This fun day of workshops is designed to tune up your improvisation. Play (spontaneity) is built into the heart of each individual session. These are appropriate for those who have some experience in improvisation and are looking for an intensive hit of improv to enhance their creativity.
Improv tune up will give you the skills and confidence to transfer your learning and development into your improvised work.
All monies made from the course will be reinvested back into the annual Liverpool Improvisation Festival. This will include a small fund for the development of new improvised work at LiF.
Improv tune up will give you the skills and confidence to transfer your learning and development into your improvised work.
All monies made from the course will be reinvested back into the annual Liverpool Improvisation Festival. This will include a small fund for the development of new improvised work at LiF.
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10 places left
Size: Class is limited to 15 participants What: Improv tune up Where: Liverpool Arts Bar Studio 3 When: Saturday the 22nd of February – 10am-5pm Followed by free Improv mix up event - 6-9pm Tickets: £66 + booking fee |
Who is this for:
1) Improvisers: Who are looking to develop their improv skills 2) Actors: Looking to sharpen up their acting / performance skills (working in the moment) – TV casting (adverts) 3) Companies: For those who are interested in developing their own improvised performance or those who are looking to devise 4) Writers: Who apply improvisation in developing new plays (devising) 5) Directors: Who apply improvisation in developing new plays (devising) 6) Teachers: Who are looking to develop their experience in facilitating improvisation 7) Others: The adventurous who are up for playing and exploring something new |
Workshop one: Pretend you're holding stuff
Object work or mime can be overwhelming especially when we are remembering lots of other stuff, but when it's done right it can really wow an audience.
This session will give you some ways to make it feel more natural and to avoid the age older go-to of literally 'digging an invisible hole'. We will give you some practical ways of brushing up on your holding stuff skills, which will leave your scenes looking more realistic and well-rounded without the dreaded 2 people standing at 45 degrees taking it in turns to talk.
Workshop two: Be someone else for a bit
I've spent years hearing people say, 'I can't really do characters' but I have found some easy ways for you to become someone else for a bit. Using what we know and remembering how interested we are in the world around us; we'll pull on our own unique experiences to dive deeper into being someone else for a bit.
Using solo, pair and group activities, you'll get to embracing being different versions of yourself and fun versions of others whilst not offending anyone.
Object work or mime can be overwhelming especially when we are remembering lots of other stuff, but when it's done right it can really wow an audience.
This session will give you some ways to make it feel more natural and to avoid the age older go-to of literally 'digging an invisible hole'. We will give you some practical ways of brushing up on your holding stuff skills, which will leave your scenes looking more realistic and well-rounded without the dreaded 2 people standing at 45 degrees taking it in turns to talk.
Workshop two: Be someone else for a bit
I've spent years hearing people say, 'I can't really do characters' but I have found some easy ways for you to become someone else for a bit. Using what we know and remembering how interested we are in the world around us; we'll pull on our own unique experiences to dive deeper into being someone else for a bit.
Using solo, pair and group activities, you'll get to embracing being different versions of yourself and fun versions of others whilst not offending anyone.
Sessions will be co-taught by Jen Hardy and Mark Smith:
Jen is an improviser, poet, teacher and coach. She has performed in all-female comedy troupes and Liverpool's first UCB style team as well as short form 'who's line is it anyway' type shows.
Jen teaches and coaches nationally and internationally. This has included international festivals, teams who've gone on to perform at international festivals and individuals who've gone on to carve out professional comedy careers. She has also created a fully improvised family show and continues to develop shows and formats both for her own team and as a coach and director for others.
Mark is an award winning director and improv facilitator (see about page) with over 30 years of experience. He has toured nationally and internationally - 2004-2014 in Hoof! a long form improv show developed with Todd Stashwick and John Thies from the legendary New York company - Burn Manhattan.
Since then he has continued to develop his practice, teaching and creating numerous improvised shows. These included Improvised Rubbish Shakespeare - The Incomplete Works, Talk to the Hand (puppet improv) the The Fly, A Wake in association with The Insiders and The Story Forge Make your own Myth.
Quotes on work:
'It takes some skill for two people on a bare stage to give the illusion of the kind of free-flowing anarchy that makes the audience feel complicit in the creative process and alive with possibility... I thoroughly enjoyed this detective romp played with enthusiastic elasticity by Jen Hardy and Mike Burton' ★★★★ - North West End
'The Incomplete Works of Shakespeare is a brilliant, bold, and a very funny evening’s entertainment. It may be aimed at a family audience – but trust me, you don’t need a child to enjoy this!' ★★★★★ - The Reviews Hub
‘Like Horrible Histories with a dash of the Young Ones anarchy’ ★★★★★ - At The Theatre
‘The work reminded me of Jim Cartwrights ‘Two’ and Caroline Aherne ‘The Royle Family’ – a slice of life made real amongst the buffet. ★★★★ - The Reviews Hub
'Talk to the Hand is playful puppetry with an improv twist and this marriage of artforms works brilliantly.'
★★★★ - The Reviews Hub
Participant testimonials:
Jen's energy is infectious, her passion is clear and we have all learnt so much, I can't imagine my life without improv now!
(Liverpool Comedy Improv, Beginners course - 2023)
"I found Mark's course an incredible experience. He holds a wonderful balance between structure, information and play, which is seamless. As I was developing skills I was also developing confidence and facing performance fears gave me the ability to take risks outside of the sessions. If you're thinking about doing it but feel a bit unsure, just go for it!" (Su Jackson - 2023)
"I came out of the session a braver improviser! I felt safe and at the same time challenged; a testimony to the excellent facilitation" (British Improv Project - 2023)
"Even though everyone attending had different levels of experience with improvisation, it was a really great environment for learning and experimenting. Mark is very knowledgeable on all things impro and his passion for it is quite infectious. I would definitely recommend this course for anyone with an interest in improvisation and building their confidence through performance." (Kate Mulvihill - 2021)
"Jen is a brilliant teacher and perhaps even more brilliant on stage!" (Short Notice Improv Festival - 2024)
"Mark is great at explaining things, he works you out and what makes you tick" (Sonia Sidje – 2019)
Jen is an improviser, poet, teacher and coach. She has performed in all-female comedy troupes and Liverpool's first UCB style team as well as short form 'who's line is it anyway' type shows.
Jen teaches and coaches nationally and internationally. This has included international festivals, teams who've gone on to perform at international festivals and individuals who've gone on to carve out professional comedy careers. She has also created a fully improvised family show and continues to develop shows and formats both for her own team and as a coach and director for others.
Mark is an award winning director and improv facilitator (see about page) with over 30 years of experience. He has toured nationally and internationally - 2004-2014 in Hoof! a long form improv show developed with Todd Stashwick and John Thies from the legendary New York company - Burn Manhattan.
Since then he has continued to develop his practice, teaching and creating numerous improvised shows. These included Improvised Rubbish Shakespeare - The Incomplete Works, Talk to the Hand (puppet improv) the The Fly, A Wake in association with The Insiders and The Story Forge Make your own Myth.
Quotes on work:
'It takes some skill for two people on a bare stage to give the illusion of the kind of free-flowing anarchy that makes the audience feel complicit in the creative process and alive with possibility... I thoroughly enjoyed this detective romp played with enthusiastic elasticity by Jen Hardy and Mike Burton' ★★★★ - North West End
'The Incomplete Works of Shakespeare is a brilliant, bold, and a very funny evening’s entertainment. It may be aimed at a family audience – but trust me, you don’t need a child to enjoy this!' ★★★★★ - The Reviews Hub
‘Like Horrible Histories with a dash of the Young Ones anarchy’ ★★★★★ - At The Theatre
‘The work reminded me of Jim Cartwrights ‘Two’ and Caroline Aherne ‘The Royle Family’ – a slice of life made real amongst the buffet. ★★★★ - The Reviews Hub
'Talk to the Hand is playful puppetry with an improv twist and this marriage of artforms works brilliantly.'
★★★★ - The Reviews Hub
Participant testimonials:
Jen's energy is infectious, her passion is clear and we have all learnt so much, I can't imagine my life without improv now!
(Liverpool Comedy Improv, Beginners course - 2023)
"I found Mark's course an incredible experience. He holds a wonderful balance between structure, information and play, which is seamless. As I was developing skills I was also developing confidence and facing performance fears gave me the ability to take risks outside of the sessions. If you're thinking about doing it but feel a bit unsure, just go for it!" (Su Jackson - 2023)
"I came out of the session a braver improviser! I felt safe and at the same time challenged; a testimony to the excellent facilitation" (British Improv Project - 2023)
"Even though everyone attending had different levels of experience with improvisation, it was a really great environment for learning and experimenting. Mark is very knowledgeable on all things impro and his passion for it is quite infectious. I would definitely recommend this course for anyone with an interest in improvisation and building their confidence through performance." (Kate Mulvihill - 2021)
"Jen is a brilliant teacher and perhaps even more brilliant on stage!" (Short Notice Improv Festival - 2024)
"Mark is great at explaining things, he works you out and what makes you tick" (Sonia Sidje – 2019)