Would-be comedians can learn how to tell good jokes for an audience during .
The fee is $550 for Brett Martin's comedy class on Thursday nights starting Jan. 30, leading up to a final grad showcase event March 20.
The class is new to the club, inside Elements Casino in Cloverdale, but not new for Martin as instructor.
"We did them for about four or five years before the pandemic at the old (Yuk Yuk's) club here in Vancouver, and it was great, a lot of fun, a success," explained Martin, pro comedian.
"We cover everything you need to know to get started in stand-up," he added. "We cover writing, performance, the business of comedy, with a heavy emphasis on working the material out. There's a lot of stage time, we go over the material together, we cover heckling, everything that you're gonna run into. The goal of it is that by the time that the course is done, they feel comfortable and confident enough to move forward and start doing stand-up regularly."
Years ago, Martin didn't attend comedy school when he first performed on stage. He just went for it, but others might need a nudge.
"My first show was in Calgary probably 25 years ago," he recalled. "I just intuitively knew to go to the Yuk Yuk's amateur night, so I asked them. I was given a spot and it was a nerve-wracking experience at 19 years old. I thought I was prepared but it turns out, I wasn't. I was shaking, and the first minute or two was not fun at all.
"But then I got a laugh 鈥� I heard that, and that just hooked me, and here I am 25 years later, that did it. Just to hear people laugh at something you're saying just felt fantastic. There's nothing like it."
People can email Vancouver@yukyuks.com to register for the comedy class, where a group of 10 or more is ideal, according to Martin.
"We actually had waiting lists (in Vancouver) and full classes, lively discussions and debates about things. It's kind of a more-the-merrier situation.
"For homework, I have them write a joke or two and perform those, and then everyone gets feedback on that, group feedback. Having a large group kind of working together really is helpful for everybody, and fun for everybody."
As for handling hecklers, Martin offers advice about that and other interruptions when telling jokes onstage.
"The key is to learn whether it鈥檚 something that you can block out and carry on through, or if it鈥檚 something you鈥檙e going to have to deal with and address, and how to keep your calm and composure when it happens," he explained.
"Theoretical discussions can you only take you so far, so after we cover the subject, what we do is get them onstage and heckle them in a simulated show during class, and go over everyone鈥檚 responses afterwards."
, the comedy show calendar includes Katie-Ellen Humphries (Jan. 17-18), a Roast Battle Surrey event (Jan. 23, a night to watch "an all-star lineup of local comedians ripping each other apart for your enjoyment"), Lori Ferguson-Ford (Jan. 24-25), Syd Bosel (Jan. 31, Feb. 1) and February comics to be announced. Call 1-800-899-9136 for details.
