Standup Ireland Beginners Workshops

themurt

Has anyone here done any of the "Standup Ireland" workshops in Doyles? I've put my name down for one of the workshops this month and am not sure what to expect, can't be any harm to get some experience on the mic (never done anything like this before) but will the class offer anything?

I'd like to hear from anyone who's been there done that, or knows a friend of a friend who has....

Damon Blake

It'll give you a chance/force you to write some material. You get a gig out of it, the hardest part about getting into comedy is finding out how to start. I'll write the secret down now but will hide it so as not to spoil it:

you just have to ask.

I was going to do the course about three years ago but was too late to apply. I don't know if it would have helped me any, the Dublin comedy scene is like the Freemasons, usually it's someone you know who gets you into it, which is what happened when I was drunk talking to Dan O'Shea for the first time in a bar in Maynooth.

I (personally) don't think comedy is something that can be taught to you, you can teach people the mechanics of performance that will show you how to get a reaction from a given situation (eg...asking are there any smokers in the room, commenting how weak their reaction is/any Americans, boy they love to shout) but as to how to write a joke I think that comes from learning about everything except for comedy.

The only advise I would give with the course is to accept their tips on how to improve routines and ignore suggestions to drop content. at the end of the day, the only way to find out if something works is to do it in front of a proper, unbiased crowd.