Stand-up comedy: beginners
Choose a starting date
Learning modes and locations may be different depending on the course start date. Please check the location of your chosen course and read our guide to learning modes and locations to help you choose the right course for you.
- Start Date: 12 May 2025End Date: 07 Jul 2025This course is fullMon (Evening): 18:15 - 20:45In PersonLocation: Kean Street Wellbeing CentreDuration: 8 sessions (over -9 weeks)Course Code: DRB102Tutors: Robert HitchmoughFull fee £249.00 Senior fee £249.00 Concession £174.00
- Start Date: 29 Sep 2025End Date: 01 Dec 2025Mon (Evening): 18:15 - 20:45In PersonLocation: Kean Street Wellbeing CentreDuration: 10 sessions (over -10 weeks)Course Code: DRB100Tutors: Robert HitchmoughFull fee £319.00 Senior fee £319.00 Concession £223.00
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
What is the course about?
You will explore and develop skills in writing and performing stand - up comedy. It is an opportunity to discover your comedy voice, begin to develop your own material, while working creatively in a safe and supportive group setting. Please note there is no class on Monday 26 May for the scheduled Bank holiday.
What will we cover?
• Where ideas for stand up come from
• How to develop your ideas
• Comedy personas.
• Stand-up storytelling.
Please note that acting classes by their very nature can involve exercises and the exploration of material that some students may find challenging.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
Write and perform different styles of stand up to a reasonable standard.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This is a beginners' course, no prior experience is necessary.
In order to get the most from the course you will need to be able to:
• Listen and respond to instructions and feedback
• Take part in class discussions
• Perform your work
• Work within groups and pairs safely
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
Your tutor will teach though a variety of techniques during this course. Students perform or discuss the work they have prepared at home. There will be some paired exercises in addition to individual work and there will be some preparatory work outside of class.
The group are encouraged to watch stand up comedy.
HEALTH CHECK
You may be asked to participate in rigorous activity from time to time. Please consider whether you could do this, if you are in any doubt consult a medical practitioner.
As part of the course content, your tutor may record your image for initial and ongoing assessment purposes. You are entitled to decline to participate in the recording of your image.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
You will need a notebook and pen.
You may wish to purchase one of the books from the recommended reading list, especially:
Sally Holloway, The serious guide to joke writing: how to say something funny about anything (2010)
Adam Bloom, Finding your comic genius: an in-depth guide to the art of stand-up comedy (2023)
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Enrol onto Comedy improvisation or one of our comedy writing courses such as Comedy: sketch writing and performing for TV and online.
Rob Hitchmough is an award-winning playwright, classically trained actor and drama teacher. In his capacity as a comedian and improviser Rob has performed over 5,000 professional stand-up gigs at just about every major venue in the UK and Ireland. He has also appeared in over 30 films and television shows and countless stage productions. Rob has been teaching stand up, improvisation and sketch writing at The City Lit since 2002 also teaching at The Sylvia Young Theatre School and The Actors Centre. Besides performing Rob also has a bit of a writing pedigree having penned several television scripts and two stage plays, the second of which was shortlisted for the Liverpool Royal Court, Hope Playwriting Prize.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.