Budding comedians are being given the chance to hone their skills on a new course that has been set up at legendary Northern Quarter comedy club the Frog and Bucket.
The course, which is open to beginners and those who already have some experience, will focus on how to write material as well as presentational techniques.
Classes will be held on Saturday afternoons, running for six weeks with a showcase event on February 21 for students to show off their skills.
If they are successful, they could join the ranks of the legends who have previously gigged at the Frog and Bucket, such as John Bishop, Peter Kay and Johnny Vegas.
The course is being conducted by seasoned stand-up and former trainer Dave Williams, who has been a professional comedian since 1998.
He told MM: “We have 12 people looking at how to get started writing material, and some of them have never been on stage before.”
Rather than teaching people to be funny, the course will focus on how they can generate and express their own ideas.
“It is trying to get them to think about how to come up with their own jokes; we will get them working in pairs and groups to give them structure.
“There are loads of different techniques. Different things suit different people, and they can also learn from each other.
“It is mainly a practical course; it is from the ground up, really, and includes looking at how you would deal with an audience.
“There are techniques that you can pass on to get them to think about how they can deal with heckling or an interruption.
“Someone could realise they have a real vocation for it and they could be on telly in a few months.”
A showcase event at the end of the course will give the students an opportunity to take to the stage in front of a supportive audience.
They could also get the chance to perform at the Beat the Frog open mic night that is held every Monday at the club.
More courses are planned for March and May, and there will also be a ‘taster’ day event on March 12 for people who want to find out more about what is involved.
