Punching Up! humour with and about minorities: Saturday 25 April 2026
Punching Up! humour with and about minorities: Saturday 25 April 2026
CHRIS Wells
Saturday 25 April 2026 from 10 AM to 5 PM (including 1 hour break)
đź“Ť LyLo, 54 Cook Street, Auckland Central, Auckland 1010
Level: Intermediate+
In Punching Up!, humour with and about minorities, Chris Wells leads an incisive and lively workshop that asks: How do we use satire, humour, and improv to speak truth to power — without reinforcing marginalization or doing harm? This is a process of exploration for improv ensembles, and not prescriptive. What does it mean to “punch up” — addressing powerful voices, institutions, authority — instead of “punching down” on people who are already vulnerable? How can we include minorities thoughtfully in our shows, rather than completely avoiding them?
Chris has taught Punching Up! on four different continents and in two languages — in Buenos Aires, Dubai, Vancouver, Milan, Wurzburg, Tokyo and more — and enjoys exploring regional differences with participants. Using a mix of design thinking-derived exercises, discussion, short scenes, and feedback, participants will:
Understand the ethics and risks of satire and social comedy in improv.
Practice tools for creating material that is provocative, honest, and respectful.
Examine minority and identity dynamics in comedic work, based on their specific cultures, exploring how to include, not exclude.
Who it’s for: Improvisers who want to deepen their social awareness, sharpen their comedic instincts, and engage with social justice themes in performance. A willingness to reflect and experiment is essential.
