Clown · Improv · Physical Performance
The
Goof
Method
Be Here. Be Brave. Be ridiculously you.
Toronto-based clown, improv & physical comedy training — for performers, teams, and curious humans.
Clown · Improv · Physical Performance
Be Here. Be Brave. Be ridiculously you.
Toronto-based clown, improv & physical comedy training — for performers, teams, and curious humans.
The Philosophy
The Goof Method is a Toronto-based clown, improv, and physical comedy practice rooted in the Lecoq, Gaulier, and idiot work traditions. It's about finding the play — not performing it.
Through improvisation, clown work, and structured play, students discover what it actually means to be alive on stage. That usually involves failing in front of people. It turns out that's the whole thing.
"Confidence doesn't mean you aren't afraid. It means you do it scared."
Led by Chase Jeffels — an actor, comedian, and teacher — the Goof Method has worked with actors, comedians, and corporate teams who all want the same thing: to stop disappearing.
About Chase
Chase Jeffels is an actor, comedian, and teacher whose work bridges clown, improv, and the art of playful failure. He is a graduate of École Jacques Lecoq and the Laboratoire d'Étude du Mouvement in Paris, France, and trained under renowned clown master Philippe Gaulier — teacher of Sacha Baron Cohen, Helena Bonham Carter, and Emma Thompson.
I do not like very much Canada, but I like what you do.— Philippe Gaulier (imagine it in a thick French accent)
Chase has also studied with a host of notable teachers in clown, bouffon, and idiot work — including Aitor Basauri, John Gilkey, Chad Damiani, Kevin Krieger, Deanna Fleysher, Jaime Mears, Ken Hall, Isaac Kessler, and Gordon Neill. He is a graduate of the George Brown Theatre School classical conservatory program.
As a performer, Chase's work spans film, television, and theatre. He is a member of the improv and sketch collective $20 Sandwich, performing UCB-style longform improv infused with his own clown sensibility. He is also one half of West 2 West — a duo known for their innovative blend of clown sketch and clown improv, merging physical comedy, audience connection, and absurd play.
In his solo work, Chase continues to push the boundaries of comedy through Goofing — a punk-inspired mix of clown, riffing, and improvisation that explores connection, risk, and laughter through failure.
Chase Jeffels — Actor, Comedian, Teacher
What We Offer
Ongoing drop-in and series classes in clown, physical comedy, and movement. Whether you're brand new to your body or a seasoned performer, class is where you fall down and figure out who you are. No experience required — just a willingness to look ridiculous.
Enquire about classes →Intensive one-day and multi-session workshops led by clown and improv, with physical comedy and performance work woven throughout. The Goof Method workshop takes participants through neutrality, play states, and physical storytelling. Great for acting companies, theatre schools, conservatories, and groups of curious humans.
Book a workshop →One-on-one sessions tailored exactly to where you are right now. Whether you want to develop riffing that's true to how you're funny, work through what gets in the way of performing freely, build out a bit or performance piece, prep self-tapes, or dig into character work — sessions are shaped around you. Scene study, audition prep, and physical score development also available.
Book a session →The skills that make a great clown — presence, deep listening, risk-taking, and recovering from failure with grace — are the same ones that make a great team. Goof Method corporate workshops bring physical comedy training into your workplace. It's weird. It works.
Talk to us →Drop-in Class
A Practice in Contemporary Clowning
One performer. One audience. One goal: make us laugh.
This class is about getting on your feet and doing the thing. No red nose required. The mask is already there — it's you. Your instincts, timing, habits, impulses, charm, awkwardness, confidence, doubt. All of it.
Clown isn't about jokes or punchlines. It's about being real in front of people, listening to the audience, and responding honestly in the moment. Sometimes that response gets a big laugh. Sometimes it doesn't. Both are useful.
Chase throws you into games and improvs that force you to play, riff, and adjust in real time. When something works, we slow down and look at why. When it doesn't, you learn how to change course instead of pushing harder.
Everyone has something that makes them uniquely funny. The work is standing in front of an audience, trying things, missing, missing again — and then landing something that only you could land.
Whether you're brand new to clown or already performing, this class gives you real reps in front of an audience, with live direction from Chase Jeffels to help you identify what's working and do more of it.
What People Say
Chase is simply one of the best clown teachers and performers in the city. A warm, sensitive, and rigorous teacher who cares deeply not only about his students' learning journeys, but about the state of clown pedagogy itself. Highly recommend watching him perform and taking his classes.
Adam Paolozza Actor, Director, Teacher Artistic Director, Bad New Days TheatreYou feel like an idiot and it's super vulnerable, but also funny. Chase does a great job of summing it up so you walk away with genuinely useful information. It's enlivening and worth it, especially if practicing failure is useful to you. For me, it is.
Rakhee Morzaria Actor, Comedian & Writer · Riff Reps Run the Burbs · What We Do in the Shadows · Mr. D · Second CityIn my stand-up sets after the workshop, I feel more playful and comfortable on stage. I trust myself more to be funny without planning or material, and I feel much more tapped into my creative instincts.
Bita Joudaki Comedian & TV Writer · Goofing Workshop JFL Toronto · This Hour Has 22 Minutes · Children Ruin EverythingIt's like embarrassing yourself into becoming yourself. You get to fuck up in a room full of people, work through it, recover, and be better for it. Chase is playful, encouraging, and safe — my goofiest self used to be reserved for private spaces, but I'm now much more comfortable being silly in public. It's been really healing.
Mia Hay Actor · Riff RepsChase's classes are terrifying and fun. They inspire me to do things afraid and remind me of the beauty in that, which I use on stage and in my life. The biggest shift for me was presence, and being reminded to bring more of myself into my work.
Yazmin Butcher Actor, Comedian · Riff RepsChase creates a space where it feels safe to take risks. Even when I lack confidence, I never feel alone out on the floor. His skills are multi-disciplinary and solid, and I love his classes, even though they are challenging.
Carol Wilson Goofing Workshop Student · 2 workshopsWith warmth, care, and real skill, Chase creates a welcoming and stimulating space to explore beyond our habits and reconnect with spontaneity. It feels less like an invitation and more like a permission to be. The workshop supported me in finding my way back to a childlike, playful exploration, allowing me to take risks with spontaneity and with others.
Isabelle Meline Gestalt Therapist & Workshop ParticipantThere's a freedom to be vulnerable and to explore, a space to reconnect with what joy actually means to you. Life can often make you afraid to take up space, and Chase's class recognizes the masks we wear. He creates an environment where you're reminded that you're okay, and that it's all just play.
Sophia Walker Actor · Goofing WorkshopChase's coaching helped me get back into clown after a hiatus. He creates an environment that encourages risk-taking and gives feedback that helps you get out of your head. His teaching was instrumental in helping me perform my first five-minute bit at an open mic. I don't think I would have felt capable without his guidance.
Kayla Burtch Performer · Riff Reps & One-on-One CoachingA unique exploration of comedy training. Learning about the cycle of tension completely reframed how I view performance. It's something I could have spent an entire week exploring.
Jay Buim Filmmaker & Performer · Goofing WorkshopWhat I love most about Chase's approach is that he encourages you to find what works for you. He's deeply empathetic and clearly cares about every person in the room, while bringing a level of organization and consistency that's rare. I'm slowly finding the confidence to be weird on stage.
Ankur Kaushal Performer · Goofing StudentAn excellent exploration applying clown principles of presence, playfulness, and risk to commercial self-tapes. Chase provides an informed, boundary-pushing, and supportive space. What shifted was my confidence on camera — especially in containing and communicating emotion through my eyes.
Chris Veldhoven Comedian & Facilitator · Clown for Commercial ActingI walked in focused on getting everything "perfect" and left understanding that perfection isn't the goal. Presence is. The workshop challenged me to sit in discomfort long enough to discover something more honest underneath. I left more confident, more present, and more willing to take risks.
Silvana Della Porta Actor · Clown for Commercial ActingNo matter how hard I try to hide anxiety or nerves, they're still visible — so the work has to be fun for me, not just what casting wants. Chase helped me understand I have control over the tapes I submit, and gave me clarity on how states of tension apply to script breakdowns.
Joy Pina Actor · Clown for Commercial ActingA really fun class that prioritizes enjoying the work and finding your unique way through a scene or audition. Using clown as a tool, Chase helps bring play and life into commercial acting. What shifted for me was a willingness to take more risks and a clearer understanding of how auditions actually work.
Sivert Das Actor · Clown for Commercial ActingNew dates, upcoming workshops, and whatever else is happening — straight to your inbox. No noise.
Join the ListGet in Touch
Classes, workshops, solo coaching, and corporate bookings — all starting with a conversation. Fill in the form and Chase will get back to you personally.
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