Have you ever wondered how your favourite performers take their shows from a blank page in a notebook to a packed room in stitches?
Soho Theatre has announced a second series of our one day masterclasses taking place over Zoom featuring some of the top performers working in the industry today.
Each performer will be looking back at their previous shows to take you step by step through their creative process. From developing the idea, to performing on the opening night and beyond, they will be letting you in on their secrets.
Sam Simmons – Thu 10 Sep
Right up there as one of Australia’s greatest exports, Sam Simmons is a daring and unconventional comedian. Having built a huge following both at home and in the UK with shows including the Edinburgh Comedy Award nominated Meanwhile and Death of a Sails-Man, Sam went on to take the crown with 2015’s Spaghetti For Breakfast.
In this masterclass, Sam will take you through his process and his past shows in explaining how he creates work that has been called, among other things, ‘breathlessly inventive psycho-comedy’ (Independent).
Jessica Fostekew – Thu 17 Sep
2019 was a big year for stand-up comedian and The Guilty Feminist regular Jessica Fostekew. Her show Hench saw her nominated for her first Edinburgh Fringe Best Show award and subsequently completely sold out her runs at Soho Theatre, as well as shows across the country.
With years of performing under her (in this case weightlifting) belt and now a master storyteller, participants in this masterclass will hear how Jessica mines her own life for material in her highly personal, laid-bare style of comedy.
Natalie Palamides – Thu 24 Sep
LA-based clown Natalie Palamides stormed the Edinburgh Fringe back in 2017 with her Best Newcomer award winning show Laid and followed this up in 2018 with the hugely critically acclaimed Nate. Through her work, Natalie embraces big topics such as fertility and motherhood, and sexual consent and masculinity and creates dynamic, reactive (and very funny) live shows.
In this workshop, Natalie will look back at her shows performing as an egg and her male alter-ego Nate respectively, as well as how she has collaborated with fellow performers including Dr Brown and Courtney Pauroso.
Luisa Omielan – Thu 1 Oct
Comedian, actress and writer Luisa Omielan took her show What Would Beyoncé Do?! from a run on the free fringe in Edinburgh to a BBC television special, sold performances around the world and a book deal. She followed it up with Am I Right Ladies?! and Politics For Bitches, which both enjoyed sold-out, critically-acclaimed runs.
Luisa will take you through her process in creating shows that go from small, word-of-mouth beginnings to international smash-hits, and her ability to make work that covers diverse topics from Beyoncé and thigh gaps to politics.
Places on the masterclasses cost £50 and are strictly limited to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to ask questions and learn as much as possible in a more intimate online setting.
