An examination of the art of stand-up comedy, its constituent parts and how they work. Considering stand-up comedy to be an art-form deserving greater attention and analysis, Getting the Joke provides an exploration of the work of the stand-up comedian. Beginning with a brief history of the art form, the book goes on to examine the key elements, such as the comedian's stage persona, their material and how this is generated, the art of performance, their relationship to and interaction with the audience, and the development of stand-up skills. The book draws on interviews with many of the leading stand-up comedians, including Jo Brand, Alexei Sayle, Ross Noble and Rhona Cameron, and contains detailed analysis of examples from both the British and American markets. Aimed at fans of stand-up and aspiring comedians alike, Getting the Joke is the first book of its kind to offer an accessible and engaging analysis of the art of stand-up comedy. Forward by Mark Lamarr Different from the various 'how-to' guides in providing an analysis and examination of the key components and examples from current and recent practitioners Written by the author of Stand-Up: On Being a Comedian - 'a fantastic book for anyone who's got any interest in stand-up comedy' (Mark Lamarr)