(Subsidised options, discounts for siblings & bursaries available—email us!)
If you’re not sure if your level of experience would support you to join this workshop, please email [email protected] and we will be happy to help identify if the workshop is right for you.
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WHAT TO EXPECT:
Work with a creative team to explore comedy dynamics through games, improvisation, and ensemble play. Bring your ideas and energy—we’ll turn them into comedy gold!
The Summer School includes:
★ Fun warm-up games
★ Physical comedy & slapstick
★ Character development
★ Comedy sketch creation
★ Script writing & devising
★ Rehearsals & performance skills
Led by professional clown and comedy teachers.
The course ends with a short performance for family & friends on Wednesday 13 August at 4pm.
WHO IS IT FOR?
Do you have a passion for performance? Curious about comedy and what makes you funny and watchable? Want to discover some of the tools and techniques of comedy performance, character, physicality and creation? Are you aged between 12 & 16? Then this course is for you.
We welcome young people who have a passion for developing their theatre and comedy craft, who want to jump in, have fun and get on stage. Our facilitators are industry professionals, who know how to create a fun, interactive and inclusive learning environment.
ABOUT THE FACILITATORS
Robyn Hambrook is a Bristol-based director, teacher, performer and founder of the Bristol Clown School. With over 20 years experience she is a passionate practitioner of clowning, physical theatre, circus and street arts. She has a MA in Circus Directing, a Diploma of Physical Theatre Practice and trained with a long line of inspiring teachers including Holly Stoppit, Peta Lily, Giovanni Fusetti, Bim Mason, Jon Davison, Zuma Puma, Lucy Hopkins and John Wright.
She has performed with internationally acclaimed theatre companies including Derevo, Oceanallover and Akhe and with her own company Fun in the Oven Theatre. She has directed shows for Whispering Woods, The Sexual Health Circus, Boo to a Goose and was one of the co-founders of The Lost Cabaret Bristol, a night for alternative comedy and clowning.
Robyn has run workshops in corporate, community, education and humanitarian settings for companies including Let's Circus, Impact Arts, Islington People's Theatre, Active Inquiry and in tertiary education for the University of Bristol, UWE, Circomedia and Circus Central.
Holly Meechan is a Bristolian performer, theatre-maker, director and facilitator. She has been running workshops for over twenty years for a wide variety of groups in community, educational and corporate settings; working for companies including Bristol Old Vic, Tobacco Factory Theatres, Shakespeare Schools Foundation, Freshwater Theatre, Fifth Word and her own company Join the Dots. As a practitioner her specialist areas of interest are devised theatre, immersive and interactive performance, improvisation, clowning and puppetry.
Since gaining a degree in theatre at Exeter University she has further trained in comedy improv with The Free Association and Monkey Toast; in Forum Theatre with Adrian Jackson; and she has studied clown with many teachers including Phillipe Gaulier, Aitor Basuri, Peta Lily, Holly Stoppit, Bim Mason and Dr Brown. She performs regularly on stage with London based improv team Rhinoceros and in Bristol Improv Theatre’s flagship show The Bish Bosh Bash. You can occasionally see her on the comedy and cabaret circuit performing solo character and clown bits and Holly has also recently started working as a Giggle Doctor for Theodora children's charity.
WHY YOU SHOULD COME?
★ "I felt nervous before attending as I didn’t know what to expect from a clown workshop. I was worried I'd be put on the spot to “be funny”, but it was far from that. There was no pressure to be the best or hilarious, it was all explorative and trust building."
Participant, Clown 1:Foundations Weekend workshop
★ "exceeded my expectations - this was high quality training, packed with so many fun and useful tools, games and exercises and it was structured so well in gradually building up skills until the final mini performances. Holly and Robyn were really supportive and encouraging facilitators while also pushing you to keep improving your clown practice. "
Participant, Clown 1:Foundations Weekend workshop