Whether you are a seasoned pro or a complete newbie, you can’t always have control over the audience before you get on the stage. Sometimes the general mood and atmosphere in the room is worse than when the show started. This can be for a number of reasons; a comic told a deeply offensive joke, a couple of comics bombed on stage or in an extremely rare scenario, someone in the audience crapped their pants.
It’s going to be a tough crowd but nothing is impossible in the world of stand-up comedy. If you can pull this off right (which you will with these tips), you will open the door to many other opportunities. Working as a clown at kid’s parties will soon be a distant memory. You just need to make sure that you know your material inside and out and be prepared to warm up the audience faster than Oprah Winfrey giving away free tickets to a John Bon Jovi concert.
So, how do you get the crowd on your side? Is it too late to win the audience after a few minutes? What if they say mean things to you?
If someone like Matthew Broussard who knows the crowd may not like him based on looks can win over a crowd so can you.
Gauge The Audience First
If you are fortunate (or unfortunate) enough to see others perform before you, you can usually assess what worked and what didn’t. If you have an idea of what types of jokes perform better than others, you can steer clear from using them. You also don’t want to repeat similar themed jokes that a previous comic has used. There have been so many times where a comic has gone on stage and told jokes about tinder dates or vegans or their ex only for the next person to go up and do the exact same. Variety is the spice of life!
Knowing your target audience is crucial to winning them over. If the show is based in a small town, the audience will likely respond better to local jokes than ones on global issues. Smaller town audiences also prefer relatable bits about work and family. This can give the jokes you perform a lot of value and familiarity.
Start Strong
Once you get on that stage, you want to display a lot of enthusiasm and energy. Don’t just stand in front of the mic and tell jokes in a monotonous tone, tell jokes with actions, body language, sounds. Imagine you are auditioning for a role where you play Jim Carrey in a movie about Jim Carrey called Jim Carrey: The Movie. Keep rolling out the jokes and create visuals along with it. The audience might think you are the craziest person they have ever seen on stage but you know what, that might be what they need after seeing previous comics bomb.
You only have a few seconds to build trust with the audience and assure them that you are actually funny so make sure you have a few great one-liners to open with. Keep it short; the longer the audience has to wait to start laughing, the less chance of winning them over.
Talk To The Audience
If by now the audience is resembling a Sunday service at church, you could try and get them more involved (just like in church too). Announce to the audience that there is a small segment in your act where you get to know a few of them. Ask someone randomly in the audience their name, ask about their job and then end the segment abruptly, this always kills because it’s so unexpected and gets the audience wondering if they might get asked something later too. Never underestimate the element of suspense.
Capitalize On The Situation
If the audience isn’t really responding to your jokes, consider commenting on the situation but do it in a self-depreciating way. You don’t ever want to insult the audience, that is one of the worst things you can do. Say something like, “ I brought a date here tonight and I told her I was funny, can you guys help?” If they laugh then say, “OK, let’s get back into this.”
The fact that you are pointing out that nobody has really been laughing is unexpected but could warm them up enough for you to get back to delivering your jokes.
Get The Crowd Moving
Look, it’s been a long show and the crowd are getting a bit tired. Really the best thing for them is to move their body a little (and I don’t mean playing some Jennifer Lopez). I am not asking you to sing ‘Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes’ (which is a classic) but to encourage action and movement. Of course, it’s important that YOU do it first and then ask the audience to follow.
Try for example, “I heard that if you stick out your tongue and pretend to shake salt with your hand above your head, your brain makes you think you are tasting salt, amazing right. Let’s all try it.” This is actually not true but it gestures a rather naughty sex act which is hilarious if anyone falls for it. You can always ask the crowd to clap at the start of your set too, say something like, “let’s give an applause for this show” or “if you are happy and you know it clap your hands.”
Deal With Hecklers
Sometimes it’s not you that’s the problem, sometimes it’s a heckler in the audience determined to ruin your set which can have a negative effect on the audience as well. Never get angry with a heckler, if anything compliment them and be kind each time they shout. Sometimes though you can use this to your advantage, especially if you are witty and fast enough to respond. Some comedians tend to have a few devastating insults prepared in case they really need to put a stop to the heckler.
Don’t Ever Go Blank
No matter how tough the crowd, never go blank on stage. The longer you are silent on stage, the harder it is to win the audience back. If you can’t think then just start improvising instead. Get back to talking to the audience or even do impressions of famous people if you can’t think of any more jokes. The point is anything is better than nothing.
Tell A Story
Nothing captivates people better than a good story, especially a funny one. If anything, we are inherently compelled to stories ever since we grew up as kids reading and listening to them. If you can craft an entertaining story that encompasses some challenge you have faced and overcome in your personal life, your audience is likely to become more invested in you and what you have to say.
Tell The Truth
In some ways, comedy is a lot like telling the truth and as a comedian, you can point out something every day and spin it with an entirely different perspective. It’s simple and also a great way to connect with the audience as they have something to relate to.
Move Around
To recapture the audience’s attention, make them have to follow you where you go. If you have a big stage, you could move to one side for a moment and then move to the other. You could squat on stage as you tell a joke or sit down on a chair before quickly standing up to deliver the punchline. The point is, if you are moving around, the audience will watch you with invested curiosity which in turn makes them more attentive in hearing what you have to say.
Bring Props
Sometimes it’s worth bringing a bag with you on stage, filled with random objects or things relating to your jokes. You could be doing a joke about why you can’t figure out your wife isn’t interested in sex and then a zucchini falls out of the bag. Sometimes the element of surprise can save your set, especially if the audience are yearning for something spontaneous to happen.
Even the best comedians struggle with winning over crowds but there is always a solution and many ways to win them over. Just because you don’t have success right away doesn’t mean its impossible. And remember don’t blame the audience.