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"I have been wanting to do a stand up comedy course for a long time. So when this opportunity came in I had high hopes. Gemma's course was beyond my expectations. Each week, focusing on a different side of this particular skill and making writing a set less scary, Gemma is always available for everyone and made a safe space for all of us to be as creative and funny as we possibly could. We all became friends, who want to gig together and I'm a firm believer Gemma created that.”
"You need to do this course! If you’ve always wanted to have a go at stand up, or even if you’ve never given it a second thought. I was terrified taking the leap but I’m so thankful I did. Gemma and the group made me feel totally at ease from the beginning and comfortable enough to write my own comedy set, week by week. Everyone is so supportive and you feel safe and encouraged at every opportunity. I genuinely can’t believe how professional and slick our final showcase was! I’m now a fully fledged AYN junkie and I’ve been crying in the corner ever since the course ended, wondering what I’m supposed to do with my life now…”
"I had the best time on Gemma's course at Soho Theatre. She creates a safe environment that is both nurturing and challenging. Her feedback was incredibly perceptive, and in many cases, she seemed to know what I wanted to achieve better than I did. I could not recommend a person more than I could Gemma for any stage of your standup journey. Her dedication to the craft and her support will elevate your work to the highest possible standard."
"I loved Gemma's stand up comedy course. Not only does she really know her stuff, but she also created a challenging yet supportive space for a group of very different people who all loved making people laugh and wanted to hone their craft - a space where we could all try and test new material, and begin to find our comedic voices."
"Gemma has been so helpful to my stand-up writing. It is such a bizarre industry, but doing the sessions with Gemma and hearing her feedback really has given me the tools and tricks necessary to structure my stand-up sets and given me more confidence in my joke writing. Her feedback has always been so detailed, honest, and constructive. And also she is a lovely person and so easy to chat to!"
"I did the Soho Theatre Comedy Lab with Gemma Leader and not only was it so much fun, it made the world of difference. Not only did I have a safe space to try stuff out, she also gave some invaluable tips and techniques to improve my comedy massively."
"Gemma was the comedy Dr Frankenstein who created me out of dead body parts, in the middle of the night, in the bowels of Soho Theatre."
"Gemma breaks down the mechanics of stand up comedy in a way that is accessible to everyone. Her friendly encouragement and direction is ideal for anyone starting their journey into stand up."
"Gemma knows her stuff. Her feedback is honest, constructive and I've become a better (I hope) comedian thanks to her!"
"For me it was a real step out of my comfort zone and I went to the first session feeling very nervous, and genuinely every session was a joy and they always finished much sooner than I wanted them to. It was an incredibly warm, nurturing and inclusive environment and felt like a safe space – not just to try your hand at comedy, but also to be yourself. "
"The jump from being ‘funny with friends’ to funny on stage can be daunting. Recommend this to create confidence and a tight set. Gemma works with each individual empathically to help them develop their voice and style. By the showcase, we had 12 funny, viable stand up acts and lasting friendship. Brilliant!"
"It was incredibly creative, a real challenge, but a huge achievement to have finally performed. I've been dragging up since my late teens and never been brave enough to perform. Gemma, Len and my fellow kings supported my entire journey of crafting an act, and getting on stage. If I can do it, you absolutely can too. Hugh got this!" (Hugh Got This)
"Gemma was an incredible teacher who gave a fun, engaging and informative course. I would recommend the course to anyone who has an interest in comedy and assure you that Gemma can make even the most nervous person feel comfortable and supported. As someone who has always struggled with writing I was very nervous to begin the daunting process of writing a comedy set. However, Gemma made us feel comfortable and by providing writing games allowed us to be creative without even realising! "
"Whilst learning about stand up, I discovered that I wasn't actually the best fit for this type of comedy. I was considering quitting the course, but Gemma showed me that there are real benefits in learning things outside your comfort zone and despite not dropping her integrity on what she feels makes a great stand up, she created a path into comedy that supported my learning style and skill set. Therefore adapting to my diversity without needing to reject her carefully created (and excellent) course plan. I stayed to the end of the course and I'm so glad I did as I thoroughly enjoyed it when I was able to fully embrace it."
"The Drag King Course was such a positive experience & I learnt so much! Gemma & Len are super helpful & welcoming, will answer any questions you have & communicate really well. Such a safe space for lgbtqia+ people from all backgrounds, you feel very seen in the sessions. Great for beginners too as you learn so much & build confidence. Would recommend to anyone interested in strutting their stuff on stage in drag king get-up! "
"Amazing, confusing, terrifying. Would do again and recommend to everyone I meet. There's nothing like being incredibly silly through drag with a bunch of people you've never met to help deal with this weird situation we're all living in." (Mr Vulva Rising)
“Working with Gemma during the 8 weeks was inspiring and that’s what you need in the room for comedy…someone that inspires great ideas and pushes you to find more in yourself and in your jokes. Plus she’s a good laugh.”
"If you are thinking of doing this course do it. Molly is such a wonderful teacher and their enthusiasm and care for the participants made for a fantastically supportive environment.
Doing this course really helped boost my self confidence."
"The Sketch and Character course was so much fun. As a comic, it’s quite an isolated existence so to have the opportunity to work with loads of different people was incredible. The course was really freeing and encouraged play which is definitely what I felt I needed for the next stage of my comedy journey. I’ve done a number of courses with Gemma and Above Your Nerve and this one was absolutely jam packed with games, devising, writing and a sprinkle of clowning for good measure. I would definitely recommend to anyone who wants to venture into sketch or develop their comedic persona."
"Molly is an excellent facilitator. She held the space really well, giving us time to check in and out and holding boundaries well which made me feel very safe, comfortable and respected. We were provided plenty of inspiration early on and throughout the course, whether watching clips or meeting Len for a Q&A session, which was really useful. The reassurance that our acts could be low budget and still be impressive, this felt like a really inclusive aspect of the course. I also liked the way in which the course was framed to teach us about what it was like to be a jobbing cabaret performer and gave us skills we could apply in the real world.”
"Gemma provided a wonderful, creativity flowing space for work to be formed in a safe, playful and open way. The mix of theory and practical exploration was really beneficial to me and the setting of homeworkC every week, along with really concise, valuable feedback, helped combat my otherwise overthinking writer mind. Consequently, each week I grew in confidence and ended up producing sketches and character pieces that I'm proud of and will now continue to grow as a comedic actor!”
"I signed onto this course because I wanted to overcome my anxieties around showing my work without it being perfect. Our classes every week have been such a supportive, fun atmosphere, and it allowed me to feel comfortable improvising and sharing ideas even if they didn't work. This is a great course for learning to devise and perform numbers, but it's also great for feeling empowered to be your creative self, no matter your experience or background.”
"To any queer artist who wishes to create something for their community and with their community, this course is for you!
Celine is a brilliant facilitator who creates a safe, fun and challenging space for you to explore queer art as a genre but more importantly your queer art. The course structure is broken down in a way that you feel guided but also lets you explore your creativity and push your boundaries.. I had the best time on this course and feel so grateful I had the opportunity to create something alongside members of my community. Gemma is also always there to support, and at times joined our classes, so we got two amazing facilitators for the price of one! I highly recommend this course, there are not many out there that focus on Queer Theatre Making and I am not quite sure what I will do with my Saturdays now that it's over! So if you are thinking of exploring your queerness through performance, whether it be drag, theatre, comedy, etc. Above Your Nerve is the best place in London to do it!”
"Molly facilitated a kind, warm and creative space that supported everyone’s weird to come out and be celebrated.
I think the course is a great way to enter the cabaret scene because it gives you the tools to build an act, an understanding of the artform and a group of cabaret pals to laugh, learn and grow with. Gemma’s course pack and support throughout was amazing. I was ill for the dress rehearsal and still felt I had the guidance/support I needed for the final showcase. What an absolute legend - managing everybody’s needs with such a cool head. I was in total awe.
If you’re considering doing this course, if you’re thinking “maybe that could be me” - this course will help you get to a place of “yes it could be me” and even “I did that”. Book it now!”
"The Alternative Drag and Cabaret course at AYN has been life-changing. You get everything from high-level theory to detailed feedback on your act, and not to mention a super fun showcase at the end that all your loved ones can come along to. Molly and Gemma were both so supportive and knowledgeable and it was incredible to learn from them. I've come away from it with way more tools under my belt and an amazing, supportive community around me. I couldn’t recommend it enough!" (Marlowe)
"Seeing the really confident acts in the end-of-course showcase you might think this is all about big egos, competitiveness, and people who are already really polished performers – trust me, it's absolutely not that. You couldn't hope for a more supportive, friendly environment, with truly caring tutors who are totally embedded in the alt drag and cabaret world. You don't need to be any kind of performer to start with, it doesn't matter if you're shy, you just need an open mind and a passion for weirdness. It was a truly incredible experience and I've made some amazing friends along the way!" (Ian)
"Doing A Course for Kings helped me feel more confident on stage and truly lean into the silliness and uncomfortable moments of my act. I learned that great ideas can come from putting away your props and just practising your performance freely. It was overall a great experience and I would definitely recommend it for any kings out there!!" (Marco Mozzarella)
Zahra Kiernan - Sketch & Character Comedy
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