School of Comedy
{{Short description|Television series}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox television
| image = School of Comedy.png
| image_size = 250
| caption = Title card
| genre = Comedy
| creator = Laura Lawson
| director = Alex Hardcastle
| starring = Various actors/actresses
| country = United Kingdom
| language = English
| num_series = 2
| num_episodes = 12
| executive_producer = Andy Harries
| producer = Laura Lawson
| editor = Steve Andrews
| runtime = 30 minutes (including advertisement breaks)
| company = Left Bank Pictures
| network = E4 (series)
| first_aired = {{start date|2009|10|1|df=y}}
| last_aired = {{end date|2010|10|18|df=y}}
}}
School of Comedy is a British character-based comedy sketch show which was turned into a television show after a successful run of revue shows at Edinburgh festival."[http://www.e4.com/schoolofcomedy/laura.html Interview with Laura Lawson]". E4 Website. Retrieved on 16 June 2013.
The cast was entirely made up from members of the after-school drama club of The Harrodian School in London, run by teacher Laura Lawson."[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Cr-9gvoPzQ Interview with Laura Lawson, Will Poulter & Beth Rylance]"
The show comprised sketches involving a diverse group of characters, from a lesbian couple in 1940s war-time Britain to a pair of South African security guards. Even though the show's content is mature enough to need to be shown after the watershed, the roles are all played by school-aged performers.
The show ran for two series on E4 from 1 October 2009"[http://www.channel4.com/programmes/school-of-comedy/episode-guide/series-1/episode-1 Channel 4's Series 1, Episode 1 Summary]". Channel 4 Website. Retrieved on 16 June 2013. to 18 October 2010."[http://www.channel4.com/programmes/school-of-comedy/episode-guide/series-2/episode-6 Channel 4's Series 2, Episode 6 Summary]". Channel 4 Website. Retrieved on 16 June 2013.
The show has been credited with starting the careers of Will Poulter, Charlie Wernham and Jack Harries. Poulter has gone on to star in films such as The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, We're the Millers and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, while Harries went on to start a YouTube channel named JacksGap, which had over 4 million subscribers and made Harries both well-known and popular on the internet. Wernham has gone on to play parts in Bad Education, Some Girls and The Inbetweeners, and Robbie Roscoe in Hollyoaks. Beth Rylance has since had a lead role in The Ministry of Curious Stuff and has had various guest and advertising roles.{{cite web |url=http://unitedagents.co.uk/beth-rylance |title=Beth Rylance {{!}} United Agents |website=unitedagents.co.uk |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141115052752/http://unitedagents.co.uk/beth-rylance |archive-date=2014-11-15}}
Cast / Character(s)
class="sortable" style="background:transparent; margin:0px; width:70%;" align="center" |
bgcolor="#dddddd"
!width=10%| Actor/Actress !width=60%| Character(s) |
bgcolor="#eeeeee"
| Bota Saffas - One of two South-African security guards. |
bgcolor="#eeeeee"
| Marv - A hot-shot Hollywood movie producer. |
bgcolor="#eeeeee"
| Angharad - A rude blind lady who despises her husband. |
- Africa Nile[http://www.comedy.co.uk/guide/tv/school_of_comedy/details/ School of Comedy - Production Details], British Comedy Guide. (2008)
- Lilly Lucia Ainsworth
- Ella Ainsworth
- Grace Vance
- Max Langdale Brown
- Joe Taylor
- Hector McCormick
- Charlie Wernham
- Evie Henderson
- Arthur Sturridge
- Olivia Archer-Deakin
- Lacey-Ann Walsh
- Finn Harries
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb title|id=1450002|title=School of Comedy}}
- [http://www.e4.com/schoolofcomedy/ School of Comedy] at E4.com
- [http://www.schoolofcomedy.com School of Comedy] The actual 'School of Comedy' in London
- {{British Comedy Guide|tv|school_of_comedy}}
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGlWhJUBrwI School of Comedy stage clip from Comedy Shuffle] on BBC YouTube channel
- Matthewman, Scott (25 August 2010). "[http://blogs.thestage.co.uk/podcasts/2010/08/school-of-comedy-the-stage-podcast-72/index.html School of Comedy: The Stage Podcast #72]". The Stage Online. Retrieved on 26 August 2010.
Category:2009 British television series debuts
Category:2010 British television series endings
Category:2000s British television sketch shows
Category:2010s British television sketch shows