Pro Tips on Compering a Comedy Show (Or Hosting any Event)
Geoff Whiting has compered literally thousands of comedy shows and events. I spoke with Geoff to get his thoughts on compering a comedy night, ahead of running a one day workshop on compering with Geoff in London in March 2025.
Geoff, what is the role of a compere on a show?
The compere has several roles. The compere should interact with the audience and get them laughing and ready for the show. The MC should be funny enough to get the crowd laughing freely but not aiming to bring the energy up so high that the first act cannot follow them easily. The compere needs to be able to control the room and the audience's energy.
The compere is responsible for introducing each act and making sure the audience knows who is coming on stage. They must keep the show moving at a good pace and make sure there are no awkward silences or gaps between acts. They are responsible for handling any problems that may arise, such as hecklers or technical difficulties.
Basically, the compere has to make the show work. It is NOT about being the 'star' of the show but about being good enough to create a good platform for the acts on the bill. A good compere should be friendly and bring the audience together (as far as possible) rather than aggressive and divisive as can occasionally be the case. The compere sets the tone for the night and helps create a fun and enjoyable atmosphere for everyone.
Do you line up any material and how much actual material do you tend to do?
The balance between material and spontaneous interactions depends on what is working on the night. Some comperes may do 6 minutes of material out of the first 10 minutes, while others may do 10 minutes of riffing with no material. I have about ten minutes material in the back of my mind and occasionally use all of it and occasionally none of it, depending on how the room feels and the audience are reacting. My strategy is to start off riffing and then use material as a fallback if the riffing isn't working. I will tend to use 2 minutes of the material I have ready to get some laughs and then go back into riffing.
How do you choose people to talk to?
You get used to 'reading' a room. Also, you might spot someone before you walk on that looks a good bet to give you something to work with. When I’m on stage, I usually start by making eye contact with someone and gauging whether they seem receptive. You can usually tell pretty quickly from their body language whether they want to engage or not.
How do you make audience members warm to you?
I do place a lot of importance on remembering names [of people in the audience]. If you get to know many of them by name, and come back to them during the show, the audience feel special and like you to care about them. It is a bonding process.
What questions do you often ask audience members?
I probably ask the same ones too often but personally I ask who the youngest/oldest person in the crowd is, I ask if anyone has an unusual job, who is single or married and several follow up questions after that. The follow up questions depend of course on the original answers I am given. If someone says “I am single”, I will ask how long, I will ask what sort of partner they would seek in future and of course about dating apps, for example
You are often rude or cheeky to audience members! How do you get away with it?
Sometimes, audiences enjoy being playfully mocked or attacked by a comedian, as long as they know it's a game and they find it fun. It's a fine line to walk, but if done correctly, it can work well. I think you can get away with a lot if the crowd like you and very little if they do not. I genuinely love performing and find audience member on the whole very nice people who want to have a good time, so I act accordingly and hopefully build a rapport which enables me to be cheeky without really giving offence.
I notice you often give voice to your idea of the audience member's thoughts. Do you exaggerate what you suspect they might be thinking?
This is something I have developed over the years and found it works well. For example, if I find a very posh elderly gentleman in the front row, then I will impersonate him, putting words in his mouth, but exaggerate his accent and mannerisms quite deliberately. One has to play 'big' as they say.
Are you consciously looking to make connections or links between audience members?
YES, 100%. I try to build small networks of connections between members of the audience, this helps bond the room and in turn that helps the show. There are subtle ways of linking one audience member to another via their names, their ages, their jobs and so on. If you notice people in the audience with something in common, it draw attention to this and get them to talk to each other about it, with you as the mediator.
Are you remembering details to use as potential callbacks?
Yes, the power of the callback is huge as any good comic will know for sure
Who are your favourite kinds of audience members?
Eccentrics, anyone who is a film director, artist, writer, sometimes in more regular work such as sewage plant manger or policeman and so on. And always those that are willing to get involved but most certainly in the right spirit of the occasion.
For you, what makes a great night?
A TEAM effort by an MC and all the acts on that show, a show where the MC and the acts remember they are there to help each other and as a group make that night a special one for the crowd, and of course shows with a full room and a real buzz is a big help!
On 8th March 2025 in London, I am running a one-day masterclass on compering with Geoff Whiting.. Our focus is compering comedy nights, but the skills are transferable to any kind of hosting role. It’s a practical, inspiring and incredibly informative day.
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