Punching Up - A Comedy Workshop

Ever wondered why some jokes land right every time and some just get a sympathetic chuckle? Why can some comedians seem to insult their audience but still be liked and laughed at?

“Punching Up” is a workshop for performers wanting to build rapport with their audience. In this two hour workshop, we’ll cover:

- Back to basics – finding inspiration, structuring a joke and figuring out why it’s funny.
- Reading the room – understand your audience and establish expectations.
- Standpoint comedy – your unique perspective is a goldmine for humour and relatability, how can you make the most of it?

This will be an interactive session: we’ll chat, discuss, workshop ideas and practise performing. It won’t be a lecture! Session size is strictly limited.

Who’s your host?
Aimée Borlase is an award-winning performer based in Ōtautahi. She has been performing on stage and screen for over 15 years, as a stand-up comedian and in dramas, musicals, Shakespeare, and short film. She is currently touring her award-nominated solo show BiMillennial Woman, (including Best in Fest, 2023 Nelson Fringe Festival.)

On top of a dynamic performance background, Aimee has a Master’s in Communication Studies and has worked as a university lecturer and a drama and singing tutor. She is passionate about sharing her enthusiasm with others and facilitating growth and development for her fellow performers.