It’s always fun to play about, show off, be the centre of attention. Hold court with a tale, with the story well told, that gets better in the telling each time.(Or is that just me?) Those stories come easily, we know where the beats are, where the laughs will come. We love meeting new people, so we can bring out those stories to entertain, to connect. Just with pals, with people we are connected to, there is no pressure to be funny, so being funny is fun.
That is why I revere comedy so highly as an art form. It is difficult to consciously make somebody laugh, when the pressure is put upon you, in the moment. That is why I admire the comedian who returns again and again to the mic. She has to be tenacious, brave, foolhardy and a glorious idiot.
This morning I delivered a workshop on developing characters for comedy. A level three BTEC Performing Arts module where at the end you have to perform original comedy to an audience. Terrifying enough, there is also the assessment that comes with it…
Lots of practical games and exercises some props and a little bit of cajoling. Laughs were had and celebrated but the goods were delivered.
Then some time looking at some of my favourite characters in comedy, I always like to make a link to laurel and Hardy. There is nothing wrong with that.
Felix Dexter, Cariad Lloyd, Brian Gittins, Harry Enfield, Laura Solon, Steve Coogan, Angelos Epithemiou, Morwenna Banks & more. pointers great character comedy.
YouTube. Comedy was a rare treat when I was at my 6th Form. Swapped tapes and records of Monty Python and Pete & Dud, Friday & Saturday Night Live on Channel 4, everything the Comic Strip and the heroes of alternative comedy did to be sought out. All of this at the fingertips.
If you could recommend you favourite ‘character comedian’ to this group of aspirant fools, who would that be?
If you would like to find out about what workshops and skills session I could bring to your school or setting. Get in contact. Cheers
I got the chance to see Felix Dexter live way back when. He was such a master comedian and actor