I've had occasion more than once to exhort the audience to "try and keep up" or "wait for me!" -- they can get to far in front or behind.

Not so long back I decided to to dig up The Jug o'Punch, taking it nice and slow as a "proper" song instead of a jolly romp with an old favourite. It worked reasonably well, although the speed was commented on afterwards; I don't think I got anyone to see it in a new light, though.

And many years back, when I was still serving out my apprenticeship at the Songsmiths Folk Club, a singer appealed to the audience between verses not to drag the chorus out so much, as it "just sort of peters out." Came a cry from our guest performer, Martin Winsor: "Peters out? I'm all in favour of that!"

Steve