Stand-Up Comedy 77-5928-00S Module Guide 2013
Module Leader
Jon Bridle
Contact Details
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 0114 225 622
Module Tutor
James McNicholas
Contact Details
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 0114 225 6227
Student Administrator
Contact Details
Rachel Walker
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 0114 225 6194
Introduction
Welcome to the stand-up comedy module. This is the fourth year that this module has
run and experience so far has shown it to be a fun, challenging and very rewarding
experience. In the module we will analyse a wide range of comedy performance styles
and sub-genres with a view to informing and developing your own five-minute routine.
The practical outcome of the module is a performance informed in some way by
humour/comedy, and you will be taking part in a series of workshops and
masterclasses from people who have made comedic work as writers and performers.
Although the term ‘stand-up’ appears in the module title, we are using the concept of
stand up in its loosest sense – here it encompasses all forms of live comedy
performance, including comedy monologue, sketch comedy, mime, slapstick, comedy
songs and others as will be introduced over the course of the module. Many students
have previously chosen to perform comedy sketches or to do some physical clowning; it
is up to you. The sessions will comprise practical exercises with screenings of comedy
performances, but you will also be expected to read academic books and articles about
writing for and performing comedy.
The styles and aspects of comedy performance explored over the course of the module
will include:
Contemporary Stand-Up Comedy
Historical Comedic Forms (including Clowning)
Comedy on Television (including Sketch Shows)
Modes and Methods of Comedic Performance
Joke Writing and Script Writing
Module Aims
To introduce students to various forms of comedy performance, both onstage
and onscreen.
To equip students with the ability to differentiate between comedic forms -
slapstick, burlesque, political, 'alternative', etc.
To enable students to devise and develop a comedy persona.
To facilitate students in crafting and performing a short piece of comedy
performance.
Learning Outcomes
Analyse the technique and persona of a number of contemporary stand-up
comedians.
Create a comedy persona.
Devise a five-minute comedy script.
Deliver a comedy performance.
Assessment
Comedy Performance (70%)
There are several performance options for your 5 minute routine:
A monologue, either in character or as yourself.
Physical comedy/mime.
Comedy music/songs.
Stand-up comedy routine in any style (songs may be included).
5 minutes’ worth of sketch comedy material, featuring up to two additional
actors.
A combination of any of the above.
The performance will take place in a live setting with an audience.
You will also need to submit, on the day of the performance, the script of your 5
minute performance.
Reflective Account (30%)
A 2000 word analytical account of the development process and outcome - identifying
sources used, comedic influences and outcomes achieved.
The account is 2000 words and can include images and diagrams if relevant. Your
account must include both a contextual account of the comedic and theatre and
performance styles used in relation to your artistic influences, and also a critical
reflection on your writing and rehearsal processes, and final performance.
Students must also include critical concepts and vocabulary related to existing research
in the area of comedy performance, referencing both theory and practice. You will be
guided towards relevant texts during sessions, but you are also advised to make full use
of the library facilities and conduct your own research outside of session time. A set of
guidance notes will also be made available on the module Blackboard site.
Notes on Assessments
You will each be assessed individually on your performances, just as in your performances on
other modules.
Assessment dates are to be found on Assignment Manager and must continually be checked for changes. Further guidance notes will be available via the module Blackboard.
Teaching and Learning
The students will co-organise (with both peers and tutors) and deliver a comedy performance
taking account of stylistic integrity, originality and the importance of working the audience.
Following this, students will then present to their tutors an analysis of their performance and
creative process experiences in the form of a supporting file. Students will explore different
performance and presentation styles and demonstrate their ability to present ideas in a lively,
informative and engaging manner. The sessions will cover three key areas in order to develop
the required assessment skills: writing comedy and character development, approaches to
professional stand-up, physical and observational comedy and working the audience.
Using online resources The internet can be a very useful tool for the study of Performance, offering resources such as company or band websites, clips and performance dates. However, please note that using material from websites without citing the source is plagiarism, which carries heavy penalties. See the section on Plagiarism, below, for details. To avoid academic misconduct, always cite your source. Check the guidance notes for details on how to reference websites. In your bibliography you should always cite your web source with the name of the website, the full URL and the date you accessed it. This is standard academic protocol. It is not an option. Remember there is a hierarchy of sources, and the better the rank and authority of your sources, the better and more authoritative will be your essay. Academic books are top of the food chain – especially those on the reading list! Every subject area on which you are asked to write will have been discussed in major and respected academic texts (which may well debate with each other). You should show that you know of these texts and their major theories or arguments. Academic articles, from academic journals or academic journals online, are also reputable and can be the backbone of a good academic essay. All other web sources should be regarded with caution. Wikipedia Books and articles in academic journals go through a process of editing and peer review. In other words, several experts have read them before they are published, so the arguments and information within them have been checked and validated. The internet, by contrast, is unregulated. This means that anyone can publish their own material, without it going through any checks for accuracy. Most internet sites therefore offer no guarantee that their information is correct. Wikipedia is no exception. The very nature of a “wiki” is that anyone can contribute an entry. It may look and seem authoritative, but there is no system in place to ensure the information in an entry is accurate.
Wikipedia is many people’s first port of call for information, and it is an acceptable source for general ideas about a subject, but nothing you read there should be accepted at face value and every fact should be rechecked. For these reasons, Wikipedia is not accepted as a valid academic source in academic essays and students are not permitted to use or quote Wikipedia in their assignments. If you do believe that a specific Wikipedia article is of genuine use and validity to your work, ask your module leader to approve it. Plagiarism Plagiarism is academically disreputable and intellectually dishonest and, for these reasons, will be severely dealt with when it occurs. Plagiarism is defined as follows: presenting the work of another as one's own without proper acknowledgement. It includes: Using published and unpublished sources, including the work of other students, without proper acknowledgement Reuse of your own work (auto-plagiarism) It is also plagiarism to submit another student’s essay and pass it off as your own or to have someone else substantially (re)write an essay presented as yours. It must be emphasised that it is failure to acknowledge that constitutes plagiarism. Quoting from or referring to good sources is essential, but you must not pass off such material as your own. Where plagiarism is conscious and deliberate, this is, in effect, an act of intellectual theft which also involves a conscious intent to deceive. However, students should also be careful not to plagiarise accidentally, either because of an inability to summarise source materials properly or through an ignorance of proper referencing conventions. Plagiarism, whether intentional or unintentional, carries severe academic penalties, including the termination of your registration on the degree. Some ways to avoid plagiarising: Seek advice. If you are not sure when or how to cite other work, ask for advice. Citation and Bibliographies. Pay attention to the conventions for citation and list the sources you have used at the end of your work, in a bibliography. Web sources. Always quote the web address of any material you use as well as date, title, author, etc. Quotations. If you quote word for word from another source (published or unpublished) always use quotation marks and cite the source.
Summaries and paraphrases. If you summarise or paraphrase source materials do not use quotation marks but always cite the source. Use the names of authors or originators of ideas. One of the best ways of avoiding plagiarism is to remember to include the name of the author or originator of the material you are using. For example, you might write ‘Einstein developed the theory of relativity and first published his ideas in 1904’ or ‘The theory of relativity is an important stepping stone in our understanding of quantum theory (Einstein, 1904)’. What should I acknowledge? You should always acknowledge quotations, summaries
and paraphrases, but it is not necessary to cite the sources of every piece of minor factual
information. Deciding where originality and new ideas start and where plagiarism ends is
not easy and your tutors will help you to do this, but always err on the side of caution.
Employability Skills
During the course of this module, your studies and your assessments will allow you to utilise the following core employability skills:
Communication Skills
Information and Communication Technology
Numeracy Skills
Teamwork
Problem Solving
Analytical Abilities
Self-Directed Learning and Initiative
Harvard Referencing
A guide to Harvard Referencing, for the purposes of referencing and citation in your written
assignments will be uploaded onto the module Blackboard site. Further guidance will also be
given during lectures and as part of tutorials. You are also encouraged to email your tutors with
questions at any time.
Assessment Criteria
Comedy Performance (70%)
Pre-Production: This will include an assessment of your individual contribution to the
rehearsal process. You will need to provide evidence of outside work and preparation,
planning and research into both the influences and methods drawn upon in the making
of your devised performance. Your commitment to the process is key in any successful
ensemble performance work.
Communication (Group): Group communication includes your contribution to a sense
of ensemble during both the studio workshops and the final performance. This criterion
also assesses your ability to share the rehearsal studio and performance space with
others effectively, establishing and displaying an ability to engage with a sense of
rhythm within an ensemble.
Communication (Audience): The consideration of audience communication includes
an understanding of character/persona, stage presence, eye contact and use of pace and
rhythm. An important element of audience communication is physical and vocal clarity,
and in this module, an ability to sustain the sense of character and tone as is appropriate
to your routine.
Technical Ability: This includes both physical and vocal range and command of
intention, technique and style as is relevant to the demands of the particular theatrical
styles you are using within your devised performance. Your approach to psychological
and emotional states will also be assessed against your chosen style of performance. The
intentions of your piece and individual character will need to be clearly understood and
then creatively expressed to your audience.
Ambition: The ambition of your performance refers to the overall achievement in
relation to your original intentions/ambitions and your personal contribution to the
final performance. This criterion also assesses your overall development from
rehearsals through to final performance, focusing on whether or not you have
sufficiently sought to and attained a development of your skills over the course of the
module.
Reflective Account (30%)
Research & Source Material: This includes background research and evidence of
reading to support your supporting file, including appropriate referencing and
bibliography relating to theories, methods and companies/practitioners related to your
devised performance. If using web or audio-visual materials, these must also be
relevantly selected and discussed.
Methodology: Methodology refers to your chosen research and writing methods, which
also means reading and citing academic texts and not just descriptive reflections on
performances. This criterion also assesses your ability to develop an argument
coherently and with relevant use of quotes, where you are also balanced in your
approach to considering the full range of perspectives upon the topic you are
researching.
Structure: The structure includes the logical progression of your ideas and argument.
You may use relevant headings (i.e. Introduction, Rehearsal Process, Final Performance)
if appropriate and will to allow for an adequate amount of words shared between
introduction, development and conclusion. The conclusion particularly, needs to
summarise your learning on the module in terms of both theory and practice.
Content: The content refers to the quality of information and analysis showing
understanding of the source material where appropriate. You will also be expected to
have covered all of the required areas of discussion as detailed in the guidance notes
that will be available on the module Blackboard site.
Literary Style: Your literary style includes the fluency of your expression and the
appropriate use of critical vocabulary in relation to both performance terminology and
vocabulary used in academic articles/ books. Careful attention to sentence and
paragraph structure is also expected, and you are therefore advised to always 'have your
reader in mind' during the writing process.
Notes on Assessments
You will each be assessed individually on your performances, just as in your performances on
other modules.
The essay also needs to written in a clear and accessible style, and needs to be both
single-sided and word-processed using Arial size 12.
Assessment dates are to be found on Assignment Manager and must continually be checked for
changes.
Further guidance notes will be available via the module Blackboard.
Module Schedule
Wk Day/date Key Focus Workshops 1 Thursday
3rd October Introduction to module Module outline
Introductory games Watching comedy performances
2 Thursday 10th October
Comedy writing I: jokes and sketches
Joke writing Sketch writing
3 Thursday 17th October
Stand-Up comedy masterclass
Masterclass with Susan Hanks
4 Thursday 24th October
Comedy writing II: jokes and sketches
Joke writing Sketch writing
5 Thursday 31st October
Clowning and physical comedy I
Improvisation Jacques Lecoq Comedic movement
6 Thursday 7th November
Clowning and physical comedy II
Improvisation Jacques Lecoq Comedic movement 7 Thursday
14th November Tutorials
Discuss your comedy routine with tutors
8 Thursday 21st November
Begin workshopping ideas for final performance
Ideas development Group discussions
9 Thursday 28th November
Routine rehearsals I Ideas development Tutor feedback Group discussions
10 Thursday 5th December
Routine rehearsals II Ideas development Routine sharing Tutor feedback
11 Thursday 12th December
Performance Submission of script Performance of routine
12 Thursday
19th December Debrief Module Review
Guidance on written work
*N.B. Masterclasses are still to be organised and so there might be a variation in the
exact dates that these happen.Further Viewing
There are so many artists both past and present that it would be impossible to list them
all here! Below is a selection of notable performers however, that you may wish to
investigate further, either through the web, DVDs or finding out where their next gig is
and going along.
Stand-Up Comedians and Comedy Performers
Armando Iannucci Bill Bailey Freddy Starr
Frankie Boyle Jo Brand Russell Brand
Rob Brydon Jimmy Carr Jasper Carrott
Billy Connolly Barry Cryer George Carlin
Alan Carr Jo Caulfield Louis C K
Steve Coogan Tommy Cooper Jack Dee
Ellen DeGeneres Chris Morris Ben Elton
Lee Evans Tina Fey Milton Jones
French & Saunders Joyce Grenfell Natalie Haynes
Larry David Richard Herring Bill Hicks
Harry Hill Russell Howard Andy Kaufman
Peter Kay Shappi Khorsandi Daniel Kitson
Denis Leary Stewart Lee Sean Lock
Ricky Gervais Lee Mack Jason Manford
Steve Martin Michael McIntyre Max Miller
Sarah Millican Tim Minchin Shazia Mirza
Reeves & Mortimer Dylan Moran Chic Murray
Ardal O’Hanlon Lucy Porter Richard Pryor
Joan Rivers Chris Rock Jerry Sadowitz
Alexei Sayle Sarah Silverman Tim Vine
Victoria Wood Steven Wright Gina Yashere
TV Sketch/Comedy Shows
A Bit of Fry and Laurie
Alas Smith and Jones
Big Train
Bottom
The Catherine Tate Show
Dave Allen At Large
Harry Enfield and Chums
Jam
The Kevin Bishop Show
The League of Gentleman
Little Britain
Flight of the Conchords
Facejacker
I'm Alan Partridge
Dinnerladies
Fawlty Towers
Seinfeld
Curb Your Enthusiasm
The Day Today
The Armando Iannucci Show
The Mighty Boosh
Monty Python’s Flying Circus
Not the Nine O’Clock News
Smack the Pony
Snuff Box
That Mitchell and Webb Look
Tittybangbang
The Two Ronnies
The Fast Show
The Armstrong and Miller Show
Vic Reeves’ Big Night Out
Victoria Wood on TV
We Are Klang
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You Need to be a Success in the World of Comedy USA: Adams Media Corporation
Bergson H (2008) Laughter: An Essay on the Meaning of the Comic Maryland: Arc Manor
Carr J, Greeves L (2007) The Naked Jape: Uncovering the Hidden World of Jokes London:
Penguin Books Ltd
Chiaro D (1992) The Language of Jokes: Analysing Verbal Play USA and Canada:
Routledge
Cook W (2001) The Comedy Store London: Little, Brown
Critchley S (2002) On Humour: Thinking in Action London, USA and Canada: Routledge
Double O (2005) Getting the Joke: The Art of Stand-up Comedy London: Methuen Drama
Double O (1997) Stand-up! On Being a Comedian London: Methuen Drama
Hall J (2006) The Rough Guide to British Cult Comedy London: Rough Guides
Holloway S (2010) The Serious Guide to Joke Writing London: Bookshaker
Jacobi S (2005) Laughing Matters: From Reclusive Writer to Stand-up Comic in Three
Months London: Century
Lecoq J (2000) The Moving Body London: Methuen
Lecoq J (2006) Theatre of Movement and Gesture USA and Canada: Routledge
Murray L (2007) Teach Yourself Stand Up Comedy London: Teach Yourself Books
Murray S (2003) Jacques Lecoq London and New York: Routledge
Peacock L (2010) Serious Play: Modern Clown Performance Bristol and USA: Chicago
University Press
Perret G (1994) Successful Stand-up Comedy: Advice from a Comedy Writer USA: Samuel
French Trade
Sankey J (1998) Zen and the Art of Stand-up Comedy London and New York: Routledge
Simon E (2010) The Art of Clowning New York: Palgrave MacMillan
Stott A (2004) Comedy London and New York: Routledge
Wright J (2006) Why is That So Funny? A Practical Exploration of Physical Comedy
London: Nick Hern Books