Episode 4: ‘A good laugh is a mighty good thing!’

New Wolsey Theatre Podcast

In this feel-good podcast episode we talk about the power of laughter. Charlie Chaplin once said: ‘ A good laugh is a mighty good thing, a rather too scarce a good thing.’ Following a year when laughter might have been scarce for many, Theatre Unwrapped explores the transformational effects of laughter, from its origins in early humans to the ways we ‘laugh’ online and how we create comedy for the stage. And we find out what happens when you take clowns to places where laughter really is very scarce.

So, what makes us laugh? Are we the only species that laugh? Do we need another person to laugh out loud with, and why are there so many types of laughter? And why would you send a clown to a crisis zone?

Sue’s first guest - Dr Eric Weitz, professor at Trinity College, Dublin, talks about the origins of laughter, why we laugh and our different types of laughter. He is the author of ‘Theatre and Laughter’ in which he describes theatre and laughter as natural soul mates. Dr Eric talks about why laughter is so important, how it may have evolved from a survival mechanism, why we may not be the only species to laugh, and describes how laughter has been categorised and studied for hundreds of years.

Sam Holdsworth, Director of Clowns without Borders UK, is a champion for supporting the emotional wellbeing of children living in disaster zones. She quite simply creates laughter and play with children in the most desperate places on the planet. Sam is an extraordinary woman, often called inspirational, and you’ll know exactly why after listening to her. Sam and her team share laughter and fun with children living on the brink of humanitarian disaster. How does she do it? You’ll have to listen to her – she’s magnetic and believes laughter is a basic human right for children. Her work and stories are uplifting, she brings tears of joy, laughter and fun to us all.

John Donnelly is a BAFTA nominated playwright and screenwriter. John’s plays include The Pass and Bone. He talks to Sue about how h

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ABOUT THE NEW WOLSEY THEATRE

The New Wolsey Theatre in Ipswich is a multi-award-winning vibrant cultural hub enriching the lives of people in Suffolk. We offer a diverse range of performances, community engagement activities, and artist development opportunities. We are nationally renowned for our excellence, diversity, and accessibility, and we are committed to continuing this essential work.