A Sussex comedian has been proving there can be a funny side to corporate life.

Gerry Thompson has been writing humorous books and strutting comedy stages in Brigh-ton for more than 20 years. Now he has set up training sessions on how the secrets of a successful stage presence can be transferred to winning in the business world.

He said: "The basic skills of keeping people interested and presenting your ideas clearly are the same, no matter whether the audience is in a bar or a boardroom.

"I realised how my stage work had benefited my professional meetings with business people such as publishers. I was relaxed, confident and able to express myself without being stifled by the corporate environment.

"Compared to dealing with mobs of drunk hecklers the business arena holds few fears."

Delegates at Gerry's workshops are are given practice in standing up in front of an audience without being laughed at for all the wrong reasons.

The different types of comedy presentation are covered with emphasis on how improvisation can help keep delivery slick and organised.

Gerry said: "Spontaniety can be a powerful tool for business people to enhance the delivery of key messages they want to get across. I help people to have the confidence to know how to respond to queries as they arise without losing sight of what they wanted to say in the first place."

Role-playing is used to demonstrate how certain ploys will fly or flop under different corporate circumstances. By taking the scenarios to the extreme, Gerry said he encouraged people to think about how they should handle difficult situations.

He added: "The work-shops provide a safe setting to test out new ideas in a supportive environment before transferring the knowledge back to the workplace."

Anna Dewis, 40, a freelance copywriter who has worked with Boots, Sainsbury's and Marks & Spencer, attended one of Gerry's workshops.

She said: "I have to present myself and my work to clients and, in the past, I have got myself so wound up about how I will perform or what people are thinking of me I have lost track of my subject.

"The workshop was not only great fun but also taught me to trust in my ability to communicate. When we came out, we were buzzing with what we had achieved and felt able to stand up in front of anyone to present our messages."

The workshops are held at Komedia, Brighton. For more information, call 01273 206000.