Expats Mary Murphy and Gretchen Meddaugh set up the competitive public speaking event Gift of the Gab last September. We caught up with them to find out more about it and life in the expat event jungle.

How did it all come about?

G: We had lunch the day after the first Budapest Ignite! and thought it would be fun to add a competitive element to make speakers more accountable to the audience.

M: Speaking in front of a crowd should be on everyone’s list of things to do, at least once! The slam provides a semi-serious forum where people can try it out and see how much fun it really is.

What’s the basic concept?

M: Anyone can give a speech, but not everyone has the gift of the gab – the ability to get up in front of any audience and talk about any subject. You either have it, or you don’t. Judges are chosen from the audience. The speakers give five minute prepared speeches on a topic of their choice and then three minute impromptus on topics chosen by the audience. The winner of each round goes through to the final.

What’s the most important rule?

M: Keep talking ’til you hear the bell.

G: Be engaging!

What sets Gift of the Gab apart from other public speaking events in the city?

M: The competitive factor. And the balance between prepared and impromptu.

G: The slam is much more about presentation and the speaker’s effect on an audience.

Is the event aimed at English-speaking Hungarians as much as expats?

M: Absolutely. Our audience is pretty much half and half.

G: We’ve had at least one non-native English speaker (mainly Hungarian) compete in each slam and we’ve had several take part as judges.

There must have been some pretty eye-opening speeches so far…

M: I’m blushing at the thoughts of some!

G: A matter-of-fact talk on winter cold remedies was highly amusing. I’ve been shocked by the turn some impromptu speeches have taken, especially when the topic was fairly innocuous. There was a fantastic talk on peas, if you can believe it.

There seems to have been a surge in expat events in the city lately. What do you think this is down to?

G: Maybe a critical mass has finally been reached… better publicity… the power of Facebook?… or perhaps a meme that’s rapidly replicating?

Have you experienced a particular type of person coming forward to speak?

G: Male. We’ve had 22 men and 3 women compete. An outgoing native-English speaker who’s lived here for at least a few years.

When you’re not Gift of the Gabbing, what keeps you both busy here?

M: Dotting i’s and crossing t’s and promising myself I’ll learn how to say no!

G: I spend a lot of time with toys, picture books and colored paper. An awful lot of my time is also spent on public transport. I always find room in my week for improvisation or theater.