Standing Up and the reunion of historical impro legends, This week at the London Improv Comedy Club

This starts tonights!

Tuesday 1st November
STAND UP FOR THE FIRST TIME
Why did the chicken cross the road? Knock knock who's there? How many turtles does it take to screw in a lightbulb?

None of these questions are likely to be answered, as a horde of improvisers throw their comedy routines on to The Miller's fine stage. It's stand-up, but not that risk-free tried and tested stuff all the other stand-ups do... all the performers will be either doing stand-up for the very first time ever, or they're old hands who are doing a totally new, untested routine. It's like danger-comedy.

Ooh, and it's free.

Tuesday 1th November
Time: Doors 7:30pm, Show 8pm - 10pm with interval.
Cost: FREE!
Where: The Miller, 96 Snowsfields Road, London, SE1 3SS.

Wednesday 2nd November
GRAND THEFT IMPRO:
SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION REUNION"Constantly funny… a seemingly incongruous group of characters suggested by the audience are relentlessly drawn together. This accomplishment takes supreme ingenuity and merits applause in its own right. The fact the one-liners come thick and fast and the pace never slackens is awe-inspiring."
- The List
Highly regarded group from the early 90's Spontaneous Combustion regroup in a slightly random way for one night in a blue moon. It's GTI, but not as we know it as Phil Whelans and Cariad Lloyd are joined by Niall Ashdown (Whose Line Is It Anyway..?) and best selling author Stella Duffy.

Super-dooper! (as they said in the early 90's)

Wednesday 2nd November
Time: Doors 7:30pm, Show 8pm - 10pm with interval.
Cost: £5
Where: The Miller, 96 Snowsfields Road, London, SE1 3SS.

LONDONIMPROV: A REVOLUTION IN COMEDY & THEATRE

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LondonImprov@gmail.com

Grand Theft Impro: The Near Spontaneous Combustion Reunion

Toward the end of last century, all impro groups looked like this. The year is 1991 and "Mach One Make-It-Uppers" (City Limits) Spontaneous Combustion ("Dazzling" The Guardian) are about to visit London's Edinburgh Festival for the second time...

"Constantly funny… a seemingly incongruous group of characters suggested by the audience are relentlessly drawn together. This accomplishment takes supreme ingenuity and merits applause in its own right. The fact the one-liners come thick and fast and the pace never slackens is awe-inspiring."
- The List

Of the group of people you see in this picture, one left immediately after the photo was taken and another did the lights and sound, but on...

...WED 2 NOV (The Daily Express)
8.00pm

...at The Miller,
96 Snowsfields Road
London Bridge
London
SE1 3SS.

...three of these performers will step onto the stage for the first time together in at least a decade. Which three? Well, they've all been given the address. Let senility decide*.

The Near Spontaneous Combustion Reunion. Like Zep without Bonham, it could go either way.

* It's Phil Whelans (Grand Theft Impro), Niall Ashdown (Whose Line...?, Comedy Store Players, Improbable) and best-selling novelist, Stella Duffy (also Improbable.)

- Phil Whelans

Wednesday 2nd November
Time: Doors 7:30pm, Show 8pm - 10pm with interval.
Cost: £5
Where: The Miller, 96 Snowsfields Road, London, SE1 3SS.

LONDONIMPROV: A REVOLUTION IN COMEDY & THEATRE

Sign up to email updates at
LondonImprov@gmail.com

Doctor Who-What-Where ... More Tickets Available!

Because tickets sold out in a nanosecond, we at London Improv have decided to squeeze some more of you in. We wouldn't want you to miss out on what might be the biggest event at this season. So there are 15, (just 15) STANDING ROOM ONLY tickets available here. And that's it.

We pretty much won't legally be allowed any more people in the room so, please, don't miss out. With cast members from the BBC series on stage and in the audience, it's going to be a full-on geekout for anyone who loves the show.

On 23rd November, Whovians (that's Doctor Who geeks to you) celebrate Doctor Who Day; the anniversary of the first ever airing of Doctor Who back in 1963. We at London Improv are going to join them, because the doctor solves problems without the use of violence and improvisers like to do that too. Yep, that's the link we're going for.

Join us for a Doctor Who themed improv and comedy night. Opening with an improvised episode of classic Doctor Who from some of the best Whovian/Improv crossover folk around. Including two surprise cast members from the actual Doctor Who, from the telly, which is actually mega. As well as that, the cast looks like something a bit over-exciting:
feat. Michael Legge (BBC 6MUSIC), Gemma Arrowsmith (Little Howards Big Question), Dylan Emery (Showstoppers), Adam Meggido (Showstoppers), Tom Salinsky (Spontaneity Shop) and more...

Well let's just say it's gonna be Ace.

Then we will welcome very special guests: Chris Alpha, Chris Sigma, Laura and Handy Andy Candy from the hugely successful cult podcast The Ood Cast, the most innovative, weird and engaging Doctor Who themed podcast on the internet. Just ask the folks at Radio Rassilon, eh?... Eh?!

And.. well, basically, The Ood Cast have a massive fanbase so if you want to come and see something really special, you should click on that link and get yourself some tickets quickly. Those Whovian fans have been practically banging at the door and trying to get in for the last week.

It's really going to be brilliant. Like, a lot.

And with proceeds going to Cancer Research in memory of veteran Doctor Who actor Elizabeth Sladen, you'll being doing something nice for something nice, too. Aren't you nice?

Wednesday 23rd November
Time: Doors 7:30pm, Show 8pm - 10pm with interval.
Cost: STANDING ROOM ONLY £3.50 - all proceeds to Cancer Research, buy tickets HERE
Where: The Miller, 96 Snowsfields Road, London, SE1 3SS.

LONDONIMPROV: A REVOLUTION IN COMEDY & THEATRE

Sign up to email updates at
LondonImprov@gmail.com

The Maydays and a Catch 23 Hallowe'en Special - This Week at the London Improv Comedy Club

Tuesday 25th October
DO NOT ADJUST YOUR STAGE
and THE MAYDAYS
"TV is dead, long live TV!"
Do Not Adjust Your Stage encourage you to take their name literally as they jump up and improvise a full evening's television schedule, right there in front of your face. Will you see a documentary about penguin wrappers/rappers? Will a soap opera be set in a log cabin in Birmingham? Will singing? Could be.
They are funny. Watch them.

Then follow their delicious TV soup with a sweet sweet impro-veteran dessert. The highly respected Maydays trek all the way Up North from their home town of Brighton.. all the way to London Bridge to treat us to themselves. The Maydays have been at it for years, making laugh happen where no-laugh existed before. Well done them. And well done you, for turning up.

"...one of the best improvised shows out there, and you get the feeling that any of these actors could easily hold their own with the likes of Merton, Frost and Jupitus...a must see"
★★★★ - Chortle
Tuesday 25th October
Time: Doors 7:30pm, Show 8pm - 10pm with interval.
Cost: £5
Where: The Miller, 96 Snowsfields Road, London, SE1 3SS.

Wednesday 26th October
CATCH 23:
HALLOWE'EN SPECIAL!
It's the London Improv Improv League, where teams of improvisers compete to be given high acclaim and snogs from passing streetwalkers. It's a shot at (local) fame. It's an excuse for drinking and laughing in the same room. It's the final struggle between human and void. It's CATCH 23!

And this 'ere week, it's only blummin' hallowe'en 'n that. 'n.
So prepare yourself for ghoulish goings on, sinister competitive backstabbing, evil giggles and sabotage. Bring your best monstrous suggestions for the performers and prepare for bloodshed.

[insert laugh sound effect from Michael Jackson's Thriller here]

Wednesday 26th October
Time: Doors 7:30pm, Show 8pm - 10pm with interval.
Cost: £5
Where: The Miller, 96 Snowsfields Road, London, SE1 3SS.

LONDONIMPROV: A REVOLUTION IN COMEDY & THEATRE

Sign up to email updates at
LondonImprov@gmail.com

Music Box Cabaret at The London Improv Comedy Club

Tuesday 18th October
THE MUSIC BOX CABARET

Music Box - The Improvised Musical present a night of some of the best Cabaret in London. Featuring Ze Hoff Und Me - a hyper-fan's insightful presentation into the world of the best musician in Germany and Knightest Rider: David Hasselhoff. Including a PowerPoint presentations and everything.

Then the highly sexual world of the East End of London arrives with East End Cabaret displaying their dark and disturbing wares for the whole world to see."This luscious romp combines stage-craft and musical talent with a bawdy humour that was either right on the edge or all the way over it."
★★★★★
Three Weeks


And finally, an improvised comedy musical from the great big Music Box. An entirely new Musical improvised right in front of you."Left me helpless with laughter."
★★★★★
Fringe Guru

Tuesday 18th October
Time: Doors 7:30pm, Show 8pm - 10pm with interval.
Cost: £5
Where: The Miller, 96 Snowsfields Road, London, SE1 3SS.

SPECIAL MENTION
Thursday 20th October
IMPRO CLINIC: GETTING GOOD AT THE BASICS

WHAT?
A fun and supportive workshop focused on freeing and empowering the performer developing a confident and accepting stage presence.The session will cover a selection of impro comedy games and scene work techniques designed to build confidence and encourage spontaneity.

WHO?
Perhaps you’ve used impro during the audition/rehearsal process and would like to build your confidence in tackling situations unknown.
You may have some impro experience but would like to play some more in a safe and supportive environment.
Perhaps you've little experience of performance but just want to give it a bash.... you're very welcome!

WORKSHOP LEADER
Directing performance for the past 10 years, Amy Cooke-Hodgson is co-founder of Maple Giant Theatre. She has experience of improvising with a variety of groups [including Showstopper,The Oxford Imps, Mother's Ruin, Scenes from Communal Living, Multi-Story, Adventure Incorporated, Abando'man and Racing Minds] as well as studying impro at IO in Chicago and with some of the North American greats (Bill Arnett, Shawn Kinley, Mauro Hantman & Cathcart&Olson). Amy is a trained teacher.
She has performed at the Gilded Balloon in Edinburgh for the past 5 years in a 5* sell-out short-form impro show, toured the USA in an impro musical and made over 200 appearances at the Wheatsheaf. Most recently, Amy has joined the cast of 'Austentatious-an improvised Jane Austen novel' performing fortnightly at their residency at The Compass, Islington.
www.amycookehodgson.com

Top Tips: Come wearing comfy clothes/shoes / Bring a bottle of water
There are limited places, so do book in advance by emailing:
amycookehodgson@gmail.com

Thursday 20th October
Time: 7-9.30pm.
Cost:£10 [pay on the day]
Where: Riverside Studios [Studio 4], Hammersmith

This Space for Rent

A lot of people ask if London Improv could advertise their show. The answer is "yes, you blummin' can!"
... and this is the way to do it.

London Improv is creating space on the blog and website for adverts. To utilise that space, please send us an image file (JPG or PNG) of 300 x 130 pixels and a URL link that you want the image to direct web-surfers to, and we'll put it in various places on our website.

We will also post about your show in a blog entry that is automatically mailed out to our subscribers. For this, please send an image of at least 300 x 300 pixels and a blurb of no more than 100 words. With information about where, when, how much.. and links to your website.

Information should be send to LondonImprov@gmail.com.

London Improv has a regularly increasing traffic of people looking specifically for improv in London on the internet, it's pretty good. We're reaching about 1000 people a month at the moment. Not bad for a man in a bedroom in underpants with a laptop. Anyway, if you want a piece of that pie and you have an improv show you want to advertise, then it's totally free.

Yes. That's right, it's free for improv stuff.

Can't say fairer than that.

The Scat Pack and Marbles, This week at the London Improv Comedy Club

Yeaahhh! It's here, another week of improv for your delight.

Tuesday 11th October
FAT KITTEN vs THE INFLATABLES and THE SCAT PACK

In the ongoing Fat Kitten vs. The World, this time the Kittens take on mental short-form group The Inflatables.

Then The Scat Pack take over. You know the show. “Lights, Camera, Improvise!” where those folks in black and yellow create a movie. Always good.

Tuesday 11th October
Time: Doors 7:30pm, Show 8pm - 10pm with interval.
Cost: £5
Where: The Miller, 96 Snowsfields Road, London, SE1 3SS.

Wednesday 12th October
MARBLES...
Marbles present a night of improv featuring a magnificent cast made up of folks from the recent 26-hour improv marathon this weekend. Freshly slept from the Cellblock Improvathon, they will be settling any left over differences as inmate takes on prison officer in a struggle for supremacy.

Then we will be treated to Marbles' two-man improv show. Ryan Millar and Dave Waller creating their brilliant, multi-character stories from just two men. Awesome.

Wednesday 12th October
Time: Doors 7:30pm, Show 8pm - 10pm with interval.
Cost: £5
Where: The Miller, 96 Snowsfields Road, London, SE1 3SS.

SPECIAL MENTION
Sunday 16th October
CRACK COMEDY PRESENTS... SUNDAYS!
A brand new weekly comedy night to cater for London's fastest growing scene. Improv MC Luisa Omielan '***** Improv nothing short of astounding' - (Three Weeks) presents house troupe GirlBand, with this weeks special guests, Music Box - 'Brilliant, *****' Fringe Guru. Providing a full length musical, created on the spot!

Sunday 16th October
Time: Show 8pm - 10pm with interval.
Cost: £4 in advance, £5 on the door
Where: Slug and Lettuce, Southbank. Nearest tube: Waterloo.

This Week at The London Improv Comedy Club

What ho, everybody! Nice weather for ducks, eh? And wasps. And solar panels.

Tuesday 4th October
STAND UP FOR THE FIRST TIME
Speaking of ducks and wasps; why did the duck and the wasp cross the road?... well we don't know either, but what we DO know is that there will be a much higher caliber of jokes as 20 improvisers take to stage with 100% brand new stand-up material for their fright and your delight.

The SUFTFT nights are always brilliant and totally free, so roll up roll up for the friendliest stand-up night in London.

Tuesday 4th October
Time: Doors 7:30pm, Show 8pm - 10pm with interval.
Cost: FREE!
Where: The Miller, 96 Snowsfields Road, London, SE1 3SS.


Wednesday 5th October
DO NOT ADJUST YOUR STAGE
Those brilliant DNAYS boys open the proceedings with their superb improvised television schedule. All the shows you love (documentaries) and all the shows you love to hate (reality TV, soap operas, adverts, the x-factor, anything with Kerry Katona in) all bought to life before your very eyes.

It's like if the TV Times was funny and had a guitar.

8BIT
It's their first outing for a while and 8bit have a whole new format to wow your lips and blur your vision. Totally freeform improv inspired by some of the best Chicago can offer. Watch them fly like birds and spin like a washer/dryer.
There may even be a special guest or two, who knows?.. it's THAT free.

Wednesday 5th October
Time: Doors 7:30pm, Show 8pm - 10pm with interval.
Cost: £5
Where: The Miller, 96 Snowsfields Road, London, SE1 3SS.


SPECIAL MENTION - Saturday 8th-Sunday 9th October
CELLBLOCK
As part of The Nursery Festival, a collection of truly fine improvisers embark on the mighty challenge of a 26-hour Improvathon, a show that'll run all the way from 7pm Saturday evening to 9pm Sunday evening.

There are episodes beginning every 2 hours, so either come for the whole marathon, or just pop in now and again for a few episodes and glimpse improvisers battle through sleep deprivation to create amazing stories from within a prison.

It's both mental and brilliant, so it makes sense it'll be directed by his excellency - the Paul Foxcroft.

Saturday 8th October, Sunday 9th October
Time: Doors 7:00pm Saturday night, then every two hours until 9pm Sunday.
Cost: £5 per 2-hour episode, £10 for a 26-hour season ticket. Available HERE
Where: Light Industrial Theatre, near London Bridge/Southark.