ONLINE, London, Bristol & Stroud Classes: 

Stand-up, Sitcom & Sketch Comedy

I run stand-up comedy, sketch and sitcom classes. At the moment they are ONLINE and are usually also in London, Bristol and Stroud. See below for an ONLINE SITCOM COURSE shortly to be launched with more to come. In terms of the in person sessions, people often ask: what's it like and who comes? I was going to write an answer but thought pictures would do a better job. In the videos and the gallery are photos of a stand-up class at the Old Coffee House pub in Soho (the writing classes are similar just less standing up). Plus there are taster videos below And if you DO want some words to read, the BBC Arts editor (then Tate Media director) did the stand-up class 10 years ago and wrote about it in the Guardian and here is an article from 2019 in the London Evening Standard. Below are the courses currently on offer. There are a lot of stand-up classes! New sketch and sitcom classes are coming in 2020 online and in Bristol, with more to follow.

To be kept updated about future classes please join my mailing list.

​

Due to the coronavirus situation the start date of  upcoming courses will be delayed. 

The date start looks certain to shift into the summer and possibly later.

If you book a place and any date change doesn't work for you, I will refund the fee.

See below for an online course shortly to be announced. 
Contact Chris for date updates
 

​

Online

Writing Sitcom & Navigating the Industry Online Course
With Chris Head & Lucy Lumsden

April/ May 2020 Dates TBA shortly

​

Suddenly got time on your hands to write? Then you can write a sitcom in an inspiring online course led by highly regarded comedy teacher, consultant and director Chris Head and former BBC Comedy Commissioner, ex-boss of comedy at Sky and founder of Yellow Door Productions Lucy Lumsden.

 

In seven weeks go from nothing to a sitcom. From a hazy idea go to a fully fleshed out premise, scenes and a treatment. Or go from an idea that you’ve lost your way with to a clear, refreshed sitcom concept, script and pitch. Get personal and highly practical feedback on your work from Chris and Lucy, interact with other writers, get writing tasks, deadlines and a structured approach to developing your show, treatment and pitch. Ideal for comedy writers and writer/performers who already have experience of writing stand-up, sketches and/or sitcom and are wishing to develop their skills and knowledge.

​

Dates & fee TBA -
please enquire for info

London/ 10 weeks

Stand-up Course - Tuesday nights (Level 2) 

NEW POST VIRUS DATES TBA

@ Old Coffee House, Beak Street,

Soho, LONDON, W1F 9SF

​

Over ten weeks, work on your stand-up and develop your own particular interests whether that's longer club sets, festival shows or a specialism like musical comedy, impressions or one-liners - and perform some brand new material in a 7 minute set on the showcase gig at the end of the course in Soho. In the experienced hands of Chris Head (comedy director, teacher and author of "A Director's Guide to the Art of Stand-up") this inspiring course will stretch your writing and performance, equipping you with new tools, new material and enhanced performance with a stronger sense of your persona. Features a Q&A on corporate gigs and gigging in Europe & the US (plus other industry issues) with Geoff Whiting of Mirth Control.

​

£225 full fee/ £195 concession

Place can be secured with a £50 deposit

​

Full info & booking (via JokePit)

​

Bristol/ Weekend

Improv to Sketch & Sitcom

NEW POST VIRUS DATES TBA


Improv scene work will lead to written sketches. These sketches will then be the springboard into sitcom scenes, all the while drawing on improv to discover more about the world and the characters. Leave the course with three finished sketches, ideas for many more and the tools to write them up. You’ll also collaboratively develop a sitcom on the course! This might even be an idea you do something with beyond the weekend, but at the very least having created one show you will have a greater understanding of how to do it again.

​

£99

​

Full info & booking (via BIT)

London/ 10 weeks

Stand-up Course - Monday nights (Level 1)

NEW POST VIRUS DATES TBA
@ Old Coffee House, Beak Street,

Soho, LONDON, W1F 9SF

 

LEVEL 1 STAND-UP For nervous newcomers to stand-up (and more confident ones too). Learn how to stand up, be yourself and be funny in front of an audience in the exact same way you're funny with your friends. Just with more punchlines per minute.


Over ten weeks, create and perform a brand new five-minute stand up comedy act. In the experienced hands of Chris Head (comedy director, teacher and author of "A Director's Guide to the Art of Stand-up") you will be guided through developing your persona, creating material and delivering it so it works.
This highly acclaimed stand-up course has been running for over twelve years and hundreds have done it. Why do it? Some do it for the killer public speaking skills (no work presentations or wedding speeches are a problem after this). Some to tick stand-up off their bucket list. Some want to get out onto the stand-up circuit - and they do. 

​

£275 full fee/ £245 concession

Place can be secured with a £50 deposit


Full info & booking (via JokePit)

Stroud/ 5 x Saturdays

Stand-up Course - Saturdays (Beginners & Improvers)

1NEW POST VIRUS DATES TBA

@ Stroud Brewery Bar, London Rd, STROUD GL5 2BY

​

Over five Saturdays create and perform a brand new five-minute stand up comedy act and perform in a special showcase gig, all at Stroud Brewery. In the experienced hands of Chris Head (comedy director, teacher and author of "A Director's Guide to the Art of Stand-up") you will be guided through developing your persona, creating material and delivering it so it works. All experience levels welcome. The course will meet you where you're at. Newer acts or beginners will grow in confidence and develop their first material. Acts with some experience will find out more about their persona and comic style, will add some tools to their toolkit and will develop new material. 

​

£105 full fee/ £95 concession

Place can be secured with a £50 deposit

​

Full info & booking (via JokePit)

​

 
 
 
 
  • w-facebook
  • Twitter Clean