Mastering Stand-Up cover art

Mastering Stand-Up

The Complete Guide to Becoming a Successful Comedian

Preview

£0.00 for first 30 days

Try for £0.00
Thousands of incredible audiobooks and podcasts to take wherever you go.
Immerse yourself in a world of storytelling with the Plus Catalogue - unlimited listening to thousands of select audiobooks, podcasts and Audible Originals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Mastering Stand-Up

By: Stephen Rosenfield
Narrated by: Stephen Rosenfield
Try for £0.00

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically.

Buy Now for £12.99

Buy Now for £12.99

Confirm Purchase
Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.
Cancel

About this listen

This entertaining and sharply written guide - for both beginners breaking into comedy and professionals seeking to improve their sets and advance their careers - examines the work of great comedians such as Louis C. K., Jerry Seinfeld, Eddie Izzard, Moms Mabley, Hannibal Buress, Sarah Silverman, Richard Pryor, and more as a means of illustrating the most important techniques of performing and writing stand-up.

Here, Stephen Rosenfield lays out a clear plan for achieving success, candidly explaining what works, what doesn't, and why. Including a 12-item "Successful Comedian's To-Do List," Rosenfield states, "Get undeniably good at each of these and you can kiss your day job good-bye. You will be a pro."

©2018 Stephen Rosenfield (P)2019 Tantor
Business & Careers Business Aspects Performing Arts Celebrity Comedy Funny Stand-Up Career Witty Joke Writing
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Listeners also enjoyed...

The New Comedy Bible cover art
How to Write Funny cover art
Step by Step to Stand-Up Comedy cover art
You Are (A Comedy) Special cover art
Rambling Man cover art
Finding Your Comedic Voice cover art
28 Stand-ups cover art
Windswept & Interesting cover art
Do You Talk Funny? cover art
We Need to Talk About Kevin Bridges cover art
I'd Like to Play Alone, Please cover art
How to Make People Laugh cover art
The Improv cover art
Springfield Confidential cover art
How to Be a Stand Up Comedian cover art
Coping Skills cover art

Critic reviews

"An absolutely essential instructional guide and reference for anyone aspiring to a career as a comedian." (Midwest Book Review)

What listeners say about Mastering Stand-Up

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    46
  • 4 Stars
    9
  • 3 Stars
    2
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    5
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    40
  • 4 Stars
    7
  • 3 Stars
    2
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    6
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    41
  • 4 Stars
    7
  • 3 Stars
    0
  • 2 Stars
    3
  • 1 Stars
    4

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Stand-up roadmap

This is having a kindly uncle take you under his wing and give you a complete road map in how to succeed in stand-up. Stephen gives you all the ins and outs of the business and an A-Z of how to succeed in it in a concise and friendly way with plenty of examples. Highly recommended.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Worthy Of Multiple Reads/Listens

As much as there are comments regarding the lack of anything "new" or previously unknown to the reader, there is a great deal of insight and applicable knowledge in this book. Those looking for "new' are looking for material, which is their own job. The author can't provide information on what doesn't yet exist, and if he were to provide anything beyond the experience and wisdom therein, he would simply be padding the lessons with opinion.

if you want to hone your skills, gain perspective, or just start somewhere then this is a good way to go. if you're serious about developing as a stand-up, you should be open to all opportunities for growth, and if you were to fo so you'd find that many other books of this kind don't measure up in terms of the authors competence and lack of ego inflation.

I will say this, though: his voice isn't the most compelling. I recommend turning the speed up if listening to the audiobook.

Hope this is helpful.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Awesome Overview of Becoming a Comedian

Going into this, I bought this book more as a piece to satisfy curiosity. I don't intend on becoming a comedian, not yet anyway. However, if I did, this book would critical reading. Going through every aspect of becoming and progressing as a comedian. From writing, to going up to perform and building a career, this book covers it all. Absolutely would recommend this.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Wow! I'm impressed

This is practical, actionable and hilarious. I warmly recommend this audiobook to anyone serious about comedy.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

wonderfully motivating and a brilliant gide to performance

Was hooked on each part, learning new aspects of comedy and understanding some of the basics no one would think to talk about and how important they are to the whole show. I'm no professional Conidian but as someone who can make people laugh this book has definitely help me make more people laugh and understand how I can do a better job developing that ability. if you enjoy making people laugh and smile this book is for you.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Listen to it if you want to be a comedian or not

Really worth it. Just give it a go now. Seriously. Just try it. Looks it’s up to you, but .. ye whatever.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

I wish I could get a hardback copy.

A few years ago I did around 10 open mic comedy nights over 6 months and gave up due to thinking I was just plain unfunny and a bad performer.

This book has convinced and taught me to pick up the microphone again. I have recently done 2 gigs which went brilliantly well.

Great overall view of stand up

Really useful examples, really helps you to look at what good comedians are doing and breaking the mystery of joke writing.

Encouraging, insightful and brilliantly detailed.

Lots of information was right in the money.

Stephens delivery was great too.

I just wish I could have a hardback copy!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A lifetimes worth of experience

For the low price of your monthly credit Stephen gifts you a lifetimes worth of experience. He doesn't write the material for you but gives you the tools to turn your own experience and viewpoint into a tight ten minutes of original material. Or if your a fan of comedy you get an extra level of appreciation of the art of comic oration. All for the price of a pint at your local comedy club.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

excellent book

my first ever book about standup - lots of fascinating insights for a newbie so I really enjoyed it!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great!

A must read for any aspiring comedian. Lots of good advice,pointers and techniques for every aspect of the art form.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!