School of Comedy at the Frog and Bucket

Carmel Smickersgill, Tours & Activities Editor

Book now

School of Comedy at the Frog and Bucket

29 October 2022-29 April 2025

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

Tim Mossholder
Book now

Maybe you’re a regular attendee of live comedy, if so, you’re probably very familiar with the Frog and Bucket. However, have you ever considered getting behind the mic yourself and writing your own material? The infamous Northern Quarter venue has opened its School of Comedy to help people do just that. Over an eight week course you’ll learn the basics and build up to performing your first gig at the Frog.

When starting out in comedy there are a lot of ground rules to get your head around. You’ll be guided through this labyrinth of ‘mistakes to make’ by seasoned professional comedian Dave Williams. He will walk you through ground rules of microphone and stage techniques. He’ll show you how to deal with a range of audiences, including how to come back at the most persistent of hecklers. Most importantly, you’ll get one to one help in refining, structuring and writing your material.

Aside from the routines and stagecraft you’ll also receive very real practical help that will give you the tools you need to find gigs and get to grips with self promotion. Course sizes are kept small so that you can make real progress with finding your own comedic voice.

Dave Williams is a familiar face at both the Frog and Bucket and the Comedy Store in Manchester. He can be seen performing across the UK and has previously done three solo shows at the Edinburgh Fringe.

During your time on the course you’ll also have access to any of the shows at the Frog and Bucket with a plus one ticket. After you graduate and perform your final showcase you’ll receive ongoing discounts at Frog and Bucket shows and be part of a comedy community.

New School of Comedy dates open up once the previous ones are sold out, so don’t worry if you miss out this time round, there will always be new course dates being announced via the Frog and Bucket website.

Where to go near School of Comedy at the Frog and Bucket

Mecanica
Manchester
Bar or Pub
Mecanica

Taking over the space previously occupied by The Quick Brown Fox, Mecanica is a smart neighbourhood bar based in the Northern Quarter.

Ancoats
Restaurant
The Wayfarer

The Northern Quarter pub with Live-music, outdoor seating and friendly staff, making this venue a more than enjoyable visit.

Manchester
Restaurant
Penang

The latest iteration of long-standing Malaysian restaurant Ning, Penang is a small tastefully-lit space with eye-catching purple floral decor, based in Manchester’s Northern Quarter.

Manchester
Tourist Attraction
Lucardo Escape Rooms

Challenge your strategic thinking and lock solving skills with one of Lucardo’s five immersive escape rooms.

Photo of Koffee Pot in Manchester's Northern Quarter
Manchester
Café or Coffee Shop
Koffee Pot

This rock n’ roll greasy spoon on Stevenson Square in Manchester’s Northern Quarter is the place to be weekend mornings.

matt and phreds sign manchester music
Manchester
Music venue
Matt and Phred’s

New Orleans reaches Manchester with this dedicated jazz club in the Northern Quarter – a reliable choice for a good night out.

Fringe Bar in Manchester's Northern Quarter
Ancoats
Bar or Pub
Bar Fringe

No-frills bar on Manchester’s Swan Street. A wide selection of beers and ciders mixed with a great jukebox make this an ideal pre-Band on The Wall drinking spot.

What's on: Activity

Image courtesy of SCENE Festival.
ActivityCity Centre
SCENE: The Traitors at Aviva Studios

Calling all faithfuls. Celebrate the murderous TV phenomenon The Traitors as SCENE Festival sits down with some of the show’s most memorable players. Yes, that includes Linda.

From £12.00
Southern Cemetary Chorlton by Tom Jeffs
Until
TourChorlton
Southern Cemetery Tour

Within Chorlton’s Southern Cemetery lie fascinating stories, beautiful architectural details, and the inspiration behind one of The Smith’s best songs.

From £20.00
Encounter Festival 2026
FestivalsLancashire
Encounter Festival in Preston

Preston comes alive with outdoor theatre, live music, dance and family-friendly creativity in one of the North West’s most joyful festivals.

Free entry
Until
TourCity Centre
The Oxford Road Tour

Jonathan Schofield’s new walking tour exploring the treasures and famous landmarks of Manchester’s Oxford road.

From £20.00

Culture Guides

Food and Drink in the North

Squeeze the most out of these final weeks of summer thanks to our mid-August guide to food and drink in Manchester and the North.

Exhibitions

Summer isn’t usually a high point in the exhibitions calendar, but Greater Manchester’s small galleries seem to have made a pact to change that this year.

Matt Spratt.
Music

Aphex Twin-endorsed electronica, an eight-hour organ marathon and the most exciting band in Ireland's current folk revival all feature this month.

Theatre in Manchester and the North
Theatre

From intimate dramas to spectacular outdoor festivals, discover the North West performances worth adding to your diary.

Emily Lloyd-Saini as Grace in Space and Harrie Hayes as Lieutenant Strong in Horrible Science
Family things to do in the North

Whether you’re after storybook theatre, museum wanderings or illusion-bending play spaces, there’s plenty to keep curiosity ticking through winter and beyond.

A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night
Cinema in the North

There's no shortage of great films out at the moment, whether you're looking for the latest blockbuster, that hot arthouse flick fresh from Cannes or a cosy classic.