Q: What is stand-up comedy?
A: 'Stand-up comedy' is usually a one-person performance where the performer, through the recitation of jokes, one-liners, puns or couplets attempts to create humour and elicit laughter from the audience.
A single performance may comprise of one or more 'sets' which the 'comedian' or 'comic' delivers within a pre-determined time frame. Sets may contain humorous material belonging to various genres including but not limited to irony, satire, slap-stick, etc. Some comedians may be satirical and/or critical of the issues and topics they evoke, while others may engage in dark humour. Neither 'Finding Funny' nor 'Workbay' claim any ownership or bias towards any material in general or any topic, issue, or comic in particular.
Q: What is an open mic?
A: An open mic is a performance where new performers can get a chance to take the stage and face an audience. Experienced performers attend stand-up comedy open mics to test and perform new jokes for the first time, or to fine-tune comparatively newer material in anticipation of a longer performance.
Q: Will there only be new or relatively inexperienced performers on the line-up?
A: No. The evening will invariably feature performances by a few experienced performers. That being said, the audience is encouraged to be supportive of the newer performers as they count on the audience to hone their craft and get better at it with each performance. Remember, even the most popular and loved stand-up comedians in the world today started off as a new and green act at an open mic, just like this one.