To join our group or to contact us, please click: Rob Morris
( Improvisational Theatre and Comedy )
Workshops will now be held TWICE a month at the URC, Windsor Place (1st Tuesday, 12pm – Cafe) + (3rd Tuesday, 1pm – upstairs MR1). All meetings are by invitation only for the time being so it’s best to join our group to receive yours and avoid disappointment.
GIVE IT A TRY !
You don’t need to be gifted to come along to our Improv Workshops. Just learn and practice some techniques and you will grow in confidence!
Improv is like acting without a script, so it’s often called “Improvisational Theatre”. It’s light hearted and is gently mind challenging. It can also be very funny. That’s why Improv is often called “Improvisational Comedy”
Sessions begin with word games and challenges to warm us up. Instructions are given and techniques practiced so that we can create stories, scenes and conversations in the moment and without a script. Then we act out our scenes and just entertain ourselves!
Mistakes are usually accepted and can provide more fun. Coaching, guidelines and techniques help to make conversations run smoothly.
Improv also has other benefits – it helps reduce social anxiety, maintain good mental health and increase resilience, confidence and happiness. It can also benefit listening skills, short term memory, creativity, language skills and spontaneity. So many benefits – and also great fun!
Improv can, of course, be performed on stage. However, it’s just fine to come along, have some fun and enjoy our workshops!
SOME BASIC IMPROV GUIDELINES
Improv uses guidelines to help stories, scenes and conversations develop in a natural and entertaining way. However, be playful and open minded! The goal is simply to entertain and to be entertained – just have fun! The most important guidelines, 1-5 below, will get you started.
1) (“YES” rule) Accept what scene partners say. Don’t negate their ideas. For example, if someone says “I am a cat”, do not say “No – you’re a dog!”. Denial stops a scene moving forward and creates a block in the flow of someone’s ideas.
2) (“AND” rule) Add to what partners say to help the scene evolve. Maybe include an adjective and a relationship, for example “Yes, and we are really pretty cats, sister”.
3) Try to avoid questions because they puts pressure on your scene partners to come up with answers. Instead, make definitive statements. This evolves the scene more easily. It also saves time because information is given in one step rather than two.
4) Weave these details early into a scene in order to establish a “BASE REALITY”
WHERE – Location
WHO – Relationship of those involved
WHAT – Activity / WHAT – Is Happening
5) Try not to be vague, use specific details to make scenes interesting and relatable.
May 2025
Tuesday 6th May
- 12:00 – 13:30
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Improv Group
Group members only
Group members only
Tuesday 20th May
- 13:00 – 14:30
-
Improv Group
Group members only
Group members only
June 2025
Tuesday 3rd June
- 12:00 – 13:30
-
Improv Group
Group members only
Group members only
Tuesday 17th June
- 13:00 – 14:30
-
Improv Group
Group members only
Group members only