I like knowing exactly what my first line is because it stops me faffing about when I get the mic. But sometimes the room clearly needs acknowledging before I launch into material, and I’m never sure whether changing the opening actually helps or just makes me less settled. Do you keep the first 20–30 seconds fixed, or adjust it depending on what’s just happened in the room?
I’d separate acknowledging the room from abandoning your opener. You can say one sentence about what’s just happened, then go into the first bit you already trust. Especially if you’re not there to do crowd work for five minutes.
Mine is fixed mostly because if I improvise the first thirty seconds I immediately decide I’ve discovered a whole new set and then forget what I was actually meant to do. I’m happier changing something later once I’ve settled.
I’m still at the stage where having the first line locked is basically part of getting myself on stage. If something massive has just happened I’d feel strange ignoring it, but otherwise I want the first laugh to come from something I’ve actually rehearsed.
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