Humour Links

Resources

Chortle.co.uk aims to be the most comprehensive, critical and up-to-date guide to the thriving stand-up comedy circuit across Britain

Advice From The Stage

The Stage is a trade publication which publishes all manner of information to do with the entertainment industry, from news to job vacancies, to listings and guides. As part of their online service they have several small guides for writing comedy, and starting to perform stand-up. While they're not comprehensive, they are useful as a simple guide when you are first starting out.

Performing Comedy: http://www.thestage.co.uk/connect/howto/comic01.shtml

Writing Comedy: http://www.thestage.co.uk/connect/howto/funnyhaha01.shtml

So You Wanna - Be a Stand-Up Comedian

From the ultimate advice site, SoYouWanna.Com, comes some general advice on how you could go about becoming a stand-up comedian. It has a US bias, but the general basis of advice is sound, and should answer many of your early questions.

Web: SoYouWanna.Com

Observation - Watching Others

Watching other stand-up comedians perform their acts can give you good insight into how to handle yourself on stage, what happens if you forget material, how to deal with audiences - silent, loud or even heckling. It can also help you to decide what kind of act you want to be and where you want your stage presence to go.

So get yourself out and about to comedy clubs in your area, and check out what goes on, and how the professionals do it.

Live Stand-Up Listings: Ananova Comedy Listings

Comedy Online - club listings and articles

This site includes Time Out London Listings

A very comprehensive web comedy resource

A geographical UK comedy club/improv locator

The Comedy Company ltd has been promoting live comedy around the uk for over ten years

UK Comedy List

The UK comedy list is an e-mail based mailing list that allows anyone who's subscribed, to receive e-mails from anyone who sends a message to the list. Conversations run and cover many topics of comedy including advice when asked for. It's a pretty friendly environment where you can post your views or questions, or as many people do, just sit back and read.

To subscribe: http://www.chinwag.com/html/mailing_lists_2.html

UK Comedy List FAQ

This FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) is maintained by Stephen Grant and as well as answering many questions about the UK Comedy List, also gives some general advice and previous conversations from the list on helpful subjects. From the link, the FAQ can be viewed online or downloaded.

List FAQ: http://www.stephengrant.themutual.net/sg_ukcomedy.htm

Stephen Grant's homepage, including UK Comedy FAQ

Greg Dean's College Of Comedy Knowledge

With this US based web site, the creator Greg Dean, has created a resource of help to stand-up comedians that includes a book entitled, The Complete Stand-Up Comedy Workbook which covers all aspects of starting stand-up comedy. Also on the site is audio tape help, a comedy chat room, a glossary of comedy terms, and details of workshops that he runs in California, USA. The book and tapes are available worldwide via air-mail.

Web Site: http://www.stand-upcomedy.com

The Art Of Comedy

This large web site gives advice on writing and performing comedy and is an excellent resource for novices and developing acts alike. It is one of the few sites around that actually gives advice on writing material. Created by Dana Snow

Web Site: http://www.breakaway.org/openstudio/danasnow/wr/wr-home.htm

The Open Mic FAQ

This FAQ, has been created specially for open mic acts and contains plenty of good advice for the beginner, even if it does have a US bias. Maintained by Shayne Michael

Web Site: http://www.swiftsite.com/shayne-michael/open.htm

Stand-Up Comedy FAQ

This FAQ, created for the newsgroup alt.comedy.standup gives general advice about becoming a stand-up comedian, and although is quite 'Americanised' does provide some helpful advice to those starting out. This FAQ is maintained by Steve Gelder

Web: http://members.aol.com/comedyfaq/faq.html

The Complete Guide To Hack Stand-Up Comedy

This text is based on 'Hack' comedians, and how not to be one. If you're not sure what a hack is, take a look. Maintained by Steve Gelder

Web: http://members.aol.com/comedyfaq/hack.html

The Black Hack Comedy FAQ

Written in a similar vain to 'The Complete Guide To Hack', this FAQ details how not to be a third rate Richard Pryor. Maintained by Steve Silberberg

Download: Black Hack FAQ (Zip File 5K)

Profiles of well known comics and biting reviews

Strange and Welsh...

Good advice and links for developing comics

Guide to Internet comedy/home of the UK Comedy mailing list.

The Stand-Up Comedy Zone