Heard the one about the stand-up comedian?

By Paul Majendie

EDINBURGH (Reuters) - So you think you can do better than that poor stand-up comic dying on stage at the Edinburgh Fringe festival?

Then step up to the microphone for an intensive two-day course on how to be funny.

"Every human being can be a comedian," is the reassuring promise from Jay Sodagar, stand-up comedian and tutor on the course staged both in London and during the Edinburgh Fringe, the world's largest arts festival.

The courses are structured for would-be comics with no experience, stand-up comics wishing to brush up on their skills, or actors and performers eager to hone their public speaking abilities.

They are organised by Laughing Horse Comedy, which runs a string of comedy clubs in London and stages a free festival at venues across Edinburgh where the comedians take a collection from the audience afterwards.

Sodagar is cruel to be kind, mercilessly exposing students to the terrors of life on stage as soon as the course starts. He is always hunting for the nugget of comedy gold in everyone.

"I get them standing up in the first 10 minutes of the course. I get them using a microphone as there are some people who are absolutely terrified of getting up on stage," he said.

"What makes a comedian work?" he asks. What style of humour would work best for you? Deal with hecklers, manage your microphone, develop comedy concepts into sketches, how to get a gig and deal with promoters ... it's all on the course.