8 hour workshop -- 10:30 am to 3:30 pm on Monday and 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm on Tuesday (with a one-hour break both both).

About the course
What is it that makes you as a performer uniquely funny? How do you share that brilliant, special ridiculousness with an audience so that they are helpless with laughter?

In this 2-days Introduction to Funny we will share many of the methods that Spymonkey have found essential over the years in creating Theatre of the Funny: physical games, improvisational games, status exercises, physical comedy routines, chorus exercises and parody.

About Spymonkey
“The greatest clowns in British theatre today” Time Out
“The remarkable Spymonkey - headlong absurdism and physical brilliance” The Times

Since their founding in 1998 Spymonkey have created some of the most outstandingly original  comedy theatre, including STIFF, COOPED, MOBY DICK, OEDIPUSSY, THE COMPLETE  DEATHS, CHRISTMAS CAROL, HAIRY and THE FROGS.

TV and stage appearances have seen them work alongside Sacha Baron Cohen, Naomi Campbell, Miranda Hart, Sandi Toksvig, Ronnie Corbett, Fiona Shaw and Nick Frost. Widely acknowledged as world leaders in the fields of Clown and Physical Comedy, they are  keenly sought as teachers, consultants and directors for their insight and experience in creating  brilliant, original and singular work, including the Royal Shakespeare Company, National  Theatre and the Vienna Volksoper.

Their programme of professional training sees them teaching around the world, with regular visits to New York, Los Angeles, Bilbao and London.

More information on Spymonkey workshops.

About Aitor Basauri
Founder, co-creator and performer of all Spymonkey shows to date. Performed in The Servant of Two Masters at Sheffield Crucible (1996), Axomate at the Seville Expo (1992), Eulenspiegel (1991) and in Karl’s Kuhne Gassenchau’s Grand Paradis and Stau in Zurich (1997 and 1998).  Director of Little Prince for Donkey Productions (1997), Un Vento Impetuoso for La Canoppia  (1996) and Meci Y Me Fui for Pez Enraya ( 1997). In 1999 he appeared in Circus Knie, the Swiss State Circus, and in 2000 formed his own company Punto Fijo, based in Bilbao. Appeared in Cirque Images’ 2003 series Solstrom for Bravo Cable Network. Appeared in Bertold Brecht’s Senor Carrera’s Rifles at the Young Vic, directed by Paul Hunter (2007).

Directing credits include: ‘Lily & Marlene’ for La Dinamica (Spain 2015); ’Looking for Duende’ for Teatro Entre Escombros (Spain 2015); ’Hondycops’ for Squadra Sua (Czech Republic 2015);  ’Ferucchio Peru is Extraordinaire’ for Leebo Luby (UK 2015); Manifest Destiny (New York 2015); Fabulous Bäckström Brothers (Finland 2014); Entre Escobros ‘600 Teatro’ (Spain 2014);  ‘Gloriator’ for Skipstick Productions (London 2013); ‘NMIIDP’ Simone Riccio, (London 2013);  ‘Herr Ist Immer Der Natur’ for Die Drei Auf Den Baum (Berlin 2012); ‘Discombobulated’ for Publick Transport (Bristol & UK tour, 2011); ‘Ramshackadelicious’ (Bristol 2011); ‘Shake’ for The Last Baguette (Switzerland 2010). Director of physical comedy for Chichester Festival Theatre’s ‘Mack & Mabel’ (2015) starring Michael Ball. Co-director of Orpheus in the Underworld at Vienna Volksoper operahouse which opened in 2023.

Aitor is an acclaimed teacher of clown, regularly leading Spymonkey training in London, New York, Maine, Los Angeles and around the world, and for the Clown Doctors organisation in Germany, Austria and France.


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Pricing Note:  This is our take on "Leave a penny / Take a penny".   You get the same world-class education regardless of what you pay.