If you’re wondering “how can I learn stand-up comedy?”, then take a leaf out of Jeff Green and Eddie Izzard’s book. Both kicked off their stand-up comedy careers by attending a stand-up comedy course in London. Whoopy Goldberg got coached by comedy school trainer, Greg Dean. And Hard Knock Knocks resident comedy coach, Brad Oakes, has coached some of Australia’s most well known comedians. In short, stand-up comedy can be learnt.
Of course, don’t take our word for it. Comedians Joe Rogan and Jimmy Carr agree. In fact, they have even considered running their own stand-up comedy school, just like the Hard Knock Knocks. But don’t think for a moment that being a stand-up comedian is born, not made. You might be able to make your friends laugh, but a true stand-up comedians can make strangers laugh.
That being said, we don’t all learn the same way, so here are some options:
Coach
If you’ve got the money, comedy coaching is the fastest way to get to funny. And you might be surprised to learn that it’s not just the newbies that get coached. Veteran comedian Brad Oakes has a regular pool of household name comedians, who like actors and musicians, need a critical eye (and ear) to help polish a stand-up comedy set.
In-Person Course
The Hard Knock Knocks comedy school is in its ninth year, and has had over 700 graduates move through the process of writing, polishing and performing stand-up comedy. What’s more, some of our alumni have enjoyed the experience so much that they’ve re-enrolled two, three and even four times! Andy Payne, for example, completed his first course in January 2022, only to return over a year later. Henry McLaughlin completed the course three times, to help him “take a break” from his stressful day job. And then there’s Kim Da Cruz, who completed the course four times, including once on the TV version of the course, called ‘Is This Thing On?‘
Online Courses
While not as affective as an in-person classroom course, an online comedy course can help you understand the basics, learn the lingo, and loosen up the writer’s block. There’s a bunch of online stand-up comedy courses on offer, ranging from $100 to over $500.
Trial and Error
Not everyone likes to be directed. For some, the thrill of learning is through the trial and error process. That is, the journey is just as enjoyable as the destination. For these patient souls we direct them to the open mic comedy rooms list and wish you luck. It’s about to be a very long road.