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Humour in Storytelling: A Comedy Writing Workshop

Through examples of comedic writing, discussions, and various writing exercises, workshop participants will learn tips and tools on how to employ humour in storytelling (with characters, dialogue, and storylines) and a broader sense of the landscape for comedic writing.

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Description

Friday, Mar 15, 10:30am-4:30pm
Open to all
Limited to 12 participants
Hybrid workshop*

Is there room for comedy in your writing and storytelling? Ali Hassan certainly thinks so! The stand-up comedian, actor, broadcaster, and author of the comedic memoir Is There Bacon in Heaven? will be leading a one-day interactive, engaging workshop that will leave you more equipped than ever to inject humour into your writing and storytelling. Ali will draw in part from his personal writing experience and will share samples of his own use of humour with subjects like identity, family, and even religion. 

Through examples of comedic writing, discussions, and various writing exercises, workshop participants will learn tips and tools on how to employ humour in storytelling (with characters, dialogue, and storylines) and a broader sense of the landscape for comedic writing. You might even learn how comedic writing can be an asset to your career!

*This workshop will take place at the QWF Office (Room 3, 1200 Atwater Avenue, Westmount, Quebec) with up to 2 virtual spots for participants who are unable to attend in-person. By default, all workshop registrations are for in-person spots. If you would like to attend the workshop via Zoom, first email Riley ([email protected]) to see if online spots are still available for this workshop, and then wait for confirmation. Virtual spots are limited and are reserved for people who either live outside Montreal or have a medical condition.

Workshop leader

Credit: George Pimentel
Ali Hassan is an author, broadcaster, actor and comedian who has performed for audiences across Canada, in the United States and internationally. Ali is the host of the CBC Radio hit stand-up comedy show Laugh Out Loud. He is also this season's guest host on The Next Chapter, and for the past eight years (come March) he has been the host of Canada Reads, CBC's "Battle of the Books". Ali has appeared on the big screen in award-winning films such as French Immersion, the hockey hit Goon and Tammy's Always Dying. Some of his recent television roles include Designated Survivor (ABC & Netflix), Cardinal (CTV), Odd Squad (PBS Kids, CBBC), Dino Dana (TVOKids), Workin’ Moms (CBC) and Murdoch Mysteries (CBC). Ali is currently featured in two television shows – Run The Burbs (CBC, Hulu), and the Peabody-Award winning Sort Of (CBC Gem, HBO Max). Ali has performed at the Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal and Toronto's JFL42. Ali has also toured across Canada as one of the stars of Just For Laughs Comedy Night In Canada tour, hosted by Rick Mercer. A Canadian Screen Award and Canadian Comedy Award nominee, Ali has toured his solo show Muslim Interrupted around Canada to great acclaim. He has taken the show to Scotland to perform at the world's largest comedy festival, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. In 2023, Ali began touring his latest one man show, based on his decade in the food industry, Does This Taste Funny? His comedic memoir Is There Bacon in Heaven? is out now with Simon & Schuster, and was described by Rick Mercer as “perhaps the funniest and most heartfelt Canadian memoir yet.”
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Special Thanks

QWF gratefully acknowledges the assistance of the Canada Council for the Arts, and the Government of Canada.