Three days of improvised plays, musicals, sketches, puppets and costume dramas will be on offer at the inaugural Birmingham Improv Festival.
The event features “some of the biggest and best” improv artists including Dudley-born actress Josie Lawrence, known for appearing on the television series Whose Line Is It Anyway?, some of the cast of the improvised musical Showstopper! and improv comedy troupe Noise Next Door. Some of the shows have already sold out.
Festival director Jon Trevor from Birmingham-based Box of Frogs said, “I’ve been running improv comedy nights at the Blue Orange Theatre for several years now and they’ve become very successful.
“I know there’s an ever-growing public interest in this art form and it’s only a matter of time before it becomes really big here. It feels the right time to present a dedicated festival, a natural progression which I hope will bring the fascinating world of improv to a much wider audience.
“Audiences can expect the unexpected, with lots of twists and turns. In fact nobody knows how each performance will pan out—it really relies on audience participation. I want people to immerse themselves and just have a really memorable and fun night out.”
There will also be a series of improv workshops during the festival which runs from Friday 21 until Sunday 23 October at the Blue Orange Theatre in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter.
The festival will end with a charity showcase in aid of Birmingham Children’s Hospital which will feature surprise guests.