Bromley women are invited to join ‘Stand Up and Shine’ - FREE comedy workshop!
LAUGHTER • CONFIDENCE • CONNECTION • COMMUNITY
Need a good laugh? Want to feel more confident and connected to your community?
Women of Bromley Borough are invited to join ‘Stand Up and Shine’, an unforgettable FREE community workshop by award-winning comedian Carly Smallman, designed to uncover your smile and free you up! Comedy is a universal language that transcends barriers and unites us. Perhaps it’s true after all… laughter really is the best medicine! Register and come find out for yourself?!
KEY DIARY NOTES
DATE: Wednesday 3 June, 2026
TIME: 2PM — 3PM (1 hour)
ARRIVAL FROM: 1:45PM (Register above to secure your place)
LOCATION: The Churchill Theatre Bromley
COST: Free! Sometimes an hour of laughter with people who understand exactly where you are can make a real difference.
* Workshop space is limited to 15 people only. You must register to secure your place and be a woman/trans woman or an AFAB non-binary person comfortable in female focussed spaces, resident of Bromley Borough, and over 18 years of age. We are required to track how you feel before and after each event — this can be anonymous.
WHAT TO EXPECT?
You don’t need to be funny or perform, just show up… for yourself!
Stand Up and Shine is designed to help women feel more confident, connected and emotionally supported — whether life feels steady or overwhelming right now.
A sense of confidence that carries into everyday life
Human connection with a supportive group of women with shared experiences
Tools to express yourself without judgement
Moments of laughter, relief and joy
A feeling of pride in showing up for yourself
There always a ‘buggy park’ at BYOB Comedy events. If you need help bringing a bassinet or car set downstairs to the studio, our friendly team will be happy to assist!
Connect with other women living in Bromley
No pressure to perform
ABOUT CARLY SMALLMAN
Founder Bromley.Lol • Director Co-Founder of BYOB Comedy • Comedian • Comedy-on-Prescription Workshop Facilitator
“I believe comedy should be joyful, fearless and a bit mischievous! My workshops are a safe space to take risks, make mistakes, and most importantly, have a bloody good laugh.” — Carly Smallman
Tracey, left, shares her routine in a Comedy-on-Prescription workshop led by Carly Smallman in February 2026 © Anna Gordon/FT
Carly loves comedy! From booking fabulous shows, to performing and providing workshops all over the country, she can’t get enough of making people laugh.
Carly Smallman is a comedian, writer and performer who has spent over a decade making people laugh on stage, screen and radio. She has performed stand-up on the BBC, been a panel show regular for ITV, and hosted on Talk Radio. On the live circuit, she’s played everywhere from comedy clubs and arts centres to London’s Vaudeville Theatre and the Apollo.
Carly is passionate about helping others discover their comedic voice. Drawing on her wide experience as a writer, performer and producer, she creates a supportive, practical and joy-filled environment. Whether you’re a beginner or polishing your material, Carly is committed to giving you the tools and confidence to shine.
Alongside her performing career, Carly has built exciting, innovative projects that bring comedy to new audiences. In 2016, she co-founded Bring Your Own Baby Comedy, lunchtime comedy clubs for parents (and their little ones), which have grown into a national success, winning awards including ‘Best Mental Health for Parents’. She also co-created Tarot, Nice to Meet You, a live comedy and tarot show that won ‘Best Audience Interaction’ at the Brighton Fringe in 2022.
Some people said some nice things:
"Delightfully ebullient" – Time Out
"A bundle of energy" – The Sun
"The most exciting female act in the country right now" – GQ Magazine
WORKSHOP PARTICIPANT FEEDBACK
"It's been great to mix with women of different ages and backgrounds. I can tell you that during the 6 week workshop series I had to organise my mum's funeral, make an offer on a flat, and deal with my husband's dementia, so this has been a most welcome and fun diversion. I definitely think social prescription is a most powerful tool for well-being and comedy and laughter is extremely undervalued."
"It was such a fabulous course and I had so much fun. I even gave a sample of my jokes to some friends yesterday. The workshops gave me confidence. The group was amazing."
"I have got a lot of benefits from it. Different coping techniques for mental health and it made me more confident in myself."
"This comedy course gave me courage to have a voice I had kept hidden from the world, due to stigma, cultural barriers, and history of trauma. I met other brave women whose stories and life journeys were inspiring. We all bonded over storytelling and laughter and happy tears. Our teacher Carly Smallman held us through this journey. She kept us going, with encouragement, warmth, love and lots of compassion. She understood us all and didn't judge.
This is one of the best experiences of my life — and I want to do more!"
DIRECTIONS
ADDRESS: Churchill Theatre Studio, Bromley High Street, Bromley BR1 1HA
TRANSPORT:
Bromley South Station: 5-10 min walk
Bromley North Station: 10-15 min walk
Bus routes: 61, 119, 138, 146, 246, 352, 367, N3, 126, 208, 227, 261, 314, 336, 354, 358, 638.
Parking: There is no dedicated theatre parking, but the Hill Car Park on Beckenham Lane (approx. 10 min walk) is recommended. Other council-run car parks in the town centre are within walking distance.
DISABLED PARKING: Available on Tetty Way (3 spaces) and Churchill Way (5 spaces).
PLAN JOURNEY: TfL journey planner
ENTRANCE: Map (below left); and view external entrance photo (below right).
ACCESS: Accessibility throughout the building. All staircases around the venue and in the auditorium have handrails on both sides and are highlighted.
Studio: There are 25 steps from the theatre's foyer to the Studio. There are 34 steps from the lift to the Studio. The lift is accessible via Stage Door on Tetty Way. There are 7 steps from The Studio to the nearest toilets.
Wheelchair Access: There is wheelchair access to our Studio space via the park. Please let us know in advance so that one of our friendly volunteers can escort you, as the route can be steep in places.
Guide and Hearing Dogs: Guide, hearing, and other pawsome working dogs are welcome in all parts of the theatre.
CRAIC MEANS ‘ENJOYABLE TIME SPENT WITH OTHERS’
Stand Up and Shine is a free Comedy-on-Prescription® workshop event, with an aim to connect the local community through laughter. Brought to you by…
Carly Smallman is proud to introduce Comedy-on-Prescription trials to Bromley Borough, in partnership with Creative Health in Bromley (Bromley Council), Gaia Laughter Therapy and Craic Health: Comedy-on-Prescription®.
Creative Health in Bromley is a transformative programme designed to enhance health and wellbeing through engagement in creative activities.
Creative Health in Bromley aims to: ‘Promote positive health and wellbeing through creativity’
Aligned with Bromley Council’s Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy (2024-2029) and Bromley's Tackling Loneliness Strategy (2022-2026), this initiative directly supports the borough’s strategic objectives of improving community wellbeing and reducing social isolation.
This approach is backed by extensive research demonstrating its effectiveness in reducing health inequalities, fostering social connections, and improving overall quality of life.
Gaia Laughter Therapy workshops are a playful, supportive space to breathe, release tension, and reconnect with joy. Each session is designed to uplift your mood, boost resilience, and remind you that laughter is more than fun — it’s medicine for body, mind, and spirit.
Craic Health is pioneering Comedy-on-Prescription as creative healthcare, with an aim to integrate comedy into the NHS by Q1 2027. This means UK GPs and link workers will be able to safely refer their patients to comedy workshops, events, and experiences.
Health benefits of laughter includes reducing stress and improving cardiovascular health to strengthening social bonds and overall wellbeing. See the evidence for yourself!
The Bromley.lol programme …
All Bromley.lol events take place in Bromley and use comedy-based experiences to build social connection, boost confidence and champion good mental health, while supporting local residents, creatives, venues, and cultural organisations.
Curated Stand Up and Shine comedy workshops
Curated Bring Your Own Baby (BYOB) Comedy workshops
Gaia Laughter Therapy sessions
Craic’s mission is to make comedy accessible to everyone and to reconnect communities through shared laughter. At a time when technology can increase isolation, Craic’s purpose-built platform is designed to bring people together—using comedy as a catalyst for connection, wellbeing, and joy.
We look forward to welcoming participants, sharing a laugh, and demonstrating the measurable health benefits of comedy in action.
