Sketch Comedy Format: Receptionist – Shopkeeper

27 August 2009 | By Ben in Comedy

The next common comedic sketch format is the Receptionist -- Shop Keeper. The dialogue isn’t as structured here as it is in the commercial sketch, but there are some guildlines that help:

  • Somebody is working behind a desk or counter, and one at a time, three customers enter
  • What’s your setting? Be very specific
  • Who’s the crazy man / who’s the straight man? It works best if either a) the receptionist is crazy and all three customers are the straight man, or b) the three customers are crazy and the receptionist is the straight man
  • There are three two-person interactions, each customer should storm off before the next one appears
  • Give characters emotional motivation to leave
  • Each interaction should start off half as angry/frustrated as the previous interaction left off
  • The first beat should be the longest because you’re setting it up, the third one should be really short

The classic example below doesn’t follow this exact format as it only has two characters, but there are still three beats to it, and the anger levels are increasing.

Ben’s Example (co-written with Max Newman):

CUSTOMER 1

Hey I need to return this, my iPhone is bruised

FARMER JOE

I’m sorry, you must be mistaken. We only sell apples for eating.

CUSTOMER 1

No, no, you don’t understand. I have a one year warranty, your company promised they’d fix this.

FARMER JOE

Sir, there’s a mac store down the street. But if you’re hungry we got the best apples in Union Square.

CUSTOMER 1

If you won’t fix my phone, you can shove your apple up your ass

CUSTOMER 1 storms off

CUSTOMER 2 enters

CUSTOMER 2

Yeah, hi. I’m not getting any reception on my phone. I think I got some stems or seeds in it. You should’ve designed this product better.

FARMER JOE

The only thing I designed here are these apples. The juiciest and firmest in New York State. Maybe the northeast.

CUSTOMER 2

Look, I’m losing out on thousands of dollars of revenue every hour I can’t talk on the phone. My clients depend on me. I’m leaving them hanging.

FARMER JOE

I’d love to be of assistance but there’s nothing I can do. All I have is these fine organic apples.

CUSTOMER 2

What you made an organic iPhone and I don’t hav eone? Give me! Give me1 How much?

FARMER JOE

My apples are two ninety nine per pound

CUSTOMER 2

You idiot! I want my phone fixed, not a healthy snack!

CUSTOMER 2 leaves

CUSTOMER 3 enters

CUSTOMER 3

Yes hi, there’s a worm in my iPhone

FARMER JOE takes the iPhone, looks at the worm, tries to take it out, can’t do it, and keeps the iPhone. FARMER JOE then hands CUSTOMER 3 an apple.

CUSTOMER 3

Wow you customer service is great! Thanks so much

CUSTOMER 3 leaves

A phone rings. After two rings, FARMER JOE picks up an apple and starts talking into it

FARMER JOE

Hey Bill! ... Pretty good, you?


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