School of Comedy at the Frog and Bucket
Carmel Smickersgill, Tours & Activities Editor
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.
