What was I thinking when I signed up for the Funny Women Workshop Weekend? Lord only knows; if I crack a funny, people are far more likely to keel over in shock rather than laughter. But in my new quest for opportunities to step out of my comfort zone, signed up I had. And frankly the fear of humiliation in admitting I’d bottled it outweighed (only marginally mind) my fear of actually attending a weekend of … well to be honest I wasn’t really sure what the weekend would hold.
I had been too scared to read the itinerary in detail. The gig had been billed as a ‘two-day course packed full of advice and techniques for getting the best out of yourself’; that was enough for me and so I had somehow managed to block out the idea that this all hinged on comedy. Yes, I know it’s all in the title!
So D-day arrives and I find myself outside the doors of the delightful B-Hive business club in Covent Garden. With a deep breath I ring the buzzer and enter. Within a few minutes my nerves begin to recede as I discover I’m not the only non-comedian here. I find myself surrounded by a vast array of women from all kinds of backgrounds, but with one thing in common – they’ve all stepped out of the traditional corporate box and are here to see how Funny Women can help them advance their individual ventures, be they business or stage-led. And so the fun begins.
The next two days are spent in a spin of writing radio comedy sketches; creating the most obscure characters; pairing up with complete strangers for some improv; writing and performing my own material and a master-class in Burlesque! From one moment to the next I find my emotions yo-yoing from complete enjoyment to sheer terror; from the desire to run a mile to 'oh sod it', making a fool of myself is actually quite fun. And so the weekend zooms by.
It’s not until I am slumped exhausted on the train home on Sunday night that I have time to take stock of the weekend. It goes without saying, I have more than achieved my number one objective of exiting my comfort zone; but more than that, the weekend has inspired my creativity, given my some great tips for overcoming writer’s block, shown me that, although well hidden, I actually have more confidence than I ever thought possible. This is not to mention all of the wonderful and inspirational people I have met, who have quite literally taken the humdrum of the nine to five and turned it on its head. Each and every one of them has a fantastic tale to tell.
To book the next Workshop Weekend on 13th/14th July click HERE
Lilias Martin is a freelance writer and communications consultant. You can follow her on Twitter @liliasmartin
