Liverpool Improvisation Festival 2024

LiF 2024

We are pleased to announce the return of the Liverpool Improvisation Festival. Building on from the successful launch last year, LIF 2024 will be even bigger, with more performances, a film competition and an additional day dedicated to workshops.

The festival is once again supported and hosted by the Unity Theatre and LJMU.

Liverpool is a great city with lots to do and was recently rated as the 7th best in the world by Timeout magazine and the lowest cost for accessing Arts and Culture.

Shows opens on Friday the 19th of April (1:15pm) and runs through till late on Saturday the 20th of April (10pm). On Sunday the 21st there is a whole day of workshops hosted by LJMU.

All the work is improvised and draws upon numerous art forms including clown, comedy, dance, drag, musical theatre, opera, storytelling, and theatre.

The three-day festival includes 13 shows (five world premieres), a film competition in which improvisers from across the world can participate in and four workshops from leading national and international practitioners.

The festival encourages innovation; risk taking and are inspired by those that do. Our aim is to create opportunity for those who create, perform and teach improvised live performance at whatever stage of their career and across multiple art forms. In doing so we aim to educate, inspire and develop future audiences and performers / teachers of improvisation.

Liverpool has a long history of developing or hosting improvised work – Ken Campbell, Improbable theatre, HOOF!, The Improvathon, Showstoppers, Austentatious and MC Hammersmith, the list goes on. LiF aims to build annually on this proud legacy bringing the very best local, regional, national, and international improvised work to Liverpool audiences.

Support the festival

LiF is an independent improvisation festival. All financial support will be used to create seed funding opportunities for new improvised work.

You can make a one off donation or subscribe monthly via Patreon.

Your support is gratefully received.

Donate

Media - 2024

Thank to Catherine Jones from Arts City Liverpool for the festival preview.
Liverpool Improvisation Festival 2024 dates and shows announced (artscityliverpool.com)

Thanks to Uncover Liverpool for the festival preview.
Liverpool Improvisation Festival returns for 2024 – Uncover Liverpool

Thanks to Nadine Jump from the Creative Wire for the festival preview
What's On: Liverpool Improvisation Festival — Likeminded Productions

Thanks to Liam Gillies from the Creative Wire who interviewed Mark about LiF
Podcast part 1 -
www.likemindedproductions.co.uk/podcast/archive/season4/mark-smith-interview-part-one
Podcast part 2 -
www.likemindedproductions.co.uk/podcast/archive/season4/mark-smith-interview-part-two

Thank to David Chadderton from The British theatre guide for the festival preview
Theatre news: Liverpool Improvisation Festival is back (britishtheatreguide.info)

Thanks to Sean Styles from BBC radio Merseyside who interviewed Mark on 25/02/204 - Listen in from 30m.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0h8pq6q

Thanks to Phoenix Remix for the show interview - A Wake
thephoenixremix.com/2024/04/02/liverpool-improvisation-festival-interview-a-wake-wing-it-impro/?fbclid=IwAR11VUzDLbZJWxgEcUrwELzQ1ih-UhEFtiGfHPiZr4UTpLF0E9E4G6m8yok_aem_Aepaz_U8Db1Erk_s39pEEuGJ6TESz6UfezhoqAlAqkWLmrPO_oV4H_oRbeEibHYeQWTI1Sw7FVspILaNVZICI9qd

Thanks to Phoenix Remix for the show interview - The children of Captain Von Trapp wish to say goodnight
thephoenixremix.com/2024/04/04/liverpool-improvisation-festival-interview-casino-improv/?fbclid=IwAR2o-GxKRTulpEPRBaID9Iy7di3lpOOoBR4E-ED5VqhOmnGsuIv-ta7rqFI

Thanks to Phoenix Remix for the show interview - Dereks Mojo - Questionable Behaviour
https://thephoenixremix.com/2024/04/05/liverpool-improvisation-festival-interview-questionable-behaviour-dereks-mojo/?fbclid=IwAR3qwAq2ZG3OhXbVTO33P6ghfGJX54zMNsH4WtFdIdCPgwEuc_1Mnb9W6_g_aem_AWlEvgiSmSFERwrvgJio5LiupcrdBJi-Q-ajW_2Wz-ZAqN9fVgWaJtZ_mXxQuKcfwY_jnOWH4SBfIkQhWYYQipUO

Thanks to Culture Liverpool for the preview
https://www.cultureliverpool.co.uk/events/the-liverpool-improvisation-festival-is-back-at-unity-for-a-second-yearthe-liverpool-improvisation-festival-is-back-at-unity-for-a-second-year/

Thanks to Phoenix Remix for the show interview - VUJO - Like Father. Improvised Drag King Musical about Manhood
https://thephoenixremix.com/2024/04/06/liverpool-improvisation-festival-interview-like-father-vujo/?fbclid=IwAR1E0dXx0qE-NxsKtiXTG48CF4w3a9l6wI18FTb0UhPNiZjogyjlyouWxlM_aem_AaMTwncovWjXdPNKJaubkrSkkutDAf1HSUgviM9HHWaKR1dUBICfSMihKHlivxO1MAjvwKzA_0UxsyW4xWzk00I3

Thanks to Phoenix Remix for the show interview - Murder inc. https://thephoenixremix.com/2024/04/07/liverpool-improvisation-festival-interview-murder-inc/

Thanks to Phoenix Remix for the show interview - Mystery at the Museum
https://thephoenixremix.com/2024/04/11/liverpool-improvisation-festival-interview-mystery-at-the-museum-mystery-laugh/?fbclid=IwAR3cWZ1y2ZTaCFvaZNXS62w9PVC38CGc87JXMOB7kg9b_aPOZ9gE0nhCTQE_aem_AdnmeOGYchiZsraEDINIAbRRrDn4lSes7OT15WZbBp_dOnclbnKGWJNpuvuhb0arFoU8G_KVrWPlXN-P8O_cNFFm

Thanks to Phoenix Remix for the show interview - Freeing the Body with the Pole
thephoenixremix.com/2024/04/08/liverpool-improvisation-festival-interview-freeing-the-body-with-the-pole-rowena-gander/?fbclid=IwAR2n33vmFX6wkmD1hfOHpGerJ_UKyhZ3IuFcL8A4mK30ncsgNAKHbgvHZ2k_aem_AdmGTkmCdPUmT4JMgni-PMJu_wY90YSNET-_JhLN2gRaaNDwz3rle37uRzd5inL_tmNDIRb9BN4CCnMGEL-63zzQ

Thanks to Phoenix Remix for the show interview - The incomplete works
https://thephoenixremix.com/2024/04/13/liverpool-improvisation-festival-interview-rubbish-improvised-shakespeare-the-incomplete-works/?fbclid=IwAR1W8Nr3IrFO8z0gi6Oj5PfIAraURDr1ju8RwzP774YPltbm-bRCBcH45M4

Thanks to Phoenix Remix for the show interview - Old Haunts
https://thephoenixremix.com/2024/04/12/liverpool-improvisation-festival-interview-old-haunts-open-heart-theatre/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR0_O2CsKFV63GkS29bb9rRfZJHZmmrsqACUyLHqXJqvCQOb061rPVz0Mx0_aem_AZEogu8VAa9_fkVndgueikOe9414I0pMgymi151rgkciG2okDHwcNLBUwUfRGDERMRVo7sQvzxjr5XWeufoxEXBd

Thanks to Phoenix Remix for the show interview - Shades of Emotion
https://thephoenixremix.com/2024/04/14/__pairenthesis/?fbclid=IwAR0DZQobohSdaM8l5NvB-CDFwdfNbjOXtl35vsixMvbiipchr3y7fUHe6Nc

Thanks to Phoenix Remix for the show interview - Story Forge. Make your own Myth
https://thephoenixremix.com/2024/04/15/liverpool-improvisation-festival-interview-story-forge-make-your-own-myth/?fbclid=IwAR3j2VE9t2Q6cXHu_6FzHj2dRYL5Njh7YpuvZqRQUWJwlp9HSXsr0xAnsgk

LiF 2024 schedule

The full line up of shows, workshops are listed here:
LIF 2024 Schedule

Aims of the festival

To educate, inspire and develop future audiences, performers and teachers of improvisation
To create opportunity for those who produce or teach improvised live performance (multiple art forms)
To document and archive the festival for the future benefit of researchers and the wider improv community
To grow the festival in a sustainable and ethical manner

Artistic policy

The festival encourages innovation, risk taking and are inspired by those that do. The festival aims to create opportunity for those who create and teach improvised live performance at whatever stage of their career and across multiple art forms. In doing so we aim to educate, inspire and develop future audiences and performers of improvisation.

LiF 2023

Socials

Yes and...What about improv in the UK?

A blog post from LIF -
https://www.thereviewshub.com/blog-what-about-improvisation-in-the-uk/

Visiting the festival

The Unity Theatre and

LJMU - Joe H Makin

Drama Centre

Travel, Accommodation +

Food Outlets

The Unity Theatre is located on:
1 Hope Place, Liverpool, L1 9BG
Home - Unity Theatre (unitytheatreliverpool.co.uk)
0151 709 4988

Box Office Opening Hours
Unity is open to the public 2 hours before show start time
You are able to contact our box office at the following times:

Via Phone: Mon – Fri, 10am – 5pm
In Venue: 2 hours before show start time

You can book tickets for our shows 24/7 using the UNITY website.

The Joe H Makin Drama Centre is located on:
1 Hope Place, Liverpool, L1 9BG (next door to the Unity theatre)

Entrance via Pilgrim street through large blue gates.

Opening Hours: 9:30am-5pm
Registration: workshop registration will take place in the foyer of the Drama Centre - we advise that you register at least 10 minutes before your workshop is due to start.

Access needs: There are staff on hand to show you around. If you have specific access needs, please let us know in advance via email at
[email protected]

The Unity Theatre is a 15 minute walk from Lime street station (Mainline) and a ten minute walk from Central station (Merseyrail).

There are numerous small hotels within the area all of which are 5 minutes from the venue. There are numerous bars, coffee shops, cafes and restaurants near to the Unity theatre.

There is on street pay & display parking around Hope Street.
There are car parks on:

– Renshaw Street (8 min walk)
– Hanover Street (15 min walk)
– Mount Pleasant (10 min walk)
– Duke Street (10 min walk)
– Lime Street Station (15 min walk)

Please note that between 8am & 6pm it is residents only parking on Hope Place.

If you are staying overnight these are a good resource for affordable accommodation.

https://www.theatredigsbooker.com/towns/liverpool

https://www.kayak.co.uk/hotels/Unity-Theatre,Liverpool,England,United-Kingdom-c17586-l26306/2024-04-18/2024-04-21/2adults?sort=distance_a