Off the Mic: The World's Best Stand-Up Comedians Get Serious About Comedy

Description

What is it to be a stand-up comedian? To be funny, solo? You have no character-role, no double-act partner, and nowhere to look but out into the darkness, with just a microphone, an audience and your imagination. This is a job without an annual appraisal; a job where you are publicly appraised every ten seconds. The results are harsh and obvious: if the audience isn't laughing, you 'died'; if they can't stop, you 'killed'. Deborah Frances-White and Marsha Shandur unpack the inner-workings of the minds of comics, sharing their secrets, insecurities and successes; their betes noires and their biggest fears. Featuring interviews with a host of comedians including Eddie Izzard, Moshe Kasher, Sarah Millican, Jim Jeffries, Stewart Lee, Lewis Black, Jenny Eclair, Todd Barry, Richard Herring, Marc Maron, Stephen K Amos, Rich Hall, Zoe Lyons, Marcus Brigstocke, Phill Jupitus, Gary Delaney, Mark Watson, Greg Davies and many more, this excellent book lets you in to the hearts and minds of celebrated comedians, away from the stage and off the mic.

Deborah Frances-White is a stand-up comedian best known for her BBC Radio 4 show Deborah Frances-White Rolls the Dice. She's performed comedy around the world including The Edinburgh Festival, The Melbourne International Comedy Festival and Roadshow and The London Storytelling Festival. The Improv Handbook (2008) which she co-authored with Tom Salinsky is published by Bloomsbury Methuen Drama. For more info see deborahfrances-white.com. Marsha Shandur is a Networking and Storytelling Coach and former radio presenter. Having produced the Edinburgh Festival coverage on Edinburgh's Radio Forth, she went on to present and produce at the UK's Xfm Radio. Whilst there, she interviewed comedians on air, and for her podcast Marsha Meets ... which was named one of the World's Top Ten Best Comedy Podcasts by the Guardian. For more info see YesYesMarsha.com.

The result is fascinating - part textbook, part therapist's notebook - as comedians open up on their process and chosen career with characteristic honesty and introspection. It is, says Frances-White, 'for anyone who loves comedy and for anyone who would like to try it.' -- Alice Jones * The Independent * An invaluable introduction for anyone hoping to enter the business . . . offers an astute insight into the intriguing psyche of stand-up . . . full of smart nuggets of information . . . This should be on the shelf of every comedy geek -- Steve Bennett * Chortle * A brilliant, in-depth and timely look at the creative process of one of the fastest growing performing arts * Phill Jupitus * I'm a big fan of the fabulous Deborah Frances-White and after reading this, you will be too * Jenny Eclair * Marsha stands out from pretty much all other interviewers because of her genuine insight and enthusiasm for the subject. She is uniquely on the wavelength of comedy and of comedians and it's a joy to work alongside her * Mark Watson * To get the most out of an interview takes real skill as well as a deep interest in both the subject matter and the people involved with it. Marsha has these qualities which makes having a conversation with her such a delight * Zoe Lyons * Marsha is a brilliant interviewer. Always thorough in her research and has an incredible ability for putting one at ease. Her enthusiasm shines through every question and it is not long before you feel you are chatting to a friend who shares the same passions as you. * Greg Davies *