A Laugh And A Half – Comedians’ FAQ
If you are a comedian and want to know a bit more about our shows we have put together an overview and answers to some of the questions we get asked. Please read them all before applying to join us.
Let’s start with the question we get asked most:
Can I Get A Spot?
Thanks for your interest in performing with us. If you’re looking for a casual spot, the answer is no. We don’t offer casual spots. We run a curated roster of comedians. If you want a casual spot, then what we do is definitely not for you.
If you still want to know more about what we do, then read on…
Who Is ‘A Laugh And A Half’?
We are a comedy collective of about 40 funny and helpful people.
Who Runs ‘A Laugh And A Half’?
The Utopian Mafia. (The point here is, it doesn’t really matter. The people who run this don’t want people they’ve never met sending them Facebook ‘friend’ requests. If you meet all the criteria, complete the application. That’s all.)
Why Did You Start This?
In 2015, we wanted to create more stand-up performance opportunities for experienced comedians who weren’t getting enough opportunities.
Sydney comedy rooms are great and just keep getting better, but we wanted to create more opportunities for comedians who we thought suited a particular type of audience we were looking to attract to our shows.
Are You a Pro Room?
Initially we weren’t. To get this project started, no one got paid to begin with (not even the Utopian Mafia). Several of the comedians involved contributed a lot of time, money and work to get this project going. Those comedians are now being paid well.
As we’ve grown, we have implemented much higher standards for the comedians involved and pay them accordingly.
Are You A Room, Though?
Not really. More of a ‘stand-up comedy project’. We currently have regular shows with great Sydney and Central Coast venues and are gradually adding more venues.
Are You Looking for More Comedians?
No, not really. We are REALLY happy with the comedians on our roster and want to give them more opportunities. We only add new comedians to our roster very gradually. In the last few years, we have received dozens of applications each year and only selected three or four comedians per year to join us.
I Read That Your Shows are ‘Curated’. What Does That Mean?
It means that we individually select comedians for our line-ups. We choose comedians who meet multiple criteria that work well with the audiences that we deliberately attract to our shows.
We even go a step further by having a roster of comedians who meet all our criteria. The bottom line is that we don’t have casual spots for comedians.
Are You Competing With Other Sydney Rooms?
No. In fact we regularly help, promote, perform in, and recommend other rooms.
We are aiming to attract and grow a fairly defined audience that we think is different from existing rooms, and we are marketing ourselves, in some very different ways, to people who we think wouldn’t normally come out to see stand-up. Our aim is to help grow the total audience for Sydney stand-up, not take someone else’s audience.
So I Can Apply To Join Your Line-Up Roster and Still Perform Everywhere Else?
Yes. If you meet ALL of our criteria, feel free. We strongly encourage that.
Who Makes the Decision on My Application?
We will usually start by asking other comedians on our roster if they have seen you and what are their impressions of you – on stage and off stage. If you pass that first test, several of us will try to get out and see you perform in coming months to assess your suitability. You won’t necessarily be advised of this.
How is The Whole Project Going?
Pretty good. Thanks for asking.
We are growing steadily. We are trying out lots of new things – especially in the way this comedy project is run.
We currently run more than 100 shows a year.
In 2019, our showcase was nominated for ‘Best Comedy’ at Sydney Fringe Festival.
We are getting some great audiences and since 2015 we have sold out most of our shows. Our biggest audience at the time of writing was a sold-out 200-seat room. Our smallest venue is a 85-seat room.
How Do You Keep Selling Out Shows?
Dumb luck. 🙂
Do You Only Do ‘Stand-Up’ Comedy Shows?
Yes.
There’s Lots To Read Here. Why is That?
We are trying to save time – yours and ours. We are aiming to answer common questions we get asked by comedians and also convey that this project does not suit a lot of comedians.
Why Don’t Other Rooms Have a Process Like This?
Don’t know. Ask them.
Do I Have to Bring People (Audience) to Get a Spot (or to Get a Spot Sooner)?
No.
It’s our job to get you a ‘proper’ audience to perform for. We only want genuine audiences, who want to be there for the whole show, not comedians’ long-suffering friends and family! If your friends or family want to come along, they are welcome, but there is no requirement or expectation for them to come.
We expect you to help us by liking and sharing our shows on social media, but that’s it.
So, Just to Be Clear, Who Can Apply to Be Part of `A Laugh And A Half’?
You must meet ALL of these criteria:
- Be a Sydney-Based comedian (live in Sydney).
- Not have previously applied to join us.
- Perform stand-up comedy. We don’t do improv or sketch comedy.
- Be reliable and organised (don’t cancel gigs, arrive early, reply to messages, etc.)
- Be computer-literate. As an example, if you miss the hyperlinks on this page, your application will almost certainly not qualify.
- Have fast, easy access to a computer with Word, Excel and a PDF reader (for example, some documents we send you don’t work on all phones).
- Have been performing stand-up regularly for at least the last three years (at least every two weeks).
- Have performed over 200 stand-up comedy spots in the last three years.
- Want to do continue doing stand-up long term.
- Not be a comedy room-runner (pro/semi-pro/open mic, etc.)
- Have a 300-word comedy bio that meets our criteria.
- Have a high-resolution (300 dots-per-inch), professionally photographed promotional portrait photo of you.
- Have current performers’ public liability insurance.
- Attend our shows straight and sober and perform straight and sober.
- Perform 100% your own original material.
- Not do racist/sexist/homophobic/transphobic material.
- Like performing in a supportive group of comedians.
- Be happy to help out others.
- Have an active Facebook Page exclusively for your comedy.
- Have liked us on Facebook.
- Have another active account on an additional social media platform.
- Be active (with your comedy) on social media and will like and share our posts/tweets.
- Have recently been to one of our shows.
- Have read all the FAQ (above).
- Be able to take the time and care (and research if needed) to fill in our application form properly and truthfully. More than 40% of applicants make multiple basic mistakes or provide false information, which means their application is rejected.
- (If your application is successful) be willing to sign a photographic release form and a confidentiality agreement.
I Meet 80 to 99 % of Your Criteria. I Can Still Apply, Right?
No. Please don’t. If you do, your application will be binned.
How Many Comedians Are Already On Your Roster?
At the time of writing, we have about 40 comedians on our roster.
How Many Ways Are There to Join Your Line-Up?
Only two:
1. Fill in the application form if you meet ALL our criteria, or;
2. Get personally invited. (note: being sent the link to this page does not constitute an invitation).
But try to meet the criteria. Don’t try to get invited. If we suspect you’re trying to get invited, we won’t consider you at all. Aim to meet the criteria.
That’s it.
How Many Times Can I Apply to Join Your Line-Up?
Once. If you think you aren’t quite ready to apply, don’t waste your application thinking you can re-apply later.
If your first application is unsuccessful, any other applications you submit will be ignored.
Can I Contact You Directly to Negotiate Why You Should Be Flexible and Put Me On?
No. Please complete the application if you meet the criteria. Otherwise, please don’t waste your time, or ours.
I’m a Pro Comic. Can I Apply?
Sure! Quite a few already have. As long as you meet ALL the criteria in our application form page, we’re happy to consider you for our roster.
I’m a Comedy Room Runner. Can I Apply?
No. Please don’t. Room runners are already very good at creating comedy opportunities and this project is to help create more opportunities for those comedians who don’t have those skills or interest. Having room runners on our roster creates conflicts of interest.
Why Haven’t You Invited Me?
We have a long list of excellent comedians we are working our way through to personally invite and you may already be on that list.
As we add more venues, we gradually invite more comedians to our roster.
We are only inviting more comedians to our roster gradually, so that we don’t annoy comedians by having them on the roster but never having a spot for them.
Why Don’t You Just Offer Casual Spots?
Lots of reasons. One of the main reasons is it that it saves a MASSIVE amount of time to have this project organised with a roster of comedians who have consistently proved their reliability.
Hats off to the people who run their rooms with casual spots. Buy them a beer next time you’re in their rooms. Seriously. They are champions.
Another big reason is that we want to give more opportunities – and better opportunities – to the comedians who have already done so much to support us by performing with us for years.
Can I Come and See What You Are Doing Before I Apply?
You probably should. Several comedians have had the good sense to buy a ticket and come along, and see what we are doing – from an audience perspective. Smart.
Please note that we don’t offer comps to comedians at our shows. A lot of our shows sell out so giving a seat to a non-paying comedian is effectively paying for you to be there. If you can’t afford to buy a ticket to one of our shows, then this opportunity is definitely not for you.
One comedian recently came along and she saw and commented on five things we do differently and she told us she could see why we did those things. If we had tried to explain those things, it could take hours with no guarantee all comedians would understand.
If you meet ALL of our other criteria, coming and seeing one of our shows is not a guarantee you will get on our roster, but it probably helps.
Keep in mind, we’ll be concentrating on running the show so won’t have time to chat on the night. Nothing personal. Happy to chat in person after the show or online the next day to discuss your impressions of what we are doing and answer questions. If you do come to one of our shows, please don’t sit with / talk with the comedians on our line-up during the show. They have to concentrate on their performances, the audience and a few other things we do at our shows.
Note: If you don’t meet ALL of our criteria, it’s probably not the best use of your time to come and see our shows.
Is This for Everybody?
No. This is not for everybody and that’s OK.
If you don’t like what we are doing or it’s not for you at the moment, that’s totally OK.
We have tried to make it easy by posting clear guidelines who this opportunity is for: here, and especially on our application form page.
What’s In It For Me?
If you join our roster, our aim is:
- To provide you with a regular, quality performance opportunity.
- To include you in a very supportive group of comedians to perform with regularly.
- To actively promote you (and each of the comedians involved). If you join us, you’ll see more of what we do, but for starters, everyone is promoted on our website.
- To give you guaranteed (ideally, regular) stage time.
- To give you new, diverse comedy audiences to perform to.
- To help you market yourself and your solo shows.
- To help you transition to more paid performances – with us and elsewhere
- To help you develop business skills that will help you in comedy.
- To invite you to be a part of some other comedy projects we are developing.
- To help you find and/or create more comedy opportunities.
What Do The Comedians Involved Think About This ‘Comedy Project’?
You can see for yourself what some of them think by clicking here (there is a link there to bring you back to this page).
Why Do You Need So Many Things on Your Application Form?
Some of it will be obvious and the rest is for multiple comedy projects we have planned for the future. Participation in those projects will be optional.
Can You Tell Us More About Those Mysterious Future Comedy Projects?
No.
Do You Really Need a 300dpi Professionally-Photographed Promotional Portrait Photo of Me?
Yes.
My Mate Has a Great Camera But He’s Not a Professional Photographer. Can He Take My Promo Photo?
No. Your application will go in the bin.
You’ve Explained It Clearly, But Do Some Guys* Still Send You Photos Taken With a Phone?
Yep.
* Don’t know why, but it’s always men who do this.
And Those Applications Go Straight in The Bin?
Yes, they do.
I Don’t Have a Public Facebook Page for my Comedy. Can I Still Apply?
No.
I’m not on other social media platforms. Can I Still Apply?
No.
Can I Get on Your Roster Quicker?
Sorry, there’s no short cut. If we know you’re keen, you meet all of our criteria and you are organised enough to fill in our application form properly, we will add you to our current list of applicants to assess.
If You Don’t Ask Me To Join Your Roster, Is That because You Don’t Think I’m a Good Comedian?
No.
If you ran a football team it would be silly to fill it with a team entirely of full-backs. You need a good full-back and maybe a good reserve full back. You need some good wingers and some good forwards and some other positions that are beyond our obviously limited knowledge of football.
Similarly, we aim to keep our roster as a good mix of styles, ages, material, delivery, gender, culture, etc. tailored for the type of audiences we want to attract.
For example, if we already have on our roster three 20-something white straight male comedians whose material is predominantly about not getting laid, and you apply and you are another 20-something white straight male comedian whose material is predominantly about not getting laid, we won’t be in a rush to add you to the roster. Nothing personal. Hopefully you can see this has nothing to do with how funny you are.
OK, I Have Read All The FAQ, I am 100% Certain That I Meet Every Single One of Your Criteria And I Want to Apply. What Now?
If you are 100% certain you meet ALL of our criteria, fill in the form at: https://alaughandahalf.com/comedian-application/
