Schedule

Course runs six weeks for six sessions starting with one workshop style session on a Saturday or Sunday from 10am to 5pm. Nine days later runs on the next five Tuesdays evenings. Tuesday classes start at 6pm and run 3-4 hours per night. During the fourth week (session) of the course there is no class and students meet with me by appointment for a one-hour private coaching session. The course climaxes with the Gala-Graduation performance on the Sunday evening after the last class.

The Group

Classes are made up of 9 to 12 people facilitated to create a fun, non-threatening and mutually supportive environment. Please note that spaces in each class are limited so book ahead if you want to ensure a place.

Learn By Doing - "The Comedy Pressure Cooker"

This playful workshop is a highly experiential process. With the graduation performance looming over-head, students grab hold of the structural concepts and writing tools presented early in the course and set about creating their set for the graduation night.

Course Resources - "Why It's A Rippa"

• Students receive excellent information about the keys to writing effective comedy.
• Students use the class as a captive audience and have an in-house feedback source for refining their material. A source of safe and supportive audience-like response like that of your course peers is unavailable elsewhere.
• Students receive expert coaching from Robert in the form of notes during each class as well as a private individual coaching session.
• Students gain additional insight into the writing and performance of comedy by observing other students refine their material.

Topics Covered

The course covers all aspects of stand-up comedy including:

• Stand-up comedy terminology
• How to generate and capture ideas
• How to write and structure "jokes"
• "Ruthless" editing
• The stand-up comedian's persona and how to develop your own
• Analysing material of great stand-up comedians towards a better understanding of the craft
• The art of Stand-up Comedy performance
• Stagecraft, mike technique and dressing for comedy
• For those entering the comedy industry - how to get work, how to get paid, self-promotion and career development.
• For others: application of Stand-up principles to other modalities such as public speaking, group facilitation, creative writing and arguing with ones spouse.

Life Skills

Students also learn global skills invaluable in other applications such as theatrical modalities, business settings and the interpersonal interactions of everyday life including:

• Managing anxiety
• Being present
• Giving of yourself
• Congruity
• Self confidence
• Connecting with others
• Joyful communication and playful spirit
• Clarity of communication
• Self awareness
• Honesty/Truthfulness

The Gig "Graduation Performance"

The graduation night is held at a major comedy venue on a night dedicated to this gala-performance. The audience is comprised almost entirely of student invitees who are always supportive and enthusiastic. These events never fail to be exhilarating evenings of courage, celebration, triumph and laughter.