Let’s be honest – being funny on command is hard. Personally speaking, I knew it was going to be a challenge. I’ve never written a sketch, let alone a humorous one. But, luckily, our workshop leader and club member, Helena Sheridan, was a master at making the impossible feel easy.
The workshop was well attended, with members eager to break out of their comfort zones. Helena kicked things off by guiding us through the basics of sketch writing, giving us all the information we’d need to write our own.
We were given a list of ideas which at first glance seemed a little daunting. This list included words like funeral, paranormal and medical home remedies. I was aware humour could be found in serious or mundane topics. However, I wasn’t sure how to make something funny out of them.
The key to making everything click was finding links during the brainstorming part of the exercise. These connections helped tighten up our sketches, allowing ideas to flow more naturally. With a bit of help from Helena, my group’s chosen word was theft. It didn’t seem like it’d be an easy theme to base a sketch on. Once we’d found our angle, though, the sketch came together piece by piece.
The next step after we’d written our sketches was to perform it in front of everyone. While reading out my work is something I’ve shied away from so far as a new member, I’m glad Helena encouraged everyone to participate.
By the end of the night, the room was filled with laughter. From a dog being possessed by a cat to a divorced couple reuniting at a wedding, everyone had such wildly different ideas, yet each one was equally funny in its own way. It turns out Ayr Writers’ Club members are not only talented writers, but we also have a knack for acting!
For anyone who’s ever doubted their ability to write a good comedy sketch, my main takeaway from the workshop is that it’s not as out of reach as it might seem. The key is to embrace the process and trust that even the most unlikely ideas can lead to something genuinely funny.
Rebekah McVey
Great post Bex, thanks so much for sharing your thoughts.