Clown and Slapstick Comedy - two-day workshop with Joe Dieffenbacher

Schedule

Sat, 18 Oct, 2025 at 10:00 am to Sun, 19 Oct, 2025 at 05:00 pm

UTC+01:00

Location

St Werburghs | Bristol, EN

Advertisement
Expand your performance toolkit with slapstick comedy - from trips and falls to subtle prop play, turn accidents into artistry and laughs!
Join actor, director, author, theatre maker Joe Dieffenbacher for this two day exploration of physical comedy and eccentric movement to expand your range for physical and visual play, and to develop comic scenes and characters.
*****************************************
AT A GLANCE
Saturday 18th & Sunday 19th October
10am - 5pm
St Werburghs
Bristol
BS2 9UB
£200 - Supporter/ High earner
£180 - Full Price
£160 - Concession (low/no income, student)
EARLYBIRD DEAL:
​£150 if you pay before 20 September
"CLOWN AND..." WORKSHOP BUNDLE
All 4 workshops - £420 (save £120)
Contact Robyn directly to arrange payment [email protected]
*****************************************
When you mention the word slapstick, most people think it’s an abusive form of comedy where clowns slap, punch and kick each other, throw pies in someone’s face, or get hit with boards.
In essence, slapstick is how the human body responds to the real world in comic ways. This can include hits and falls, slaps and pies, but also more subtle slapstick where the clown plays with props, clothes, furniture, sounds, colours, shapes. It includes everything from the knockabout and anarchy of the Three Stooges and the Young Ones, the classic physical comedy of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, the visual and verbal slapstick of Monty Python, the mad invention of the set designers for Mischief Theatre and the ‘Goes Wrong’ shows, and the more subtle prop play of Jacques Tati.
Slapstick is a form of dance. It’s a way of moving off the beat. It searches for eccentric ways of interacting with the world, it welcomes mistakes and revels in awkwardness and ineptitude. We’ll use this capricious way of moving through the world to discover new ideas for physical and visual play, and how to use slapstick to develop comic scenes and characters.
WHAT WILL THE COURSE INCLUDE?
★ Explore basic slapstick techniques such as how to trip, slip, slide and tumble in eccentric ways.
★ Change the way you think about problems: they’re opportunities for comedy and character development.
★ Find both broad and subtle ways to play with slapstick.
★ How to use accidents to create comic moments, reveal your character, and get laughs.
★ How slapstick can reveal more about a character, generate play with props, costumes, and furniture.
WHO IS THIS FOR:
Actors, Clowns, Comedians, Entertainers, Dancers, Improv Artists, Street Performers, Puppeteers, Mimes, Cabaret Artists, Teachers, adults who want to encourage their inner kid), Curious People.
ABOUT THE FACILITATOR
Joe Dieffenbacher is an actor, director and teacher working in theatre, film, circus, comedy, puppetry and clown. He was Physical Theatre Director for productions at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, Shakespeare’s Globe in London, Circus Skills Director with the Scottish National Opera, Master Teacher at Clown Conservatory-San Francisco and the Dell’Arte School in California. He's worked with pop sensations Take That, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Holiday on Ice, and tours with his own company, nakupelle. Joe’s produced a film series on YouTube on How to Learn Slapstick, and is the author of CLOWN The Physical Comedian and DRAMA GAMES for Clowning & Physical Comedy.
http://joedieffenbacher.com
PREVIOUS PARTICIPANT FEEDBACK:
★ "I feel like I'm walking away from his class with greater body awareness. He brought a disciplined and regimented feeling to the class but never lost the sense of play and fun. He gave me physical confidence by putting my sense of balance, strength and flexibility to the test." Student, ACT San Francisco
★ "Joe is an amazing, compassionate and unbelievably knowledgeable teacher. He knows how to lead you to a gate and give you the tools so you can learn to open the gate yourself. He is encouraging and loving, but will not accept less than your best. His eye for precision, play and comedy have shown me
the world of clown in a beautiful light."
Allison Daniel, Puppeteer, Teacher, Acrobat
★ "Everyday in Joe's Physical Theatre class was a challenge. Joe always pushed us to get past the obvious and dig deeper into ourselves. Offer this guy a job as a full-time professor. He’s brilliant!"
Student, Coastal Carolina University
★ "Joe has taught me how to open up, play, mess with the world and let it mess with me. I will never be the same after this class and that's a wonderful feeling."
Rebekah Cavinder, Ringling Clown and Performing Artist
The CLOWN AND ... series
Welcome to our Clown and… series – where clowning meets other creative forms!
Discover new dimensions of your creative practice by exploring the intersection of clowning with different artistic disciplines. How does the spontaneity, playfulness, and vulnerability of clown transform other modalities and vice versa?
Through this series, you’ll:
★ Expand your creative range by blending clowning with unexpected forms
★ Deepen your expression by embracing risk, curiosity, and joy
★ Reimagine performance through the unique lens of the clown
Whether you're a performer, artist, or simply curious, join us to play, experiment, and uncover fresh ways to create. The clown is your guide - where will the journey take you?
Check out the full series:
Saturday 27 September
Clown & Improv
1-day workshop with Holly Meechan
Sunday 28 September
Clown & Puppetry
1-day workshop with Katie Tranter
Sat 18 & Sun 19 October
Clown & Slapstick Comedy
2-day workshop with Joe Dieffenbacher
Sat 6 & Sun 7 December
Clown & Archetypes
2-day workshop with Peta Lily
Advertisement

Where is it happening?

St Werburghs, 109 Mina Road, Bristol, BS2 9YD, United Kingdom

Event Location & Nearby Stays:

Bristol Clown School

Host or Publisher Bristol Clown School

It's more fun with friends. Share with friends

Discover More Events in Bristol

SPEKTRA: ALIGNMENT
Fri, 17 Oct at 10:00 pm SPEKTRA: ALIGNMENT

6 Upper York Street, Bristol, BS2 8QN, United Kingdom

Spektra Events
Fri, 17 Oct at 10:00 pm Spektra Events

6 Upper York St, Bristol BS2 8QN, UK

Teachings in Dub - 35 years of Iration Steppas
Fri, 17 Oct at 10:00 pm Teachings in Dub - 35 years of Iration Steppas

Trinity Centre

FESTIVALS
The Familymakers Show Bristol
Sat, 18 Oct at 09:30 am The Familymakers Show Bristol

Wills Memorial Building

BUSINESS LGBT-PRIDE
Spooky Season: Workshop Day
Sat, 18 Oct at 10:30 am Spooky Season: Workshop Day

dance space,,the island, bridewell street, bristol BS1 2QD

WORKSHOPS
Emma Talbot
Sat, 18 Oct at 11:00 am Emma Talbot

16 Narrow Quay, BS1 4QA Bristol, United Kingdom

ART FINE-ARTS
Bristol Sprint Regatta 2025
Sat, 18 Oct at 11:00 am Bristol Sprint Regatta 2025

Bristol Canoe Club, Cottage Inn Car Park, Baltic Wharf, Cumberland Rd, Bristol, BS1 6 Bristol, United Kingdom

SPORTS
BBB Beetle Champs 2025
Sat, 18 Oct at 11:00 am BBB Beetle Champs 2025

St Michael's Centre, Stoke Gifford, Bristol, BS34 8PD

Rob Beckett
Mon, 09 Sep Rob Beckett

Bristol Beacon

COMEDY ENTERTAINMENT
Zuma Puma is... The Clown Arcana
Fri, 29 Aug at 07:30 pm Zuma Puma is... The Clown Arcana

The Wardrobe Theatre

PERFORMANCES ART
Zuma Puma is... The Clown Arcana
Sat, 30 Aug at 07:00 pm Zuma Puma is... The Clown Arcana

The Wardrobe Theatre

PERFORMANCES ART
Open Mic Night @ The Lion, Cliftonwood - SEPTEMBER
Thu, 04 Sep at 07:00 pm Open Mic Night @ The Lion, Cliftonwood - SEPTEMBER

19 Church Ln, Cliftonwood, BS8 4TX

OPEN-MIC MUSIC
Dan Rath
Thu, 04 Sep at 08:00 pm Dan Rath

Hen and Chicken

The People's Comedy
Fri, 05 Sep at 07:00 pm The People's Comedy

PRSC

COMEDY ENTERTAINMENT
Saturday Night Close-Up Magic in the Bar - FREE ENTRY
Sat, 06 Sep at 06:00 pm Saturday Night Close-Up Magic in the Bar - FREE ENTRY

8 Denmark Street, BS15DQ Bristol, United Kingdom

MUSIC LIVE-MUSIC
Saturday Night Stand-up Show at The Comedy Cabaret Bristol
Sat, 06 Sep at 07:00 pm Saturday Night Stand-up Show at The Comedy Cabaret Bristol

inside Circuit Nightclub, BS1 5UH Bristol, United Kingdom

COMEDY ENTERTAINMENT
Keynsham Comedy Night
Sat, 06 Sep at 07:30 pm Keynsham Comedy Night

The Space, Keynsham

COMEDY ENTERTAINMENT
The Comedy Store - Bristol
Sat, 06 Sep at 08:00 pm The Comedy Store - Bristol

The Redgrave Theatre

COMEDY
Mr Wolfs Comedy Club
Sun, 07 Sep at 06:00 pm Mr Wolfs Comedy Club

32 St Nicholas Street, BS1 1TG Bristol, United Kingdom

MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Hal Cruttenden: Can Dish it Out But Can't Take It
Wed, 10 Sep at 08:00 pm Hal Cruttenden: Can Dish it Out But Can't Take It

Redgrave Theatre

COMEDY

What's Happening Next in Bristol?

Discover Bristol Events