Sunday, July 30, 2006
Writers' Holiday at Caerleon Campus, University of Wales
Newport, South Wales 23-28 July 2006
COMEDY COURSE by BRAD ASHTON
I took the course The Funniest Thing About Comedy run by Brad Ashton who has written more than 1000 TV scripts. Brad, an energetic, amusing 75-year-old, provided non-stop entertainment. He described how he had lunch with Goucho Marx who appeared incognito at a London restaurant without his moustache and was nearly thrown out for not wearing a tie, until he produced his trademark cigar. (If I remember correctly, which I rarely do. That's my shortened, second-hand version of the story.)
Brad recalled Benny Hills' flat, which had hardly any furniture. But cartoons and newspaper cuttings of jokes covered the walls.
Brad also witnessed arguments over theatre dressing rooms. Famous comedy singers demanded the top dressing room, saying that if they did not get it, they would refuse to perform.
Brad has written for Tommy Cooper, Les Dawson and Bob Monkhouse. His first book, published in 1983 by Elmtree books, was How to Write Comedy which is used in universities in Canada and America. His latest book is The Funny Thing About Writing Comedy.
Our workshop finished with everybody giving a short performance. It was most reassuring to learn that even the greats have days or nights when they die on stage. For example, an act which went down well in the USA last night might mystify the puzzled UK audience next morning.
Brad learned to write by copying jokes until he had six notebooks full of them and could spot the pattern or formula.
If you need an after dinner speaker, he is immensely entertaining.
Performance Poetry and Humour
by Angela Lansbury
I made a brief appearance during the poetry evening. I listened to all the humorous poems, the majority of which were about sex. I now have to adapt my comedy act to one with humorous verse so that I can perform at poetry events which are another opportunity.
Since it was a poetry evening, I could not perform my usual routine with the sex jokes. However, I ended by saying that as there were not enough men I had brought my own. I pulled out of my bag a talking boy doll which speaks when you press its hand.
Brad pointed out that a further opportunity for speakers is entertaining at homes for the elderly. However, they are frequently hard of hearing and an act all about sex would not be ideal, though an act including humour about being chased and evading a lustful old man could be amusing.
Public Speaking workshop by Angela Lansbury
I gave an afternoon tea workshop on public Speaking. I told one of the quietly-spoken speakers to speak to an imaginary person in the empty back row of the long room. Then I thought, why not move myself, or one of the audience, to the back row? Why not everybody?
So I moved everybody to the back of the room. I made the muttering impromptu speakers practice raising their voices so they could be heard at the back.
So simple. But we always do the opposite. We move the audience forward at Toastmasters.
I started them doing elevator speeches. My friend Linda does Tai Chi. Her one minute elevator speech was fine but nothing visual. So I got her to stand on one leg to demonstrate tai chil. Everybody thought that was very funny.
One of the speakers was giving regular speeches about audio books for the blind. I mentioned using glasses or an audio tape as a prop.
During the speech she said that the council only gave a tiny amount towards the cost, which was why she was fund-raising. As she said 'a tiny amount' she gave a slight gesture of dismissal, like throwing away something tiny. I got her to exaggerate that.
Another speaker talked about writing a mystery novel and subconsciously made a slight gesture of both palms down facing forward with a shrug. I got him to exaggerate that.
A good time was had by all. I gave out a four-sided handout
The next week-long Writers' Holiday is 29 July - August 3rd 2007, costing £339 which includes university accommodation, three meals and coffee with biscuits, a free excursion Wednesday afternoon, all tuition and evening lectures. Gerry Hobbs will even collect you from the railway station and organise a coach back to the station Friday lunchtime and packed lunches for those who can't stay for lunch.
However, if you can't wait, there are also shorter and cheaper courses:
Fishguard Bay Hotel, Pembrokeshire, Friday 10th-Sunday 12th November for £199.
Or Friday 16th-Sunday February 18th. More details from Anne Hobbs:
Newport, South Wales 23-28 July 2006
COMEDY COURSE by BRAD ASHTON
I took the course The Funniest Thing About Comedy run by Brad Ashton who has written more than 1000 TV scripts. Brad, an energetic, amusing 75-year-old, provided non-stop entertainment. He described how he had lunch with Goucho Marx who appeared incognito at a London restaurant without his moustache and was nearly thrown out for not wearing a tie, until he produced his trademark cigar. (If I remember correctly, which I rarely do. That's my shortened, second-hand version of the story.)
Brad recalled Benny Hills' flat, which had hardly any furniture. But cartoons and newspaper cuttings of jokes covered the walls.
Brad also witnessed arguments over theatre dressing rooms. Famous comedy singers demanded the top dressing room, saying that if they did not get it, they would refuse to perform.
Brad has written for Tommy Cooper, Les Dawson and Bob Monkhouse. His first book, published in 1983 by Elmtree books, was How to Write Comedy which is used in universities in Canada and America. His latest book is The Funny Thing About Writing Comedy.
Our workshop finished with everybody giving a short performance. It was most reassuring to learn that even the greats have days or nights when they die on stage. For example, an act which went down well in the USA last night might mystify the puzzled UK audience next morning.
Brad learned to write by copying jokes until he had six notebooks full of them and could spot the pattern or formula.
If you need an after dinner speaker, he is immensely entertaining.
Performance Poetry and Humour
by Angela Lansbury
I made a brief appearance during the poetry evening. I listened to all the humorous poems, the majority of which were about sex. I now have to adapt my comedy act to one with humorous verse so that I can perform at poetry events which are another opportunity.
Since it was a poetry evening, I could not perform my usual routine with the sex jokes. However, I ended by saying that as there were not enough men I had brought my own. I pulled out of my bag a talking boy doll which speaks when you press its hand.
Brad pointed out that a further opportunity for speakers is entertaining at homes for the elderly. However, they are frequently hard of hearing and an act all about sex would not be ideal, though an act including humour about being chased and evading a lustful old man could be amusing.
Public Speaking workshop by Angela Lansbury
I gave an afternoon tea workshop on public Speaking. I told one of the quietly-spoken speakers to speak to an imaginary person in the empty back row of the long room. Then I thought, why not move myself, or one of the audience, to the back row? Why not everybody?
So I moved everybody to the back of the room. I made the muttering impromptu speakers practice raising their voices so they could be heard at the back.
So simple. But we always do the opposite. We move the audience forward at Toastmasters.
I started them doing elevator speeches. My friend Linda does Tai Chi. Her one minute elevator speech was fine but nothing visual. So I got her to stand on one leg to demonstrate tai chil. Everybody thought that was very funny.
One of the speakers was giving regular speeches about audio books for the blind. I mentioned using glasses or an audio tape as a prop.
During the speech she said that the council only gave a tiny amount towards the cost, which was why she was fund-raising. As she said 'a tiny amount' she gave a slight gesture of dismissal, like throwing away something tiny. I got her to exaggerate that.
Another speaker talked about writing a mystery novel and subconsciously made a slight gesture of both palms down facing forward with a shrug. I got him to exaggerate that.
A good time was had by all. I gave out a four-sided handout
The next week-long Writers' Holiday is 29 July - August 3rd 2007, costing £339 which includes university accommodation, three meals and coffee with biscuits, a free excursion Wednesday afternoon, all tuition and evening lectures. Gerry Hobbs will even collect you from the railway station and organise a coach back to the station Friday lunchtime and packed lunches for those who can't stay for lunch.
However, if you can't wait, there are also shorter and cheaper courses:
Fishguard Bay Hotel, Pembrokeshire, Friday 10th-Sunday 12th November for £199.
Or Friday 16th-Sunday February 18th. More details from Anne Hobbs:
