Before. During. After.

Join us for a look back at some of the best bits from Seasons 1 & 2. This selection is from the During section, with tips about mindset, stagecraft and lots more. Featuring clips from chats with Glenn Wool, Tony Law, Matt Price, Tom Price, James Dowdeswell and Dominic Frisby

Join us for a look back at some of the best bits from Seasons 1 & 2. This selection is from the Before section; what acts do to get themselves in optimal mood to perform. Featuring clips from interviews with Ian Moore, Ali Hassan, Nathan Cassidy, Adam Bloom, Alexis Dubus and Sarah Iles.

After 2 seasons of back to back episodes we are taking a break. The plan is to rest, regroup and come back even stronger for Season 3. In the meantime expect some 'Best of' episodes, plus you can always go back through our back catalogue of episodes. See you in a few weeks. Sam and BDA team.

Sam and Adam have an in-depth look at how to look good in front of a crowd. They cover how great performances start before you've said a word, how being present beats being perfect and how confidence isn't something you're born with but something you earn. If you're interested in reading Adam's brilliant book, then you can get it here https://amzn.eu/d/0oGfPKz

Sam and Tony discuss the relationship between preparation and rigidity, the perils of assuming what an audience will like before you start, how to pull it back when you might be losing an audience and how to make nonsense sound authoritative.

Sam and Glenn dlve into what Glenn has learnt by gigging all over the world for 30 years. They cover how he played rooms that had no interest in hearing comedy early on in his career, how stagecraft can control a room without saying a word and how the bad gigs make you a real comedian.

Sam and his old show biz mucka Ali Hassan discuss the freedom being totally prepared gives you, that confidence can be projected whatever's happening and however you're secretly feeling and how sometimes you're better off switching analysing a bad gig for a beer with a pal. 

Ian and Sam discuss overcoming, or maybe accepting, imposter syndrome is part of the game, why preparation equals freedom, how comics 'read a room' and how the come down after shows is the hardest part.

Sarah and Sam discuss how confidence isn't something you're born with- it's something you build, how nerves aren't the enemy and how taking the risk in the first place is the biggest step to make.

Sam and Robin have a wide ranging chat, on subjects like the importance of finding your voice (business people call this personal branding) how passion beats perfection every day of the week, how kindness and love is the way forward.

Dan and Sam discuss the perils of comparing audiences, the powerful element of surprise in any communication, how a sabbatical from comedy improved him as a performer and what to do when it starts to go wrong to help keep the show on the road.

Chris and Sam discuss why likability trumps any other quality a speaker can possess, how bookers didn't know what to do with the most talked about comic of his generation, why he walked away from comedy and some of the most outrageous stories you've possibly ever heard. NOTE- this 1 is definitely not suitable for younger ears.

James and Sam have a lovely chat, covering topics like tricks to stop hecklers, pivotal advice from other comics, the benefits of analysis post show, how to properly reading a room and why reliability beats flashes of brilliance every day of the week.

Tom and Sam have an awesome chat that covers how you should practice everything- especially the ad libs, that audiences want you to succeed, how to quickly analyse any show and move on, plus what interview questions Tom would ban if he could.

Alexis and Sam have a lovely chat that includes how confidence is a costume before it becomes a habit, how great speakers have a conversation with their audience instead of a monologue and how setting out your stall early in any talk is a very handy thing.

Garrett and Sam have a great chat about a range of topics, inclduing how many speakers mess up before they reach the punchline, the power of authenticity, how great things can come out of bad gigs and why politicians today get communication so wrong.

Sam and Matt have a wide ranging chat about the addictive nature of making people laugh, how a comic sees the world differently, the benefits of clarity in any communication and how a full diary can help you overcome any setback.

In this week's episode Sam and the brilliant Ria Lina have a lively discussion about how confidence is built over time (not something you're born with) how performers can quickly and effortlessly regroup when something goes wrong, the benefits on focussing on providing value to your audience and the strange link between parenting and controlling a room of adults.

Today's guest is the brilliant Ben Clover, a wonderful comic who now helps other comics with their shows- which means he's very much tuned in to the BDA vibe. Ben and Sam discuss the power of proper preparation, how that prep gives you freedom to ad lib and why listening back to yourself is rarely as bad as you think.  

Adam Green is a brilliant comic who's been going for years. Adam and Sam discuss the benefits of structured preparation that can be repeated easily and quickly, how audiences need reassurance they're in safe hands and how to simply analyse what worked and what didn't from a show to move on.

Dominic and Sam have a lovely chat about a range of topics, including the crucial role of clarity in communication, how the audience is the best editor, why people don't want or like perfection in performance and how talking beats reading to a room every day of the week.

Russell Hicks is a US comic now based in the UK who has a very unique style. His sets mainly involve riffing in a room with what and who he sees in front of him. Here's a short clip if you're unfamiliar with his work https://vimeo.com/944374484?share=copy&fl=cl&fe=ci Sam and Russ discuss how he preps for shows with little pre-written material, how being empathetic to your audience helps yo...

In this episode Lenny and Sam discuss reframing nerves when you perform, the importance of authenticity, the craft of joke writing, stage persona and how pacing a performance affects your impact.   

Matt and Sam have a lovely chat about a range of topics, including how Matt found his comedy voice, how he handles hecklers, not 2nd guessing audience opinion and a great tip to help you listen to your own voice without dreading it.

Nathan and Sam discuss how he prepared for the biggest comedy TV show in the country, how he takes comfort in failure, the future of online comedy, working with comedy greats and the weirdest gigs he's ever done.