Workshops

in Howden with Tom Hodge

Friendly introduction to improvising songs, the core of musical improv. Mainly group exercises, good energetic start to the day.

You don’t necessarily need a good singing voice, but later on in your musical improv journey it can come in handy. As with all things, it will inevitably get better with practice. For musical improv, however, a strong sense of rhythm and not being afraid of what’s going to come out of your mouth is very important. Best focus on regular improv skills first if you’re at all worried.

One-off, not repeated

in Meet 3 with Graham Armstrong

On the short-form side, The Scenes Only Jam allows you to pick who you want to perform with and show off your scene-work abilities.

One-off, not repeated

in Meet 4 with Jet Burnett

Go bigger, bolder, and clownier on stage as we turn petty grievances into full courtroom chaos. Learn Jet Burnett’s Clown court format and work on narrative driven by character, commitment, and big swings. Explore heightening, crafting memorable characters, and the mischievous power of improv’s evil sibling, “no, but.”

Physical movement is entirely at the improviser’s comfort level. Best suited to those confident in improv basics and are ready to push into bolder, more playful territory.

Repeats session 3

in Meet 5 with Jon Trevor

In an improvised performance there can be many opportunities to directly address the audience, including monologues (both truthful and character), interviews, and formats such as Armando etc. There are a variety of ways we can narrate — as a group, as character within a scene, or just as ourselves.

So, talk to me…

Repeats session 5

in Meet 7 with Jen Clarke

In improv as in life, we can often make choices or take actions based on who or where we think we ‘should’ be rather than focusing on who or where we are. This workshop explores how using grounding techniques can help us to delve deeper in to characters and discover in the present. We’ll focus on using our 5 senses and how these can inform the choices we make and the stories we tell.

Although touch is one of the senses, there is no requirement for physical contact.

Repeats session 5

in Maple with Wei Joo Ooi

The Run is a fun, high energy workshop that will invite participants to be joyfully reckless. Even though speed is often seen as a short-form skill, the aim here is to build towards performing “The Run”. Originally a component of the Deconstruction format, it can be used in any long-form format to close out a show. So if you want to sharpen your speed, pick up the pace and be kept on your toes, this is your launchpad!

Repeats session 4

in Howden with Tom Hodge

For those with a lot of musical improv experience!

Finding songs in longform improv is one thing, but sticking to them and committing to them musically is how to take the show to the next level, so lets do that! We will dig deep into song structures so we can utilise them live, identifying what the song needs at every moment so that everyone on stage can make it happen. We will craft endings to songs that do them justice, overcommit to the genre offers, and discover some absolute bangers.

One-off, not repeated

in Meet 3 with Barnish & Carmichael

We all know the short form game Blind Date, but have you ever wondered what happened on the date? This ensemble show will give the audience the full TV show experience!

Note: the Ensemble cast will be selected by lottery on Friday night. Spaces are reserved for those who aren’t already performing in another slot at BIP.

One-off, not repeated

in Meet 4 with John Tapp & Kate Bishop

Have you ever wanted 2 characters to fall in love, but weren’t sure how to make that offer to your scene partner? Do you know how to demonstrate attraction between 2 characters?

We will look at some techniques for this, while enabling your partner to decline the offers you might make.

There may be some very limited physical contact during this workshop (e.g. holding hands). This will be on an ‘opt-in’ basis.

Repeats session 4

in Meet 5 with Stags Woodward

Take a card, any card… & add some new tilts to your bag of improv tricks.

Whether you’re a newbie or an experienced improviser, it can be easy to get into a rut. In this workshop, we’ll have a pack of cards with dynamic scene directions from a range of different sources that can nudge you into taking things in a direction you’d never normally take it. When the bell rings, take a card and see where the suggestion takes you. Stick or twist, either way you’ll gain a whole new bag of tricks.

Repeats session 5

in Meet 7 with Matt Watson-Jones

There is never just one “correct” way to play any shortform show game - that’s why there are so many different names for almost identical games the world over.

This workshop will run you through a bunch of different ways to spice up shortform games so that your cast and audience have a better time. We can also collectively figure out what it is you don’t like about your least favourite games, and work out ways to make them better.

Let’s unlock a spirit of creativity in game design, and hopefully create some new versions to share!

Repeats session 3

in Maple with Eji Osigwe

Also known as “Follow the Leaver”, a Slacker starts with a simple two-person scene, but whenever (whenever!) a character leaves a scene, the scene ends and we follow that character into a new scene elsewhere in the world. This can get silly.

One-off, not repeated

in Howden with Stuart Moses

We’ll explore the ways non-musical scenes have a musicality, from rhythm and tempo to phrasing, repetition, emotional crescendos, and silence. Through group exercises, we’ll play with collective rhythm and shared tempo, learning to listen and respond to the energy of the ensemble. In pairs and small-group scene work, we’ll experiment with musical ideas to see how subtle shifts can create interest, tension, and clarity. If your scene work is leaving you feeling flat, this workshop is for you.

Repeats session 5

in Meet 3 with Barnish & Carmichael

We all know the short form game Blind Date, but have you ever wondered what happened on the date? This ensemble show will give the audience the full TV show experience!

Note: the Ensemble cast will be selected by lottery on Friday night. Spaces are reserved for those who aren’t already performing in another slot at BIP.

One-off, not repeated

in Meet 4 with Jet Burnett

Go bigger, bolder, and clownier on stage as we turn petty grievances into full courtroom chaos. Learn Jet Burnett’s Clown court format and work on narrative driven by character, commitment, and big swings. Explore heightening, crafting memorable characters, and the mischievous power of improv’s evil sibling, “no, but.”

Physical movement is entirely at the improviser’s comfort level. Best suited to those confident in improv basics and are ready to push into bolder, more playful territory.

Repeats session 1

in Meet 5 with Charly Murgatroyd

The Armando is a montage, inspired by an improvised monologue. One player takes a one-word prompt and recounts a story from their life about whatever that word inspires. The cast create a series of premise-based scenes inspired by that story.

One-off, not repeated

in Meet 7 with Cathy Towers

Weather dependent, this workshop will either be “Outside Improv” or “Props and Prompts”.

Outside Improv

For beginners. Or teachers who would like have an easy entrypoint class to take to local (non-improv) festivals or to do with groups unfamiliar with improv. We’ll follow a route outside and on the way we stop and play with a variety of tale-telling games to create our own stories inspired by our surroundings and senses. The group members will be improvising and creating in cumulative ways as we go.

Props and Prompts

As an alternative to audience suggestions, this workshop demonstrates the use of a number of creative methods to ease yourself into a character and scene. Particularly good for realistic style scenes, though I am sure we will include a bit of madness too.

Repeats session 4

in Maple with Matt Watson-Jones

There is never just one “correct” way to play any shortform show game - that’s why there are so many different names for almost identical games the world over.

This workshop will run you through a bunch of different ways to spice up shortform games so that your cast and audience have a better time. We can also collectively figure out what it is you don’t like about your least favourite games, and work out ways to make them better.

Let’s unlock a spirit of creativity in game design, and hopefully create some new versions to share!

Repeats session 2

in Howden with Jen Kenny

The jam for all things musical improv, with scenes, games and maybe the odd longform structure.

One-off, not repeated

in Meet 3 with Cathy Towers

Weather dependent, this workshop will either be “Outside Improv” or “Props and Prompts”.

Outside Improv

For beginners. Or teachers who would like have an easy entrypoint class to take to local (non-improv) festivals or to do with groups unfamiliar with improv. We’ll follow a route outside and on the way we stop and play with a variety of tale-telling games to create our own stories inspired by our surroundings and senses. The group members will be improvising and creating in cumulative ways as we go.

Props and Prompts

As an alternative to audience suggestions, this workshop demonstrates the use of a number of creative methods to ease yourself into a character and scene. Particularly good for realistic style scenes, though I am sure we will include a bit of madness too.

Repeats session 3

in Meet 4 with John Tapp & Kate Bishop

Have you ever wanted 2 characters to fall in love, but weren’t sure how to make that offer to your scene partner? Do you know how to demonstrate attraction between 2 characters?

We will look at some techniques for this, while enabling your partner to decline the offers you might make.

There may be some very limited physical contact during this workshop (e.g. holding hands). This will be on an ‘opt-in’ basis.

Repeats session 2

in Meet 5 with James Cannon

Gibberish is used all the time in Improv, and we’re going to teach you how to speak it! If you’ve ever wanted to sound like you know what you’re talking about, Gibberish is the language for you. You’ll go from a few short phrases to sounding like a native in no time.

This is a skills-based workshop, focusing on the skill of talking gibberish. There will be elements with large numbers of people talking at the same time.

One-off, not repeated

in Meet 7 with Wei Joo Ooi

The Run is a fun, high energy workshop that will invite participants to be joyfully reckless. Even though speed is often seen as a short-form skill, the aim here is to build towards performing “The Run”. Originally a component of the Deconstruction format, it can be used in any long-form format to close out a show. So if you want to sharpen your speed, pick up the pace and be kept on your toes, this is your launchpad!

Repeats session 1

in Maple with Dave Tuer

When in a show with many performers, we can sometimes feel a bit stood on the sidelines. We need to let our fellow performers shine and run their scenes, but we’d like to get on stage. This is where bit parts come in: that one-line entry and exit; walking through with something relevant; answering a callout from the scene; adding background to the location. This workshop will focus on identifying and fulfilling bit parts, without derailing the scene.

Repeats session 5

in Howden with Stags Woodward

Take a card, any card… & add some new tilts to your bag of improv tricks.

Whether you’re a newbie or an experienced improviser, it can be easy to get into a rut. In this workshop, we’ll have a pack of cards with dynamic scene directions from a range of different sources that can nudge you into taking things in a direction you’d never normally take it. When the bell rings, take a card and see where the suggestion takes you. Stick or twist, either way you’ll gain a whole new bag of tricks.

Repeats session 2

in Meet 3 with Ian Coe

Does what it says on the tin. Draw names from a hat, bring people up to play games, whether quickfire, scenic, guessing, musical, or any other style you can think of!

One-off, not repeated

in Meet 4 with Dave Tuer

When in a show with many performers, we can sometimes feel a bit stood on the sidelines. We need to let our fellow performers shine and run their scenes, but we’d like to get on stage. This is where bit parts come in: that one-line entry and exit; walking through with something relevant; answering a callout from the scene; adding background to the location. This workshop will focus on identifying and fulfilling bit parts, without derailing the scene.

Repeats session 4

in Meet 5 with Jon Trevor

In an improvised performance there can be many opportunities to directly address the audience, including monologues (both truthful and character), interviews, and formats such as Armando etc. There are a variety of ways we can narrate — as a group, as character within a scene, or just as ourselves.

So, talk to me…

Repeats session 1

in Meet 7 with Jen Clarke

In improv as in life, we can often make choices or take actions based on who or where we think we ‘should’ be rather than focusing on who or where we are. This workshop explores how using grounding techniques can help us to delve deeper in to characters and discover in the present. We’ll focus on using our 5 senses and how these can inform the choices we make and the stories we tell.

Although touch is one of the senses, there is no requirement for physical contact.

Repeats session 1

in Maple with Stuart Moses

We’ll explore the ways non-musical scenes have a musicality, from rhythm and tempo to phrasing, repetition, emotional crescendos, and silence. Through group exercises, we’ll play with collective rhythm and shared tempo, learning to listen and respond to the energy of the ensemble. In pairs and small-group scene work, we’ll experiment with musical ideas to see how subtle shifts can create interest, tension, and clarity. If your scene work is leaving you feeling flat, this workshop is for you.

Repeats session 3