Comedy 2019

NOTE This is a 3 day masterclass, for people 16+ of all experience levels. All supplies are included. Bring a water bottle. Delicious food is available for purchase on site and there are a variety of accommodation options. Please also note you may be an unstoppable show off once you've got these skills under your belt. (Participants aged 16 or 17 years of age must be accompanied by an adult also enrolled in a class at Artisan Camp).

Meet Dave

Dave Thornton has built a global reputation for his honest, engaging, whip-smart and damn funny comedy not just in Australia but all over the world.  He’s a regular on television and radio and has performed 14 solo stand-up shows.

Dave Thornton Clips

Melbourne Comedy Festival Gala 2018
Melbourne Comedy Festival Gala 2017
Melbourne Comedy Festival Gala 2016
Sit Down Comedy Club – Getting to Know Dave Thornton

What You'll Learn

Being funny is one thing but being able to articulate what makes the funny work is a whole different ballgame. In this 3-day course we hope to give you the building blocks to understand how comedy works so you can create a 5-minute stand-up set that you will perform to real live humans!

Having toured all over the world from The Edinburgh Fringe festival to Montreal Just For Laughs festival and most of the comedy venues this country has to offer, Dave Thornton will tutor you through the dark art of making people laugh…hopefully with you.

3 Day Breakdown

Day 1: ideas, influences and igniting the comedic inspiration (and other things not beginning with ‘I’)

8am: Breakfast and Registration

9am: Meet participants

10am-1230pm - Workshop

Looking at comedy broadly, learning what influences you and your humour and what comedy you want to create on stage

Lunch

1.30pm – 4pm - Workshop

Beginning to articulate how your ideas are forming and learning comedic structure to help with joke writing

Dinner

Day 2: The not at all arduous task of writing and re-writing your jokes

9am – 12.30pm - Workshop

Getting your ideas down on paper (or keyboard as probably the case is in the 21^st century) and learning the wonderful art of re-writing 

LUNCH

1.30pm – 4pm – Worshop - How we can improve on our ‘set’ and honing the set to the best of it’s ability

Dinner

Day 3: The Performance where your comedic genius can finally see the light of day

9am – 12.30pm – Rehearsing your material and learning it inside out

LUNCH

1.30pm – 4pm - Workshop: Getting to know the stage and learning to deal with pre show nerves

6.30pm – 9pm: Artisan Camp Feast and Participant Performance Outcome

Finally- the performance! Next stop: Hollywood…or another open mic spot

AT THE CAMP

Arrival

Arrive at the beautiful Woodfordia either the morning of, or the day prior to your workshop starting. The address is 87 Woodrow Road, the home of the Woodford Folk Festival. Follow the signs to the reception venue and you'll be greeted and registered and shown your tent or van space. Detailed accommodation options will be released in early February. But the quick version is: own camping or van is free, or you can hire a pre-erected tent or something fancy so you'll feel like a star (we're working on caravans, glamping and teepees!). You are also welcome to travel to site each day if you prefer.

Artisan Feast!

Don't forget that this night (THURSDAY May 2) is the night of our Artisan Feast, inclusive in your ticket price, with a bar featuring drinks at 80s prices and a night of entertainment and delicious chef-cooked food.  

The Planting Festival May 3-5th

Don’t want the fun to end? We can help! This year’s Artisan Camp is held in the lead-up to The Planting Festival, which begins on FRIDAY May 3 after the final Artisan Feast. Don’t worry, you can sleep in till lunchtime and stay in your tent or van throughout The Planting Festival.

We'd also like to offer you 50% off your Planting Festival tickets as a thank-you for attending the Artisan Camp 2019. Upon purchase, you will receive an email with instructions about how to receive your discount.