We are excited to have been invited by the Fringe Society to facilitate an entire weekend of comedy workshops, panel discussions and networking on Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd August at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Our Funny Women Weekend Comedy Academy has been specifically designed as an introduction to comedy, covering four main topic areas; stand up, improv, sketch and character and comedy writing. We’ll also be exploring ageism in comedy with a workshop and panel, and discussing the role and profile of women and sport in our panel event ‘No Balls Please!’ So come along and find your funny!
We will be running a very special workshop with Channel 4 on Saturday 22nd August at 11.00am about How to write a sitcom & get yourself noticed. This will be a valuable opportunity to get first hand insight from the experts about how to write and present your script, from initial development of ideas, characterisation, joke structure to lay-out and more. Plus advice on getting your project in front of the right people.
If sketch and character comedy is more your thing then join comedians Anna Morris and Kate Lennon in their workshop Feeling a little sketchy: The sketch comedy comeback where you can learn how to develop comic plots and characters. There are two opportunities to take part in this workshop on Saturday 22nd August at 11.00am and Sunday 23rd August at 11.30am.
Guardian writer Harriet Minter will lead a discussion about Does age matter? on Saturday 22nd August at 12.30pm with comedians Lynn Ruth Miller, Sindhu Vee, Lauren Pattinson and Liz Fraser whose ages span six decades. The panel will talk about whether comedy is ageist and how modern technology and improved access to new comedy can broaden our appeal, and get our work in front of commissioners whatever our age.
For those who want to explore stand up comedy, Funny Women founder Lynne Parker will be holding two of her signature workshop Stand up to Stand out on Saturday 22nd August at 2.00pm and Sunday 23rd August at 11.30am. Lynne will introduce you to a few tricks of the trade to give you the confidence to start performing and help develop your comic voice.
Octogenarian comedian Lynn Ruth Miller will share a few of her own tricks of the trade in her workshop Grow old disgracefully – being funny as an older woman on Saturday 22nd August at 12.30pm. Older women have the comedy edge says the award winning comic, who started performing stand up and burlesque in her 70s. Find out how to stay in the limelight whatever your age and how using humour builds confidence and self-worth.
Improvisor and stand up Laura Lexx will be facilitating two improv workshops on Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd August both at 2.00pm. You couldn’t make it up: How to improvise will take you on a magical journey to unleash your innate creativity through improvisation and acting techniques.
For the sports fans there is No Balls Please! our second panel event on Sunday 23rd August at 3.30pm, again hosted by the brilliant Harriet Minter. She will be joined by Aussie comedian and cricket fan Felicity Ward, England footballer and World Cup commentator Rachel Finnis-Brown, comedian and footie fan Catherine Bohart and record breaking Atlantic rower Sally Kettle. This panel ‘teams up’ these brilliant comedians and sports women to explore the competitive female spirit whether it’s jousting with jokes or heading a ball into the net.
As if this isn’t enough the Funny Women Team will be around all weekend for some informal networking. We will be on hand to talk to you about how to develop your performance skills, gain confidence for the stage or the boardroom, writing and creating material, and much more.
Our thanks to our brilliant guest speakers and facilitators and the Fringe Society for helping us to curate an unrivaled, unique and completely free programme of professional and career development opportunities. Please book ahead and we look forward to meeting you at Fringe Central on 22nd and 23rd August.
