What kind of person chooses to sit on the front row at a comedy stand-up night? How can you sit comfortably when you are right in the comedian's firing line and a hot favourite to be 'volunteered' onto the stage. The horror of being forced into the limelight, not knowing what to do with your arms and hands as the comedian makes a fool of you and conjures up droplets of perspire from your brow and pits.
Even if you are on an aisle seat you can't rest easy and will still feel on edge (2 levels).
Some 21st century philosophers have argued that the back row is the safest place to be, however I vehemently disagree. The comedian can be savvy to this and may try to surprise his audience by plucking from the back row instead of the front.
It is of my opinion that the safest place to sit is three rows from the back, slightly left of central. Preferably in between a wolf and a huge Neo-Nazi, unless of course the comedian is looking for a wolf, a huge Neo-Nazi and one other person for his act.
If you are unfortunate enough to be picked you are in a lose lose situation. Firstly there's the aforementioned problem of what to do with your arms and hands and then there's the 'How do I play this?' issue to confront.
If you play it too cool and even make your own wise cracks the audience will deem you cocky and arrogant. They won't like you. So instead you have no option but to play it straight and just be a puppet - a thing of ridicule - a reluctant tortured prop. Yes, you'll get a round of applause at the end of it all but so does the BBC's National Lottery programme - it means nothing.
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