DR DIDDAMS' COMEDY LAB

Get to know your funny bone in our friendly comedy lab.

Led by Dr Natalie Diddams, the lab is a safe space where you can experiment with stand-up alongside staff and students from the University of Bradford. You will make friends, grow in confidence and develop material for a comedy night at Theatre in the Mill.

Dr Natalie Diddams is an academic practitioner that specialises in comedy. Over the past 5 years, Natalie has developed a new approach to writing and performing stand-up, which has creativity and collaboration at its heart. If you want to try comedy but don’t know where to start, this is the project for you. Over the past 5 years, Natalie has developed a radically new approach to writing and performing stand-up comedy. By giving each participant the space to grow and develop in their own way, this approach has diversity, creativity and solidarity at its heart.

Dr Diddams’ Comedy Lab is open to staff and students from the University of Bradford. No prior comedy experience is necessary. All genders welcome.

To apply, please complete this application form and submit by 5pm on Monday 11 October. If you have any questions, email Natalie on radiclecomedy@gmail.com.

”I felt incredibly empowered after performing… It’s difficult to describe how much performing in that space meant to me. I was so scared beforehand, I’ve never done anything like that before… [But] after the first laugh I managed to relax… and enjoy it because it felt like they were laughing with me, not at me and they genuinely seemed to enjoy it
(participant, 2019)

APPLY NOW

If you are a University of Bradford student or member of staff, you can apply for the next iteration of Women’s Comedy Workshops right now!
This time we’re calling it Dr. Diddam’s Comedy Lab! Different name, same values, and this time we invite participants of all genders to give it a go.

How the project works…
The project will run across four sessions, have a look at the dates below. During these sessions, Natalie will take the group through a basic introduction to stand-up comedy, experimenting with writing and performance. You don’t need to have any previous experience in comedy or performance, just curiosity and an open-mind. The four-week project will culminate in an opportunity for participants to perform their new content to a friendly and enthusiastic crowd at Theatre in the Mill’s next Weekender in November (this is optional so, no pressure).

Workshop 1: Wednesday 20th October, 14;30 – 17:30
Workshop 2: Wednesday 27th October, 14:30 – 17:30
Workshop 3: Wednesday 03rd November, 14:30 – 17:30
Workshop 4: Wednesday 10th November, 14:30 – 17:30

 

APPLY HERE

Our Core Team

The team is situated across two locations;
Bradford, UK and Karachi, Pakistan.
Natalie Diddams
Natalie is a theatre director and has a PhD from Manchester Metropolitan University, where she researched women’s empowerment through comedy.
Isma Almas
Isma has performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, London’s Barbican Centre for Stonewall and Bradford’s Literature Festival. A much-needed voice in comedy, audiences love Isma’s friendly, Bradford-infused, preconception-shattering style.
Natalia Gul Jilani
With a dental degree Natalia is everything but a dentist, she followed her passion and pursued a career in acting. Currently part of a famous Tv show “Time out with Ahsan Khan” as well as performing stand up comedy at The Jungle, an enterprise she runs to revive the culture of arts & entertainment in Pakistan.
Sophie Collins
Sophie is an experienced education facilitator, with an interest in comedy and power.

If you have any questions about the project, or if you would like to be added to the mailing list, please do not hesitate to get in touch with Natalie on radiclecomedy@gmail.com.

Recent projects…

In July 2021, Natalie – working alongside other great women – took a group of women through a basic introduction to stand-up comedy, experimenting with writing and performance. The four-week project culminated in an online showcase where WCW participants performed their new content to a friendly and enthusiastic virtual crowd. The virtual comedy night was held on Saturday 31st July. And, it was great fun!

In February 2020, Natalie partnered with Natalia Gul Jilani – a Karachi-based comedian – to deliver a series of online comedy workshops to women in Pakistan. The workshops are being hosted by NAPA: Pakistan’s National Academy of Performing Arts. A documentary film about the project was shown at Women of the World Pakistan on Monday 8 March and a live online performance event was held on Friday 12 March, which formed part of NAPA’s Laughter Festival.