Radio 4 comedy shows

 

3. Microphone or PA system is needed, we can provide a microphone and simple audio equipment. If the microphone does not work, the comic can’t be heard.

It’s best to have a stage but this can be anything from a proper stage to a couple of pallets painted black

In terms of lighting it’s best to have a spotlight on the stage and turn the house lights down

 

4 Marketing you know your audience best. You might want to run a comedy night monthly or weekly

or you might wish to just do a “one off” birthday party or fundraiser.

You need to use

• your mailing list / emailing list

• your bar/ posters/ banners

• facebook page instagram and twitter

• make events on all of your social media

• publicise the night on ticket sites to sell tickets in advance

• also use sites such as "Joke Pit" "Skiddle" “Gigs and tours” and “Ents 24” which are free for listings

• local papers especially their online listings

 

5 What budget? That’s to be negotiated.

Top headline acts expect to earn their biggest paydays on weekends, that’s why many medium sized comedy nights run on Wednesday, Thursday or Sundays.

Contact us and if you have a budget to work towards and a night when you’d like to run a comedy show, we will get the best acts to fit in with your venue audience and budget.

 

How much to charge to get in?

If you put a door charge then the people who come in will have an investment in the night and be most likely to laugh

 

Big clubs can charge between £10 -£20 admission

Medium sized ones generally charge between £3-£10 admission

Free admission nights can work, but you need to control your door, you don’t want people walking in for free and disrupting the acts

 

Our objective is to run a night that works well for all concerned

CONTACT rgentcomedy@hotmail.com www.rolandgent.co.uk