Greater Manchester Improv Festival at the Kings Arms
Kristy Stott, Theatre Editor
The first ever Greater Manchester Improv Festival bounces into The Kings Arms this June. So, f you’re even vaguely curious about the bubbling improv scene in the North, this is your cue.
For years, improv in Greater Manchester has been quietly thriving in pub back rooms, studio theatres, and rehearsal spaces. ComedySportz have been doing family-friendly improv for over two decades. Experimental troupes like Murder Inc. and Ladies Who Improv have been honing their craft. And now, for the first time, these companies come together for a dedicated three-day festival.
The Kings Arms, a cornerstone of Greater Manchester’s fringe scene, is the ideal host for this inaugural festival. Known for its intimate and friendly pub setting, and devotion to live experimental work, it provides a safe and unpretentious home for a form of theatre that’s as raw and brilliantly chaotic as it gets. Expect no scripts or no safety nets – just performers, prompts, and panic.
The lineup is a joyous showcase of just how far improv can stretch. There’s The Totally Improvised Musical for showtune lovers; Shakespeare on the Spot for those who like their iambic pentameter unpredictable; and Drunk Classics for audiences who enjoy their literature with a generous splash of chaos. Want something family-friendly? Try ComedySportz. Prefer a surrealist take on comedy? Ladies Who Improv might be for you.
There’s no better way to understand improv than to experience it live. At its best, it’s theatre distilled to its most thrilling essence – spontaneous ideas emerge from thin air and laughter that couldn’t happen the same way twice.
Whether you’re an improv regular or a total newbie, Greater Manchester Improv Festival promises a tasting menu of unscripted theatre – flavoured with local talent, fringe spirit, and the pure joy of making it all up as they go along.
