Week 2 at the Comedy School and the numbers drop.

So we entered into the second week of Comedy School and we were down two members. I am not sure if this is interesting but it was two of our three ladies who did not turn up last night - all the men returned for another dose.

Last week we had been asked to think of a personally embarassing situation that we could share with the group - the point being to see how far people will go and what reaction they get when they put it "out there".

Additionally we had been asked to think about how we would introduce ourselves and to look out for and be able to share a couple of things that we found funny during the last week.

Each person had a go in turn (though not everyone will be up every week) and received feedback from the course director and more importantly one's fellow students on what they saw in terms of personna and presence. The idea being to help each of us be better informed about how others see us.

We had agreed the previous week that political correctness was left at the door when we arrived and that we should be direct and unconstrained in our feedback as long as it was without malice.

It would be wrong to report in anything other than general terms so I won't. What I did see clearly was that when the person on stage was relaying a real experience then it came across so much better than a contrived story. Some mixed fact with fiction and in these circumstances the split was observable as the details and interest in the fictional elements were less engaging.

Some members seemed naturally funny even without preparation, but one wonders if that can be sustained through the course. Others were much more contrived and theatrical and may find difficulty leaving that behind.

Others seem to me to have considerable potential, but don't yet realise it.

In the group dynamics one can see that one or two want to dominate (and in doing so disrupt) proceedings. This is getting a bit tedious, at least to me and I think the Director is displaying outrstanding patience. There is the promise of guest tutors appearing from now on, so maybe the more cutting feedback will be left to them?

It is also clear that one or two are less open to new ideas, but rather seeking affirmation that what they are already doing is right. There was evidence last night that the course director could not give that assurance, but is rather trying to open them to alternate approaches - not an easy task in some instances, but, hey, that is why he is the director and we are the pupils.

For my part I was quite pleased with my few minutes up front. I tried one or two small ideas that I think I can develop and told the story when I ended up naked in the swimming pool of the Hilton Hotel in Malta, having realised mid-air that I was the only one of the group to have left ALL their clothes poolside! A real story and easy to tell, but it may never be aired again so don't tell anyone else! I am hoping that Malta has now got over the trauma and should I wish to go back there they will place no barriers in front of me.

Most of the feedback given to me was stuff I had heard before and pretty positive/good. Words like fatherly, authoritative, good voice and projection, engaging, likeable and eager are all encouraging. I was told that while my pace became good, I started very fast (the story of my life!) so controlling my nerves and early pace is something I need to work on. I was also described as "fluffy" and frankly I am not sure what to do with that. I think it was meant in cuddly way, which is not bad, but for now I think I will note the comment, but not dwell on it. If it comes up again (and again) then I will see if I need or want to change anything, but for now it is just an interesting note.

This week's homework is to find something topical on which we have a strong opinion that we can express. It doesn't have to be funny, but rather helping find what the group feels passionate about. This won't be too hard for me as my epitaph is most likely to be "Never knowingly without an opinion", but it may be that I don't get to next week's lesson. I am committed in South London all day and not sure if I will get to the class, but I will certainly try.

Anyway onwards and upwards to week 3 and if you are likely to be bored and near Camden on the evening of Saturday 22 June then that is the date and general location of our end-of-course showcase. I am sure the others will be funnier than me and you never know you may just get in on the ground floor of the next big standup!