Summer Workshops

We are delighted to announce new workshops for summer 2024! These comedy classes cover comedy writing and performance skills and there is no previous experience necessary. We're running our one day improv taster session in May. This has been very popular in the last couple of years and is a great introduction to improv for those who want to dip their toes in the water before diving in to a full course! We're also running a two-day sketch writing course in June with a live performance of your sketches to conclude the weekend. It will be a great opportunity to learn comedy writing skills and hear your work live!

4th May | Improv Crash Course | £40

Price includes a £10 non-refundable deposit.

Always wanted to try an improv class but not sure if it's for you? Then don't miss our improv crash course! This session is designed for absolute beginners and will give you a taste of our full Foundation Improv course. We'll cover basic, core improv ideas and skills like "Yes, And", listening and characters... and might even have time for a few games! Perfect for anyone looking to try something new but can't commit to a full course. This workshop will run 1-4pm at The New Adelphi Building, University of Salford. Book Now:

£40.00Add to basket

8th-9th June | Sketch Writing: Script to Stage | £80

Price includes a £20 non-refundable deposit.

This two day course will look at how to develop and write sketch comedy ideas working towards a live script-in-hand performance of your material by our talented crew of performers! Over two classes we will look at the tools and tricks of writing great comedy sketches. From premise to punchlines, classes will explore comedic scenarios, joke writing technique and crafting characters. You will also get an opportunity to see and hear your words performed on stage. Sessions will run 1-5pm on both days with a live performance of your sketches on Sunday 9th starting at 7.30pm. Classes and the showcase will be held at Fierce Bar, Manchester. Book Now:

£80.00Add to basket

Writing with a partner? Book two spaces and use coupon code 'sketchypair' to receive a £20 discount (only valid with this course).

Find Out More About our Comedy Classes

Our full eight week courses will return September 2024. We run regular courses in Improv and Stand-Up Comedy. Our comedy classes have been featured by The Guardian, Cosmo UK, The Stage and Manchester Confidential.

If you'd like to be the first to find out when workshops go on sale sign up to our mailing list or drop us an email. Finally, don't forget to follow us on social media for regular updates on our upcoming shows and workshops. All of our workshop facilitators are fully accredited by CSz Worldwide.

Upcoming Shows!

Thanks to everyone who came to our Leicester Comedy Festival shows and sold-out Totally Improvised Musical at Chorley Theatre this month! Missed out? Don't worry because we have plenty more shows coming up in the next couple of months...

ComedySportz is back at Waterside Arts on Saturday 24th February for more all action, all improvised and award-winning competitive comedy fun! And don't miss our March Mayhem Match on Saturday 30th March. We'll be putting the power in the audiences hands as you pick the teams, the games and the winners. We'll also be choosing two audience members at random to act as coaches to the players and get some sweet swag for their efforts!

The Totally Improvised Musical moves to the first Wednesday of every month at Fierce Bar, Manchester starting Wednesday 6th March. Your very own comedy musical composed on the fly by our players - if we use your title you also get a free pin badge. If that's not worth the price of admission, we don't know what is! We'll also be bringing the musical fun to Waterside Arts on Friday 19th April - tickets are on sale now.

Want to try your hand at improv? Sign up to our one day Improv Crash Course on Saturday 4th May! Get regular updates on all of our upcoming shows and workshops and sign up to our mailing list. Alternatively, you can follow us on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram and Tik Tok. Got a question about our upcoming courses? Drop us an email today!

Workshops Update - Start This Week!

We are excited for our first round of 2024 comedy workshops starting Saturday 20th January. With courses in Improv and Stand-Up Comedy, we're ready to help you unlock your creativity, build confidence and make new connections. But most of all, we're ready to have some fun!

FOUNDATION IMPROV

There are still a few spaces left on our Foundation Improv course including scholarship places for global majority applicants. Learn the core skills of improv comedy over eight sessions. Unlock your creativity and rediscover your playful side. Great for building confidence in communication, teamwork and facing the unexpected. No previous stage experience necessary with this fun and friendly course. Book here.

INTERMEDIATE IMPROV

The schedule of workshops for our next Intermediate course is now live. You can sign up to the full course or attend on a drop-in basis. Send us an email if you are interested in drop-ins and we can send you the venue and workshop information.

Jan 20th | NAIL THAT SCENE with Sean Mason

This session will explore what makes a scene enjoyable for performers and audiences alike by getting back to basics. Shake off those cobwebs and brush up on those scene work skills.

Jan 27th | STARTS, EDITS AND ENDINGS with Bron Edge

This session will look at how to start strong, how to add to a scene and when to get out. All the elements of a satisfying improv scene!

Feb 3rd | BIG CHARACTERS with John Cooper

Go big or go home with this session looking at how we create fast and funny characters. Fill the stage with big characters and emotional choices.

Feb 10th | YOU'RE GROUNDED with Sean Mason

This session will explore how to keep a scene or game grounded with even the most heightened, surreal or unusual suggestions. Zombies have feelings too!

Feb 24th | SUPPORTING CHARACTERS with Kate McCabe

The best improvisers now how to add to a scene without detracting from the work of others on stage. This session will look at how our choices can make each other look like the best improvisers in the world!

Mar 2nd | CLOWNING with Tom Short

This session will explore how the skills of clowning can inform our improv scenes and choices, working together and collaboratively with the audience.

Mar 9th | JUSTIFICATION GAMES with Kate McCabe

This session will explore ways of making this tricky style of short form improv game work best in satisfying and surprising ways!

Mar 16th | GAMES GAMES GAMES with Sean Mason

It's end of term and that always means games! Get ready for the Intermediate Showcase as we revisit some of the skills and games explored throughout the last 8 weeks.

As always, you can book for the entire course or attend on a weekly drop-in basis. Pay in advance of the coming week's session (week one is live at the link above) or we'll take payment at the end of the session. Sign up here.

BEGINNING STAND-UP COMEDY

Our Beginning Stand-Up Comedy course is currently full. If you would like to be added to the waiting list, please contact us via email. We will then contact you should a space become available.

KEEP UP TO DATE

Get regular updates on all of our upcoming shows and workshops and sign up to our mailing list. Alternatively, you can follow us on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram and Tik Tok. Got a question about our upcoming courses? Drop us an email today!

An Improvised Pantomime? Oh yes it is!

The Totally Improvised Pantomime returns this December and tickets are selling fast. With shows across Greater Manchester and Chorley, don't miss out on the all festive fun! An alternative to traditional pantos, this show sees our players create brand new adventures from your suggestions and a sprinkling of fairy dust.

There will be plenty of songs, silliness and maybe even a little bit of sauciness from our Panto Dame. There is something for everyone with family friendly and adults only versions. You've never seen a panto like this before!

UPDATE: Due to popular demand we have added a family friendly date to Chorley Theatre! The 6.30pm show at Waterside Arts on December 9th is now sold out.

THE TOTALLY IMPROVISED PANTOMIME DATES 2023:

December 8th 2023 | Waterside Arts, Sale | 7pm | TICKETS (ALL AGES)

December 9th 2023 | Waterside Arts, Sale | 2.30pm | TICKETS (TOTS SHOW)

December 9th 2023 | Waterside Arts, Sale | 4.30pm | TICKETS (ALL AGES)

December 9th 2023 | Waterside Arts, Sale | 6.30pm | TICKETS (ALL AGES)

December 13th 2023 | Fierce Bar, Manchester | 7.30pm | TICKETS (ADULTS ONLY)

December 15th 2023 | Waterside Arts, Sale | 7.30pm | TICKETS (ADULTS ONLY)

December 16th 2023 | Waterside Arts, Sale | 7.30pm | TICKETS (ADULTS ONLY)

December 19th 2023 | The Peer Hat, Manchester | 7.30pm | TICKETS (ADULTS ONLY)

December 28th 2023 | Chorley Theatre, Chorley | 5pm | TICKETS (FAMILY FRIENDLY)

December 28th 2023 | Chorley Theatre, Chorley | 7.30pm | TICKETS (ADULTS ONLY)

Book now to avoid disappointment with some dates close to or already sold out. These are our last shows of 2023, but we'll be back in the new year with ComedySportz, and The Totally Improvised Musical (more dates on sale soon).

Looking for Christmas gift ideas? Why not check out our comedy workshops starting January 2024. Give the gift of laughter this holiday season, or why not treat yourself? For the latest info on all of our upcoming shows and workshops, follow us on social media or subscribe to our monthly newsletter.

January 2024 workshops on sale!

Dates for our January 2024 comedy courses are on sale now! With courses in improv and stand-up comedy, these fun and friendly sessions are a great way to explore your funny side, build confidence and unlock new skills. Below you'll find more information on how to book a space for yourself or gift a space to a friend or family member this holiday season.

CSzUK is an award-winning improv comedy company, entertaining audiences since 2001. We are part of CSz Worldwide, and currently the only ComedySportz team outside of the US. Our facilitators have performed, taught and trained across the UK and beyond for over twenty years. Based in Greater Manchester, UK, we are the city's longest running improv and stand-up comedy courses. We work hard to create safe and supportive environments for people to play, learn and connect within our courses.

All three of our main courses will commence on Saturday 20th January 2024. We are, once again, returning to The New Adelphi Building, University of Salford campus. All of our workshop spaces are fully wheelchair accessible. Below is a short description of our courses with direct links to the booking pages.

Foundation Improv

Learn the core skills of improv with this course. Explore key concepts of improvised comedy, this course will explore how you and your scene partners can create characters, narratives and whole worlds from simple suggestions. Build confidence approaching life unscripted, develop communication skills, or just rediscover your playfulness and creativity. We also have up to three scholarship positions for global majority applicants. Find out more/Book a space here.

Beginning Stand-Up Comedy

Write, develop and perform your first five minutes of stand-up comedy with this course. Over 8 sessions you will find and hone your comedic voice, developing confidence in delivery and stagecraft. Through expert tutelage you'll explore ways to generate ideas, hone your material and make the most out of a gag. Find out more/Book a space here.

Intermediate Improv

Our current batch of workshops is still underway, and sessions can still be attended on a drop-in basis. However, you can also sign up for the full eight sessions of our January course now. This course is designed with a rolling curriculum of classes with new and returning workshops throughout the year. Sessions explore a variety of skills, concepts and styles of improv. Some previous improv training is assumed and these sessions are not suited for people at the start of their improv journey. Find out more/Book a space here.

Comedy Courses gift voucher. Great gift ideas for Christmas.

Gifting

In improv, an offer from your scene partner is often referred to as gifting. And what better gift to give this Christmas than 8 weeks of fun and laughter! If booking one of our comedy courses as a gift, please add a note when booking (you can also email us in advance). We will then know to contact you to get the name and contact information of the recipient for our records and so we can contact them before the course starts - but after a date specified by you. We will also email you a gift voucher and workshop sheet to give on the special day. Gift bookings must be paid in full.

Short Courses

We will also be running one-day workshops in April and May 2024 including an improv crash course. We'll be adding more of information about these in the new year but our improv taster session is already on sale now.

Got questions about our Comedy Courses? Get in touch!

Not sure if a comedy course is right for you? We have answered some frequently - and not so frequently - asked questions for you here. Keep in the loop with our upcoming shows and workshops by following us on social media or signing up to our monthly mailing list.