What the Brighton Speakers conference taught us about performing on stage, using props and improvising songs

At the Brighton Toastmasters conference we spent a lot of time and money over a weekend learning to improve our performance of a speech, workshop or show on stage. If you could not afford the time or money, here is my summary of what we learned. I learned three things, how to use the stage, how to use yourself as a prop, and how to create a show using the audience and improvising rhyming couplets in a song.

Performing on stage
Gaynor showed us how to use the whole stage. You should use the back the front, walk from the back to the front, and from one side to the other.

The winner of the humorous speech contest used himself, or rather his beard as a prop. It is always good to have a memorable prop. But you might forget it. Remembering it is an anxiety. You must not turn round to find it. You have to gather it off the stage.

But use yourself as the prop and you can never forget it. People will always remember your prop and speech every time they see you.

For example, I have long blonde hair. If I gave a speech about having blonde hair, or long hair, I could not forget it.

I sat in the front row.