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New generation of comic stars

22/10/2008
 
 
The University’s drama course includes modules in comedy, and current undergraduates and recent graduates will perform at The Varsity, Walkabout and the Newhampton pubs in Wolverhampton in the coming months.
 
Peter Cann, Lecturer in Drama at the , said: “This recently developed strand of the Drama degree teaches students stand-up comedy techniques, satire, clowning, comic song-writing and sketch writing over two years. In the third year students then have the opportunity to specialise in and develop these styles of performance as a major element of their degree.”
 
One such group of students is Raving Loonies Stole My Heart, who reached the final of the BBC’s Upstaged competition earlier this year. They return to Wolverhampton with a Halloween special on Thursday 30 October at The Arena Theatre
 
A group of current second year students are organising a comedy night on Monday 27 October at The Varsity. In January they will be performing with the rest of their cohort at The Newhampton Inn as an assessed part of their course.
 
It is not just as performers that graduates are finding success in this field. Liam Jones and Paul Marsden have become producers, organising comedy events in Wolverhampton, Birmingham and Bridgnorth. In these events, established comedians such as Barbara Nice and Norman Lovett perform alongside the generation of comics emerging from the drama degree.
 
Events coming soon to Wolverhampton are:
 
Comedy Night at The Varsity - The Varsity, October 27, 8pm
 
Raving Loonies Stole My Heart Halloween Special - Arena Theatre, October 30, 7.30 pm
 
Comedy At The Walkabout - The Walkabout, November 6, 8pm
 
Comedy at The Newhampton - Newhampton Inn, January 7 and 8, 7.30pm.

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