Flippin' Pain!

The Stuff of Comedy

Trauma, pain and tragedy can be the stuff of comedy, after all, they say time + tragedy = comedy. But not always?

Yes, humour can be used to explore challenging events – stories about the aftermath of separation can resonate with others and bring cheer because of the shared experience. Many moons ago, I tip-toed around my divorce status resulting in much mirth and catharsis. I say tip-toed because I didn’t want to bring my ex into the story.

Richard Gadd, comedian and writer of the hit Netflix series Baby Reindeer mined his personal experience of being stalked. Many comedians use personal relationships wanted and unwanted, past and present for comedy material.

I once created a beautiful amusing tale about spreading my late father’s ashes, several years after he died, back in 1991. The telling was a mix of humour, tinged with poignancy. Pain at the time, but laughter later. Result.

Pain and trauma gave me something to work with and I felt ready to share these stories.

As a teacher and facilitator of comedy writing, I am mindful of keeping people safe, yet also aware that traumatic tales might be material people want to explore. There’s no hard and fast rule – but I tend to support the empathic or silly pathway, where pain is truly flipped into laughter without causing new or additional pain to anyone. Whilst respecting the original stories at their heart.

The excuse “It was only a joke” isn’t a favourite line of mine, although, it depends on who is saying it and to whom. Comedy crafting is complex.

As usual, a huge thanks for your support from Maggie and the team :)