At its finest, I believe that stand-up comedy is the supreme form of entertainment, beating theatre, film and live music hands down, because it’s story-telling, improvisation and audience interaction. There’s a reason that comedy venues don’t have windows, why they’re sometimes in basements; to form an environment free of distractions, that feels like a secret, special event, separated from the ordinary, everyday world.
When a stand-up comic steps on stage, no matter who they are, they always experience a mixture of fear and excitement. However, the skilled comedian steps willingly off the cliff, using improvisation, wit and imagination to take the audience on a journey into their world, while looking for opportunities to create the key to stand-up comedy’s appeal: funny, unique, shared moments.
Make no mistake, the comedian’s goal is to entertain, but to do so they employ the most powerful, audience-focused delivery you will ever see. And that’s what makes a great presentation.