Online Course: Organic Harold

Why not spend eight weeks on the organic Harold with Nursery founder Jules Munns?

Level: Experienced

Intimidated by the cult of the ‘Harold’? Curious as to what the fuss is all about? Want to take a step into longform without losing the freewheeling fun? Or just looking for a way to brush up on your longform skills? Why not spend eight weeks on the organic Harold with Nursery founder Jules Munns?

The basis of much longform improvisation, the ‘Harold’ is a 20-30 minute improvisation format composed of scenes and ‘games’ created fresh each time it is played. With its distinctive three-part structure, it gives a sense of coherence and unity to a show, but it is also flexible enough to change with the team, the night and content. It is an excellent training tool and sandpit to expand and improve your improvisational instincts. Once you know it, you will start to see elements of it everywhere on TV and in film.

In this Organic Harold Course, you will learn the Harold not as a magic trick, or a problem to be solved, but as a set of skills that can be worked and improved. This course is ideal both for players new to longform improvisation and those wishing to revise and deepen their Harold abilities in an environment that is both supportive and challenging.

What to expect:

Games and openings: how to unpack and build an idea as a group

Point of View and character: how to make clear characters and then send them to heaven or hell

Second and third ‘beats’: how to bring back characters, ideas and patterns

Themes: how to make a show that does more than just make people laugh

For one night only: how to make each show unique and different

This eight-week course will introduce you to the classic structure of the Harold as well as a variety of other techniques drawn from freeform and narrative improvisation. You will have many opportunities to practise the form and leave not only an understanding of and delight in the Harold but also a greater sense of control and boldness in all your improv.

Min. participants 6, max. participants 12. If we have to cancel the event due to low numbers, we will do this with 24 hours notice.

This experienced course runs 8 Tuesdays 10th August to 28th September, 4 – 6pm BST 

OR

8 Tuesdays 10th August to 28th September, 7.30 – 9.30pm BST

Experienced (12 months+) A class for skillful players, especially those who have finished improv training programmes at their school and are looking to widen their horizons. These classes will make the assumption that you are comfortable performing longform improvisation and will push you. 

NB: Our electives frequently sell out, but do not despair if this class has. You have not missed your shot. If enough people join the waiting list, we are often able to put the same class on a few days after or in parallel. So if you were excited, join up and we will be in touch.

Closed captioning is available in all of our classes and courses. If you need any information on how to access this in zoom, please contact classes@thenurserytheatre.com