Five quid comedy

A couple of posts ago I aluded to the comedy staple of drawing attention to the (low) cost of a show as a way for a compeer (MC) to get a cheap laugh. Typically the exchange goes as follows: -

MC: So mate, you're here with your girlfriend?
Punter: That's right
MC: Been going out long?
Punter: About a year*
MC: Well, you're really keeping the romance alive if your idea of a Friday night out is a five quid comedy night in a dingy room above a pub

(cue: audience laugh)

Obviously the joke is damaging to the night's 'brand' as it forces everyone in the audience to ask just why they are where they are on a Friday night. This means that the comics have to work that much harder to remove the question from the collective mind.

The above exchange occurred verbatim at last Friday night's gig in Soho. But the acts proved to be worth much more than £5 and the audience went away happy.

On Saturday night I did an improv set as part of the amazing Midnight Matinee series at the Tristan Bates Theater.

The two gigs are no more than 200m apart and both were £5 entry.

Saturday night's compeer made the audience complicit in the night's proceedings. Here we were in the middle of Soho starting a show at midnight; just when everyone else is closing up shop. Your five pounds didn't just just get you the promise of entertainment, it got you one-night-only membership of a very exclusive club.

Pricing is only a signal in the marketplace until the punter takes his seat.

* This response can be anything from "This is our first date" to "Ten years" and the joke still 'works' (from the MC's perspective)