Blog
by Steve Roe,
co-founder of Hoopla Improv, courses, shows and improv club. Twitter: @HooplaImpro. Facebook: HooplaImpro.
Website: www.HooplaImpro.com. Email: hooplaimpro@gmail.com.
Hi everyone,
Hope you had a good Christmas. I love this bit of the year, the gap between Christmas and New Year, it's a blissful oasis of solitary admin for me. I tinker on the hoopla website like real men tinker on MG Roadsters in their garage. I don't talk to many people this week, and go a bit improv cold turkey.
I have to say that after a break from improv it now seems completely nuts. I currently get nervous asking platform attendants when the rail replacement bus service leaves, and can't imagine having to say anything in front of an audience, let alone something entertaining. I don't think I've changed my voice, posture, emotion, tempo or face in 10 days, and in improv we end up doing that 100s of times in an evening. It's nuts!
I've
also recently had loads of conversations where I didn't actually say what was on
my mind there and then, or talk about the relationship. It was quite nice actually, very relaxing. I largely talked
about Star Wars, John Lewis, food, brandy and cats instead. I don't think my
Christmas would make a very exciting impro scene.
But having a break from improv makes me appreciate it even more. It's a very odd, very wild, very fun and a different thing that seems to break the routine of normal life and send me in new directions.
Now I'm feeling rested and refreshed I'm ready to jump into impro again, and as I'm currently planning some things for next year I thought I'd share what I'm looking forward to:
Making more stuff
I'm really looking forward to making more stuff. I feel like I should have a big plan and focus on one type of stuff. But actually I think it's just going to be lots of different stuff. We've made a start on our youtube channel this year (www.youtube.com/hooplaimprov) and I'm looking forward to making it a regular thing next year.
We're going to be releasing at least one video a week next year, with a mix of improv tips from the wonderful Katy Schutte, recordings of live improv shows, sketches and various interviews and things. Mike, Conor, Ed and others have been doing an awesome job directing and I can't wait to do more.
There's
also a podcast/audio thing with Joel Butler, Sophie Pumphrey, Ella Jean
and I that I really need to edit and release as it's my favourite
thing and makes me laugh. In fact me writing this blog is probably me procrastinating about
editing that. But anyway, look out for Jobsworths.
Recording every improv game ever
Another thing I'm keen to do is attempt to record every improv game ever over the year. We're going to be using my sitting room as a mini studio to do that (thanks George), so anybody that wants to come on over and be in a game for youtube get in touch! I'll put on a buffet.
Return of cabaret
Over Christmas I realised I really missed the Hoopla cabaret night that we used to run, where it was a mix of improv acts and shorter cabaret acts in between improv. So we're going to be running that again monthly from early in the New Year. So I'm currently booking in cabaret acts and improv groups for shorter sets, email if interested.
If you have a fun 5-10 minute cabaret act get in touch!
Wider audience
I've decided to make our weekend shows a bit more mainstream and suitable for a wider audience who maybe don't know much about improv and are up for a big night out. So I'm keen to book improv acts that are up for that, maybe a bit showbiz and most of all really fun and up for a fun weekend feel. We're going to be doing some wider advertising to get The Miller full each weekend and really lively, and I've also been chatting to some set designers and builders to make the upstairs a bit more showbiz with less kitchen noise!
So get in touch if your improv group is ready for a more mainstream crowd.
TheatreSports
We're going to be having TheatreSports back at The Miller on a monthly basis, run by Faye at Story Kitchen. I'm really looking forward to being part of this, it will be great to back in a regularly rehearsing and performing team again as I've been away from that this year and I've really missed it. Faye has gathered a great cast and has a great plan for the year so we're going to be supporting it lots and hopefully making it a big show. Can't wait!
Osho Leela, Improv Residential
I'm back there with The Maydays in Spring and can't wait. It's a really good experience, improv all day and evening and the ability to chat to people afterwards without having to worry about last tubes and night buses.
Teaching Again
I teach best after a break. Anything I can't remember I figure I forgot for a reason, so I've found our courses in January and February tend to be more simple and fun.
Teaching Team
We're now training together as a teaching team and swapping notes more than ever. We're very lucky to have such a great bunch of people so I'm looking forward on doing even more as a team next year.
Ibiza!
Edgar and I are going to be running some improv workshops in Ibiza in the summer! Don't know how or where yet, but it's happening somehow. Also me and him are going to be teaming up on one some kind of improv meets party meets club event at some point.
New Workshop Venues
For our improv courses we've got some new workshop venues we'll be using including some in London Bridge, within staggering distance of The Miller! Which means finally next year there will be workshops and shows happening in the same area!
Supporting Groups
I'm keen to get more involved in supporting up and coming groups. That might be by coaching, or producing, or just giving advice on promoting and things. I'm especially interested in supporting committed groups that are up for rehearsing and performing regularly over the year for a big weekend audience. If that's you, get in touch!
Festivals
London is now having LOADS of improv festivals. Slapdash is back, there's another one with City Impro in February and we're going to be running a whole week of impro in July.
Weird Things
I can't stop myself, I'm going to be doing some weird things still. The Creep is going to be creeping about Edinburgh for no reason, masks are coming back to The Miller, and I love fancy dress so that will be happening more.
Big Summer Party
We're also working with Jules at The Nursery on a big summer party and some other events too.
Improv, Bikes, Running, Countryside
We're going to be combining all of the above somehow in the summer, but not sure how yet.
Dave Waller
I miss Dave Waller so I'll be bugging him soon too, along with many others!
There's loads more, looking forward to it.
Happy New Year Everyone!!!!
Steve
Blog
by Steve Roe,
co-founder of Hoopla Improv, courses, shows and improv club. Twitter: @HooplaImpro. Facebook: HooplaImpro.
Website: www.HooplaImpro.com. Email: hooplaimpro@gmail.com.
Monday, 28 December 2015
Wednesday, 11 November 2015
Talk to each other about each other
Blog
by Steve Roe,
co-founder of Hoopla Improv, courses, shows and improv club. Twitter: @HooplaImpro. Facebook: HooplaImpro.
Website: www.HooplaImpro.com. Email: hooplaimpro@gmail.com.
I just got asked on email about exercises that help coach relationships in improv, so I thought I'd share some of my favourites.
Many thanks to Mark Beltzman and Andrew Gentilli for introducing me to lots of these, and to Conor for inspiring the blog.
That makes me feel
Play a scene where each player starts each line by saying "that makes me feel..." followed by naming the feeling. It's hard at first to name a feeling straight away, but it gets easier with practice. If you don't have words just use sounds, which happens in real life sometimes anyway. For instance "that makes me feel rrrrahhhhh!!"
You look you seem
Scenes where you say "I feel...", "you are being....", "that makes me feel....", "you look ....", "you seem...." as much as possible and then make those emotional calls.
Talk to each other about each other
Scenes where the director asks the players to "talk to each other about each other" and gently side coaches to bring them back to that whenever they drift away. For instance:
Player 1: Dad lovely to see you again.
Player 2: Thanks Timothy, you too, it's nice to be out of prison.
Player 1: I can imagine, that's why I took you to this football match, take your mind off things and all that.
Player 2: Thanks Timothy, oh look hot dogs.
Player 1: Oh yes, hot dogs! Shall we get a hot dog?
Player 2: Yes please with mustard and ketchup and onions.
DIRECTOR: Talk to each other about each other.
Player 2: You really look after me Timothy.
Player 1: Thanks Dad, well you looked after me when I was small.
Plater 2: Well I had too, I'm your Dad! But you've gone above and beyond.
Player 1: Foul! Oi ref!
Player 2: Ref you bastard are you blind?
Player 1: Let's invade the pitch!
Player 2: The referee's a wanker!!!
DIRECTOR: Talk to each other about each other
Player 1: You've always hated authority figures haven't you dad?
So in that scene the players were talking to each other about each other, but when the hot dogs popped up they accidentally got distracted and 'yes-anded' a hot dog instead of the relationship. Same again with the football foul they saw on pitch. So the director who is outside this can help out by getting them back into it.
It feels quite vulnerable talking to each other about each other on stage, so sometimes without realising we create distractions to avoid these moments, but actually the relationship is the fun stuff to go into.
Focus Ball
I think this was invented by Roy at The Hideout Theatre in Austin, Texas. I love this exercise.
Two improvisers play a scene as above, trying to talk to each other about each other. Another improviser represents an "emotional focus ball" that floats between them. If they are talking to each other about each other, the relationship, then the emotional ball stays between them and near them or on them. If they start distracting away from the present relationship the emotional focus ball flies away to represent that, and they have to win it back.
It's basically a physical version of the director's side coaching in the game above.
Name the relationship
Another exercise is mini-scenes where you have to establish relationships within five lines. At first this can feel forced but eventually with practice it gets easier and more natural.
Just saying it is fine, even if it feels a bit crow-barred in, because then you're in the scene. For instance starting with "Dad, I need to borrow the car for a job interview" is fine.
Mark Beltzman used to say that naming the relationship is just the first quick game you do at the top of the scene, and then you are free to play another game by talking to each other about each other.
When it comes to naming the relationship it can come from a natural place. Look at your scene partner, before the scene even starts, they are already giving you emotional and physical offers before the scene even starts. Connect to how you are actually feeling, and then blame the other character and the scene for those emotions - you feel like this because of them, your emotions are a valid part of the scene. What does this little moment at the start of the scene, even before the scene, make you feel like? What relationship does it remind you of? Who do you feel like? Who do they feel like to you? Those little whiffs of inspiration you get dancing around inside, turn the volume up on them and saying them out loud and proud as offers.
What's special about this relationship?
Someone said once that as they'd just done a scene with a husband and wife wouldn't another one just be the same scene? No it wouldn't, because each scene we're exploring what's special about that specific and unique relationship.
Husband/Wife, Mother/Daughter, Father/Son, Friend/Friend etc are all the initial labels of the relationship, that we can put in at the start of the scene. But by talking to each other about each other we can explore what is unique and special about that particular relationship in the present moment.
Maybe it's a Father that wants to hang round with his Son's friends as one of his equals. Maybe it's a Father that hates his Son and wants to banish him to a far away land. Maybe it's a Father that loves his Son and wants the best for him. Each one is a totally different relationship and story.
So don't let the label of the relationship limit you. There's no end of depth you can go into with any relationship and any role you get given in improv.
The story of Romeo & Juliet isn't "there was a bloke called Romeo, a girl called Juliet, they fancied each other, here's lots of other stuff now". The relationship is the story in many ways.
Step on stage to build a relationship
I've actually found it unhelpful to say to improvisers "do a scene". It's not actually an activity they can do, to do a scene. It's a bit like saying to a racing car driver "do a car" instead of "drive".
The scene is what happens around us, it's bigger than us, so you can't "do a scene".
Instead I've found it helpful to get improvisers to replace the words "do a scene" with "step on stage to build a relationship".
Meisner Technique
Meisnuer Technique training is awesome for playing relationships in improv. It's a bit out of scope of this blog to go into detail about what that actually this, but have a look into it.
Agreement and Relationship instead of Conflict
This is a classic IO exercise. Actors are put in situations that would usually breed nothing but conflict, but instead they have to find agreement and relationship. It's very good at helping people really listen to each line and realise how much is there for them to bond over and find the love!
Hope that helps,
Steve
Blog by Steve Roe, co-founder of Hoopla Improv, courses, shows and improv club. Twitter: @HooplaImpro. Facebook: HooplaImpro. Website: www.HooplaImpro.com. Email: hooplaimpro@gmail.com.
I just got asked on email about exercises that help coach relationships in improv, so I thought I'd share some of my favourites.
Many thanks to Mark Beltzman and Andrew Gentilli for introducing me to lots of these, and to Conor for inspiring the blog.
That makes me feel
Play a scene where each player starts each line by saying "that makes me feel..." followed by naming the feeling. It's hard at first to name a feeling straight away, but it gets easier with practice. If you don't have words just use sounds, which happens in real life sometimes anyway. For instance "that makes me feel rrrrahhhhh!!"
You look you seem
Scenes where you say "I feel...", "you are being....", "that makes me feel....", "you look ....", "you seem...." as much as possible and then make those emotional calls.
Talk to each other about each other
Scenes where the director asks the players to "talk to each other about each other" and gently side coaches to bring them back to that whenever they drift away. For instance:
Player 1: Dad lovely to see you again.
Player 2: Thanks Timothy, you too, it's nice to be out of prison.
Player 1: I can imagine, that's why I took you to this football match, take your mind off things and all that.
Player 2: Thanks Timothy, oh look hot dogs.
Player 1: Oh yes, hot dogs! Shall we get a hot dog?
Player 2: Yes please with mustard and ketchup and onions.
DIRECTOR: Talk to each other about each other.
Player 2: You really look after me Timothy.
Player 1: Thanks Dad, well you looked after me when I was small.
Plater 2: Well I had too, I'm your Dad! But you've gone above and beyond.
Player 1: Foul! Oi ref!
Player 2: Ref you bastard are you blind?
Player 1: Let's invade the pitch!
Player 2: The referee's a wanker!!!
DIRECTOR: Talk to each other about each other
Player 1: You've always hated authority figures haven't you dad?
So in that scene the players were talking to each other about each other, but when the hot dogs popped up they accidentally got distracted and 'yes-anded' a hot dog instead of the relationship. Same again with the football foul they saw on pitch. So the director who is outside this can help out by getting them back into it.
It feels quite vulnerable talking to each other about each other on stage, so sometimes without realising we create distractions to avoid these moments, but actually the relationship is the fun stuff to go into.
Focus Ball
I think this was invented by Roy at The Hideout Theatre in Austin, Texas. I love this exercise.
Two improvisers play a scene as above, trying to talk to each other about each other. Another improviser represents an "emotional focus ball" that floats between them. If they are talking to each other about each other, the relationship, then the emotional ball stays between them and near them or on them. If they start distracting away from the present relationship the emotional focus ball flies away to represent that, and they have to win it back.
It's basically a physical version of the director's side coaching in the game above.
Name the relationship
Another exercise is mini-scenes where you have to establish relationships within five lines. At first this can feel forced but eventually with practice it gets easier and more natural.
Just saying it is fine, even if it feels a bit crow-barred in, because then you're in the scene. For instance starting with "Dad, I need to borrow the car for a job interview" is fine.
Mark Beltzman used to say that naming the relationship is just the first quick game you do at the top of the scene, and then you are free to play another game by talking to each other about each other.
When it comes to naming the relationship it can come from a natural place. Look at your scene partner, before the scene even starts, they are already giving you emotional and physical offers before the scene even starts. Connect to how you are actually feeling, and then blame the other character and the scene for those emotions - you feel like this because of them, your emotions are a valid part of the scene. What does this little moment at the start of the scene, even before the scene, make you feel like? What relationship does it remind you of? Who do you feel like? Who do they feel like to you? Those little whiffs of inspiration you get dancing around inside, turn the volume up on them and saying them out loud and proud as offers.
What's special about this relationship?
Someone said once that as they'd just done a scene with a husband and wife wouldn't another one just be the same scene? No it wouldn't, because each scene we're exploring what's special about that specific and unique relationship.
Husband/Wife, Mother/Daughter, Father/Son, Friend/Friend etc are all the initial labels of the relationship, that we can put in at the start of the scene. But by talking to each other about each other we can explore what is unique and special about that particular relationship in the present moment.
Maybe it's a Father that wants to hang round with his Son's friends as one of his equals. Maybe it's a Father that hates his Son and wants to banish him to a far away land. Maybe it's a Father that loves his Son and wants the best for him. Each one is a totally different relationship and story.
So don't let the label of the relationship limit you. There's no end of depth you can go into with any relationship and any role you get given in improv.
The story of Romeo & Juliet isn't "there was a bloke called Romeo, a girl called Juliet, they fancied each other, here's lots of other stuff now". The relationship is the story in many ways.
Step on stage to build a relationship
I've actually found it unhelpful to say to improvisers "do a scene". It's not actually an activity they can do, to do a scene. It's a bit like saying to a racing car driver "do a car" instead of "drive".
The scene is what happens around us, it's bigger than us, so you can't "do a scene".
Instead I've found it helpful to get improvisers to replace the words "do a scene" with "step on stage to build a relationship".
Meisner Technique
Meisnuer Technique training is awesome for playing relationships in improv. It's a bit out of scope of this blog to go into detail about what that actually this, but have a look into it.
Agreement and Relationship instead of Conflict
This is a classic IO exercise. Actors are put in situations that would usually breed nothing but conflict, but instead they have to find agreement and relationship. It's very good at helping people really listen to each line and realise how much is there for them to bond over and find the love!
Hope that helps,
Steve
Blog by Steve Roe, co-founder of Hoopla Improv, courses, shows and improv club. Twitter: @HooplaImpro. Facebook: HooplaImpro. Website: www.HooplaImpro.com. Email: hooplaimpro@gmail.com.
Wednesday, 29 July 2015
Summer fun improv memories.
Blog
by Steve Roe,
co-founder of Hoopla Improv, courses, shows and improv club. Twitter: @HooplaImpro. Facebook: HooplaImpro.
Website: www.HooplaImpro.com. Email: hooplaimpro@gmail.com.
I'm on a bit of a break from teaching and performing until September now, and I woke up with these happy memories of the year so far and thought I'd share:
DANGER: DRAMA LUVIE ALERT!!!
End of Course Shows
These are actually my favourite shows ever, it's so exciting seeing people performing improv for the first time and it's always amazing seeing them blow the roof off The Miller! It was great having Steve Tanner and Jon Keene in a performance course, two old school friends of mine who actually named Hoopla years ago accidentally on camping trip to Devon. Also it was great having Hannah from Theatre Delicatessen and Nomad Studio doing a course, it's a classic case of Theatre Deli bonding people together and helping people learn from each other.
Anthony Atamanuik, The Nursery, C3Something
I was lucky enough to do some workshops with Anthony Atamanuik (Death by Roo Roo, UCB). He'd always been a performer I'd love watching (here he is in a monoscene, https://youtu.be/eyeFemMm9s0) so it was really inspiring to be taught by him too. His workshops felt totally in synch with what I want to do in improv, and it really woke me up to how funny and exciting improv can be.
Many thanks to C3Something and The Nursery and Slapdash Festival for getting him and so many other great people over. In London we are in the amazing position of having people from all over the world coming to teach us and perform, it's becoming a melting pot of improv and the improv casserole it is creating tastes delicious.
Hoopla Summer Festival
We tried out our first ever summer festival of improv with around 25 shows over two days. I enjoyed it so much I actually can't wait to do it again, probably for few more days next summer and maybe a smaller winter version too. I have the greatest respect for Little Sebastian, who did the last act of the first night and even though it was really late and many of the audience had gone to catch last tubes they were totally professional, upbeat and put on a great show. Also LadyG who performed solo and yet was totally committed to big emotions in scenes and combined clowning and improv really well, she also made me laugh loudly from the sound booth. Also Excursions ending the second night with Ella screaming from the back and then transforming the noise into the most beautiful song that has ever happened. Also also also so many fun acts and lovely volunteers and thanks everyone! Oh gosh I'm turning into a lovie. Sod it, nothing wrong with that, I'm a lovie.
Audience
I love our audience, we really do have the best audience ever. People who watched ever show at our festival, we salute you! People waiting to get on front row for RH and Friends. People volunteering to be in games off the cuff. People putting up with the sound of the kitchen next door during a quiet scene on stage. It's great that we now have an improv audience, oh my gosh that's lovely, and we want to keep booking in fun and interesting things for people to see and participate in.
New Improvisers
It took me bloody ages to pluck up the courage to perform in an improv show, and then ages again to do my second one. So it's amazing to see improvisers who are new to the scene be so supportive and so committed right from the start, there's a real spirit of anything is possible right now and new people are bring new energy that is inspiring everyone.
Teachers
I love having more teachers with us now, being able to catch up after workshops and swap notes and exercises has been really fun and made it clearer what we are doing and why. The moment I'm lacking motivation or energy I talk to one of them and they pick me up. I actually don't know where they all get their energy from actually, but it's contagious on a good way.
Improvised Opera
I love doing this so much. It's with a good friend of mine (Becca Marriott) who is a trained opera singer (unlike me) and it's so much fun it's like being on a rollercoaster. I'm hoping to do more of this inbetween Becca doing 'proper' operas.
Theatre Delicatessen
This place has made such a massive difference to us. Having a place with so much reasonably priced rehearsal space has enabled us to do more, and also helped the improv scene to work together. There were many nights where I think there were about 6 improv groups on the same night, and then hanging out in the bar after. The staff there are amazing too, so professional and friendly.
The Miller
It's also great having a lovely place like The Miller to work with. We've got a really great relationship with James and the rest of the team, and they are really supportive of improv, so it's lovely being in synch with a venue like that. I love being able to buy cider by the box at a pub too, although that is slightly jealous and usually results in me having to get a night bus after some dodgy fried chicken in Borough High Street.
Performing with Friends
I recently read a blog with some advice from Amy Poehler (http://hellogiggles.com/amy-poehler-comedy-wisdom/) where she said to focus on doing good stuff friends, and I couldn't agree more. In fact I now have it stuck on a post it note above my computer. I love meeting up with people like Joel and Sophie on a Friday morning to record some improvised sketches, or teams to film things, or George and I improvising in the kitchen, or House Band to play some games, that's what it's all about. So hopefully in Autumn we'll be 'getting gooder' with more friends.
Drinking Buddies Sketch
I'm slowly but surely working out how to film sketches and improv, and have tried out a few things this summer. One sketch was The Drinking Buddies Sketch (not yet edited) which was so much fun. I found myself writing something down without thinking ("10 people are stood in my bedroom shouting wake up") and then on the day there's this "holy shit this is real" feeling. Everything we've filmed so far has been so much fun to do, mainly it's the bringing people together and making something from nothing. I'm going to be editing soon and we are going to film loads more in the autumn. It's much harder work than I thought, so new found respect for directors and editors, but also much more fun that I thought.
Pubnic
The big improv picnic turned into a pubnic due to bad weather, but it was still really fun and nice to chat to people I don't usually get to chat to, without having to worry about last tubes or night buses.
And loads more, so thanks everyone! Have a great summer and we'll be back with loads more shows and workshops and things from September.
Blog by Steve Roe, co-founder of Hoopla Improv, courses, shows and improv club. Twitter: @HooplaImpro. Facebook: HooplaImpro. Website: www.HooplaImpro.com. Email: hooplaimpro@gmail.com.
I'm on a bit of a break from teaching and performing until September now, and I woke up with these happy memories of the year so far and thought I'd share:
DANGER: DRAMA LUVIE ALERT!!!
End of Course Shows
These are actually my favourite shows ever, it's so exciting seeing people performing improv for the first time and it's always amazing seeing them blow the roof off The Miller! It was great having Steve Tanner and Jon Keene in a performance course, two old school friends of mine who actually named Hoopla years ago accidentally on camping trip to Devon. Also it was great having Hannah from Theatre Delicatessen and Nomad Studio doing a course, it's a classic case of Theatre Deli bonding people together and helping people learn from each other.
Anthony Atamanuik, The Nursery, C3Something
I was lucky enough to do some workshops with Anthony Atamanuik (Death by Roo Roo, UCB). He'd always been a performer I'd love watching (here he is in a monoscene, https://youtu.be/eyeFemMm9s0) so it was really inspiring to be taught by him too. His workshops felt totally in synch with what I want to do in improv, and it really woke me up to how funny and exciting improv can be.
Many thanks to C3Something and The Nursery and Slapdash Festival for getting him and so many other great people over. In London we are in the amazing position of having people from all over the world coming to teach us and perform, it's becoming a melting pot of improv and the improv casserole it is creating tastes delicious.
Hoopla Summer Festival
We tried out our first ever summer festival of improv with around 25 shows over two days. I enjoyed it so much I actually can't wait to do it again, probably for few more days next summer and maybe a smaller winter version too. I have the greatest respect for Little Sebastian, who did the last act of the first night and even though it was really late and many of the audience had gone to catch last tubes they were totally professional, upbeat and put on a great show. Also LadyG who performed solo and yet was totally committed to big emotions in scenes and combined clowning and improv really well, she also made me laugh loudly from the sound booth. Also Excursions ending the second night with Ella screaming from the back and then transforming the noise into the most beautiful song that has ever happened. Also also also so many fun acts and lovely volunteers and thanks everyone! Oh gosh I'm turning into a lovie. Sod it, nothing wrong with that, I'm a lovie.
Audience
I love our audience, we really do have the best audience ever. People who watched ever show at our festival, we salute you! People waiting to get on front row for RH and Friends. People volunteering to be in games off the cuff. People putting up with the sound of the kitchen next door during a quiet scene on stage. It's great that we now have an improv audience, oh my gosh that's lovely, and we want to keep booking in fun and interesting things for people to see and participate in.
New Improvisers
It took me bloody ages to pluck up the courage to perform in an improv show, and then ages again to do my second one. So it's amazing to see improvisers who are new to the scene be so supportive and so committed right from the start, there's a real spirit of anything is possible right now and new people are bring new energy that is inspiring everyone.
Teachers
I love having more teachers with us now, being able to catch up after workshops and swap notes and exercises has been really fun and made it clearer what we are doing and why. The moment I'm lacking motivation or energy I talk to one of them and they pick me up. I actually don't know where they all get their energy from actually, but it's contagious on a good way.
Improvised Opera
I love doing this so much. It's with a good friend of mine (Becca Marriott) who is a trained opera singer (unlike me) and it's so much fun it's like being on a rollercoaster. I'm hoping to do more of this inbetween Becca doing 'proper' operas.
Theatre Delicatessen
This place has made such a massive difference to us. Having a place with so much reasonably priced rehearsal space has enabled us to do more, and also helped the improv scene to work together. There were many nights where I think there were about 6 improv groups on the same night, and then hanging out in the bar after. The staff there are amazing too, so professional and friendly.
The Miller
It's also great having a lovely place like The Miller to work with. We've got a really great relationship with James and the rest of the team, and they are really supportive of improv, so it's lovely being in synch with a venue like that. I love being able to buy cider by the box at a pub too, although that is slightly jealous and usually results in me having to get a night bus after some dodgy fried chicken in Borough High Street.
Performing with Friends
I recently read a blog with some advice from Amy Poehler (http://hellogiggles.com/amy-poehler-comedy-wisdom/) where she said to focus on doing good stuff friends, and I couldn't agree more. In fact I now have it stuck on a post it note above my computer. I love meeting up with people like Joel and Sophie on a Friday morning to record some improvised sketches, or teams to film things, or George and I improvising in the kitchen, or House Band to play some games, that's what it's all about. So hopefully in Autumn we'll be 'getting gooder' with more friends.
Drinking Buddies Sketch
I'm slowly but surely working out how to film sketches and improv, and have tried out a few things this summer. One sketch was The Drinking Buddies Sketch (not yet edited) which was so much fun. I found myself writing something down without thinking ("10 people are stood in my bedroom shouting wake up") and then on the day there's this "holy shit this is real" feeling. Everything we've filmed so far has been so much fun to do, mainly it's the bringing people together and making something from nothing. I'm going to be editing soon and we are going to film loads more in the autumn. It's much harder work than I thought, so new found respect for directors and editors, but also much more fun that I thought.
Pubnic
The big improv picnic turned into a pubnic due to bad weather, but it was still really fun and nice to chat to people I don't usually get to chat to, without having to worry about last tubes or night buses.
And loads more, so thanks everyone! Have a great summer and we'll be back with loads more shows and workshops and things from September.
Blog by Steve Roe, co-founder of Hoopla Improv, courses, shows and improv club. Twitter: @HooplaImpro. Facebook: HooplaImpro. Website: www.HooplaImpro.com. Email: hooplaimpro@gmail.com.
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