Team LiF 2027
The team are all passionate advocates for improvisation and work in conjunction to create opportunity for improv in the local and regional area.
Improvisation in the UK is a thriving community with tens of thousands of passionate participants. These individuals dedicate significant time and effort to honing their craft through classes, performances, and workshops. Improvisation fosters a sense of liberation, builds trust and camaraderie, and provides a platform for personal growth, creativity, and making new friends. It’s an enjoyable and rewarding experience for anyone involved.
Improvisation in the UK is a thriving community with tens of thousands of passionate participants. These individuals dedicate significant time and effort to honing their craft through classes, performances, and workshops. Improvisation fosters a sense of liberation, builds trust and camaraderie, and provides a platform for personal growth, creativity, and making new friends. It’s an enjoyable and rewarding experience for anyone involved.
Jen Hardy - Co-directorHailing from the North West of England, 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 currently toured with The Incomplete Works of Shakespeare, including a sell out 5 star run at the Pleasance Courtyard at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival. 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. As a trained teacher, Jen teaches and coaches across the 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. As the co-director of the Liverpool Improvisation Festival, Jen is passionate about bringing the best of Improvisation to the city, including new works from emerging artists, grassroots community groups and world class improvisers who work internationally. |
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Mark Smith - Co-directorMark is an award-winning director and improv facilitator with over 30 years of experience. (see about page) He is passionate about improvisation and storytelling, and brings a wealth of knowledge to developing stories. His PhD further solidifies his expertise in this area.
Mark's performance credits include the short-form show "Monkey Lab" (Rawhide Comedy), which ran weekly at the Casa from 2001 to 2003. He then transitioned to long-form improv, working on "Hoof!" a show developed with Todd Stashwick and John Thies of the legendary New York company Burn Manhattan. "Hoof!" toured nationally and internationally from 2004 to 2014. 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, The Story Forge: Make your own Myth, Taxi Tales, Gricers and the LiF 2026 ensemble show Ancestors. Mark has a new improv book coming out in Autumn 2026. |
A blog post from LIF - 'Yes and... What about Improv'
https://www.thereviewshub.com/blog-what-about-improvisation-in-the-uk/ |
Su Jackson - WellbeingSu Jackson is an Improviser and Dramatherapist from Liverpool.
As an Improvisor Su has opened the Liverpool Improvisation Festival 2026 with her all women Improvisation group, Aunt Batty Knows... where they created an uncanny theatre show, orginally conceived by Su called 'Tales From the Armchair'. Aunt Batty continues to explore the arena of the unconcscious through improvised theatre. Su has also performed in Wing-It Impro's longform show A WAKE at LIF 2024. As well as being a continuous and commited student of impro, Su is to be found regularily at clown workshops. In her LIF wellbeing role, Su has worked closely with the LIF Directors to create the internal Code of Conduct alongside the Community Guidance, which creates a framework for the festival, where play can be brave, risk enabled and as supported as possible. As an experinced Dramatherapist, Su will be on hand during LIF 2027 as wellbeing support, offering guidance and advice. |
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Diana Brown
Diana is an acclaimed improvisational theatre artist, actor, producer, director, and voiceover talent. As a performer, she is half of the duo Bingewatch and the Tennessee Williams-inspired Fleeting Reminiscence. She also performs with the trios POPTOP, Slumber Party, and the Shakespearean Gamesome Frolic, as well as the Twilight Zone-inspired ensemble But of Mind. Additionally, she is a member of the Killing My Lobster acting pool and a guest artist with BATS Improv.
Globally recognised, Diana has showcased her talents at numerous festivals, including Impro Amsterdam, Liverpool Improv Festival, Vancouver Improv Festival, SF Sketchfest, Improv Fest Ireland, and the New York Improv Festival, among many others. |
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Colleen Campbell
Colleen is a performer with a background as a comedy, theatre and short story writer. Whilst living in London she co-founded the comedy sketch group Ministry of Merkin, a physical theatre company, Slipped Disc, and ran her own monthly comedy night, Comedy Horn.
Now back in Liverpool she is a member of Liverpool’s short-form improv group Pick N Mix and is working on two new improv projects: a long-form horror show and a comedy of manners. |
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Hal Munger
Hal Munger (They/He) will be documenting LiF 2027 with audio interviews with the artists from the festival. Hal is the co-host of the improv podcast, Muprov Musings, which explores the world of narrative and theatrical improvisation.
Hal also is the Artistic Director of the Unscripted Shakespeare Festival in NYC, the founder of Thorn and Petal Stick: UnScripted Shakespeare, and the creator of A New Play (2023). https://muprovmusings.podbean.com/ |
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Kat Cooke
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Ryan Middleton
Ryan is a musical theatre performer and freelance Production Manager, originally from Cumbria and now proudly based in Liverpool. With a background that spans primary education, retail, and theatre, Ryan brings a broad skill set and a refreshingly adaptable approach to his work. After spending five years with StagedRight Youth Theatre, Ryan went on to study Musical Theatre Practice at Liverpool John Moores University, graduating in 2025. During his studies, he specialised in production management and played a key role in leading the second incarnation of the LJMU Performing Arts Festival, Uproar. Enthusiastic about all things creative, Ryan thrives on collaboration and making ideas happen. Outside of theatre, you will find him gardening, baking, or soaking up the outdoors…when the British weather allows.
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Neely Gale
Neely fell in love with production during her years at university, where she discovered a passion for bringing creative ideas to life as part of a team.
Originally from Leicester, she graduates from Liverpool John Moores University this July after writing and directing her own show. With a background in acting, directing as well as drama teaching, Neely thrives under pressure, enjoys problem solving and organisation. She is happiest when part of a team, contributing to creating something enjoyable and meaningful. Outside of work, you’ll find Neely exploring new performances, out on a long dog walk or enjoying time with family. |
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Ollie Wilson
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Andrew AB
Andrew is a versatile visual storyteller with a career spanning over a decade of high-impact print, film, and digital media. His work is defined by "visual alchemy"—the ability to capture the atmosphere of a fleeting moment and transform it into a lasting narrative.
From documenting the energy of Glastonbury Festival to executing global campaigns for household brands, Andrew’s approach remains rooted in a genuine passion for the craft. Whether the project is a large-scale commercial production or an intimate cultural documentary, his goal is consistent: capturing the magic within the moment. Selected Accolades
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