Introduction Oliver Double; Comedians' Insights: what do you do to prepare to go onstage?; Part I. Time and Place: 1. Stand-up in the United Kingdom Oliver Double and Neil Washbourne; 2. Comics, minstrels, satirists, and hacks: a history of stand-up comedy in the US Beck Krefting; Comedians' insights: the audience you attract; 3. Where stand-up happens Morten Nielsen; 4. Recorded stand-up from radio to Netflix Brett Mills; Comedians' insights: a particular performance technique you use in your act; Part II. Interpretation and Meaning: 5. Stand-up comedy and gender Ellie Tomsett and Rosie White; 6. Stand-up comedy and sexuality Joanne Gilbert; 7. Laugh no limit: Black stand-up comedy J Finley; 8. Jewish American stand-up comedy Debra Aarons and Marc Mierowsky; 9. Stand-up comedy, disability and social justice Sharon Lockyer; 10. Stand-up comedy and offence Simon Weaver; 11. Stand-up and politics Sophie Quirk; Comedians' insights: your writing process; Part III. Performance Dynamics: 12. Audience Ian Brodie; Comedians' insights: who are you onstage?; 13. Persona Oliver Double; 14. Stand-up comedy and trauma: Hannah Gadsby's Nanette Mary Luckhurst; Comedians' Insights: why do you do stand-up?