"The Festival will showcase the best and most innovative comedians and performers." Rosa Sottile on the 2023 Brisbane Improv Festival
This week we have some killer shows in a huge diversity of formats from horror to musical to drama to classic improvised comedy - it’s something for everyone!
"We were inspired to create an event that celebrated and centred the art of improvisation!" Rosa Sottile on the 2022 Brisbane Improv Festival
We were inspired by the New Zealand Improv Festival and other similar festivals to create an event that celebrated and centred the art of improvisation! Improvised theatre and comedy is so special because every show is completely unique and different - you literally will never get the same show twice.
Cattle | Kate Coates and Cale Bain
As per many improv shows, Kate and Cale set up their scenarios with prompts from an audience member. What sets them apart is that some of the best laughs of the set came from in depth discussions with an audience member that followed the prompt. The duo’s natural responses to people’s (over) sharing that came from a place genuine surprise, curiosity and the right amount of gentle teasing was a joy to watch. When they received a response too sincere and moving even for them, they could only respond with, “We can’t mock that!”
Wer ya from? | Big Fork Theatre Improv In Colour
I didn’t know what was gonna happen, I haven’t been to anything like this before, it was fun, it was loose, it was cool. I didn’t feel weird once all night cause some bro made some sexist twat comedy shit comment. I laughed a lot and I felt right at home. Good vibes would recommend.
Untitled Relationship Experiment | Big Fork Theatre
One part that stuck with me in particular was Samantha’s character’s strained relationship with her mother who refused to see her daughter’s committed lesbian relationship as anything more than a close friendship, even after marriage. It brought to light the combination of humour and pain found in the common queer experience of dealing with family members who are for the most part loving and yet wilfully ignorant or unaccepting of who they are
The Secret Super Hero Galaxy-Travelling Family Band Show & Jam | Big Fork Theatre
I interpreted this scene as a powerful statement about what art at its core is really about; not striving for an illusive ideal of perfection but rather, supporting each other through the process of making something together, going with the flow, embracing imperfection, and having plenty of fun along the way.
Cool Story Bro, Culprits & Interstate Mates | Brisbane Improv Festival
Scenes developed at a rapid pace and build and strange, weird and wonderful directions. They go forward and back in time, explore the most obscure ideas. The improvisers jumped in whenever they got an idea and everyone was given a chance to play and lead. Jasmine’s love of peanut butter and disappointment in how small the containers are at the supermarket, unfolds as a scene of a couple’s illegal obsession with tiny anthropomorphic foods and Aarons tale of travelling in a tiny sleeper train in winter develops into a son taking his parents to school for a career day, who just happen to be stuck living in a fridge.
Those meagre descripions are in no way doing justice to the chaotic hilarity that unfurled before us.
Improvised Dr Who | D4WH
We enter the theatre and seats are filled. The lights switch off, the Spotify play list cuts, the mics not on, we laugh, the audience laughs. We hear “We're having a tech issue, so talk among yourselves”. So, what do a couple of women do seated behind me? Sing the Dr Who theme song, so of course, I join in as do others with a rendition no fan would think was worthy – out of tune, with a couple of dog howls - but what the heck, we were ready to jump in the Tardis to travel to an alternative dimension full of aliens, Daleks, Cybermen and save the world cliches.
Women’s Show and Queer Show | Big Fork Theatre
As it went on, the intricate tale only tightened and strengthened, so much so that if someone had told me this story was carefully crafted and rehearsed, I would have believed them. I think that’s a great testament to the actors’ skill.
Hard Boiled Dick | Edge Improv & Never Before Musical | Ho Hum
I rocked up on the first night of the festival to a line going out the door (and round the corner) of the Ron Hurley theatre. It seems Brisbane has been hungry for improv, and Big Fork Theatre are serving up a feast. I saw back-to-back shows of Hardboiled Dick (Edge Improv) and Never Before Musical (Ho Hum).
The first Brisbane Improv Festival: "Those heightened stakes inspire some of the wildest leaps, connections and ideas."
From the 18-21 Feb 2021, you can expect to spend a hilarious long-weekend celebrating all things improvised comedy at the Brisbane Improv Festival. Over the four days there are a range of shows from local and interstate crews, workshops where you can skill up, and even a special family friendly event on the Saturday afternoon.