Leicester Comedy Festival Sets Up Comedy School

Organisers of the annual Leicester Comedy Festival are setting up a comedy school as part of the 25th anniversary celebrations of the event.  The Laugh Term Comedy School will run from 12-16th February and will be based at Moat Community College, supported by De Montfort University. The “school” will teach young people aged 13-18 the basics of comedy performance and the students will graduate at a special performance on the Friday evening.  The participants will be trained in a series of live comedy performance skills including improvised comedy, stand up and sketches led by professional comedians.   

Leicester Comedy Festival has a long tradition of working with schools and colleges across Leicester and Leicestershire to engage young people in the annual event.  Previous events have included workshops at Regent College and Gateway College but this is the first time the festival programme has included a week-long school open to young people.  The 25thanniversary of the festival takes place from 7-25th February and includes over 836 events across 69 venues, performed by 613 comedians and performers; an increase of 8.5% on last year.

The festival is the longest running comedy festival in the UK, having taken place every February since 1994, and now regularly attracts over 120,000 people to venues acrossLeicester and Leicestershire throughout the 19 days.  Highlights for 2018 include Barry Cryer, Harry Hill, Sara Pascoe, Jonathan Pie, Katherine Ryan, Paul Chowdhry, Dave Spikey, Dr John Cooper Clarke, Griff Rhys Jones, Mark Steel and Richard Herring.  Special events for the 2018 event include the Laugh Term Comedy School as well as a special “birthday party” show, a thanksgiving service at Leicester Cathedral (featuring special guest Nicholas Parsons) and A Funny City, an exhibition highlighting the history of comedy in Leicester and the development of Leicester Comedy Festival since 1994. 

Geoff Rowe, founder and Director of the festival said: “we are thrilled to be working with our partners at Moat Community College and DMULocal at De Montfort University to organise the first ever Laugh Term Comedy School.  We know there is huge interest amongst young people in comedy and an increasing interest in them learning more about live comedy performance.  There are huge benefits for young people to develop their performance skills including improved confidence, presentation and communication skills but mainly we hope to give young people an amazing experience and loads of fun!”

The full programme for Leicester Comedy Festival 2018 is now available either by obtaining a copy of the main brochure or by visiting www.comedy-festival.co.uk  The Gala Preview Show launch event will take place at De Montfort Hall on Friday 12th January and tickets for the Gala, and all other festival shows, are now available by visiting the website or calling 0116 456 6812.

Places for the school are priced £25 for the week and can be booked now by visiting www.comedy-festival.co.uk/event/laugh-term-comedy-school/

 

 

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