I was delighted to attend the final rehearsal of Ancestors, to enable me to gain a better idea of the process of building an improv show, and to highlight this example of pre-show practices.  This is my exploration into the building of an improv show.

Ancestors, was developed by Mark Smith as an exploration into the term ‘home,’ and how the same house can mean something different to the individuals that choose to inhabit the same space over time.  Running through a timeline from the 1940’s, 1960’s, 1990’s, to the 2000’s, the company improvises life during their given period in time, to join together to make an ancestral history of 11 Oxford Road.  Twelve improvisers have spent eight hours together in total, most of them did not know each other before this show, and then they performed the show the next day.

Rehearsals
I was eager to see how the show developed, so being in the rehearsal space gave me an insight into how the director/performer relationship dynamic works in improv.  I should point out at this point, that this overview is given from the perspective of a person with no improv performance experience, as I wished to write about this from the perspective of an audience member gaining a greater understanding of the behind the scenes of improvisation.  Given that this is an improvised show and not a scripted performance, I was interested how much structure a director would add to assist the players with their choices, the company had already worked during the morning, so I was able to see them putting the final touches to the show, and a run through. 

One thing that we take for granted, is that for scripted performance, entrances and exits will have been rehearsed consistently, so the director (Mark Smith), asks the company to walk around the stage (which is a mock-up of what they will face during the performance) for a few minutes so that they recognise their surroundings, and ensure that they treat their surroundings as familiar during the performance…this is supposed to be their home, after all!  Advice given before they begin is to give each space, leave a trail of breadcrumbs for each other, timelines must not cross (there is no internet in the 1940’s for example), and to grow relationships.  All sound advice, and a lot to process as well as producing material quickly during the performance.  Just to paint a picture of the stage that the performers were to inhabit – there was a kitchen space with table and chairs and kitchen sink unit; living room space with settee; and bathroom with toilet.  The run through was interesting to see the groups building quite different relationship dynamics, I little nervously in places, but it was all still very new to them.  On to the performance the next day…

​Performance

Sitting down to watch the performance, I crossed my fingers for the group, that they would transfer what they had experienced in rehearsals to the stage on performance day.  The performers were:  Terje Brevik, Ray Billington, Kristin Elliott, Juwel Hague, Babette Hinterleitner, Laura Kennedy, Derbail Kinsella, Hal Munger, Erik Ostrom, Kieran Sands, Matt Sparkes, Dani Taffijn and Fergus Wynne.  I need not have worried, they surpassed what I had imagined, no doubt by the warm welcome that Liverpool offered them.  Obviously, I had already seen the afternoon’s run through, and I wondered whether it would be tempting for them to stick with the stories that they developed the day before, but no story was the same, each unfolded organically, and ideas and performances had deepened, and had become more interesting.  Each time-period was performed in rotation, running from 1940’s through to 2000’s, and then repeated again twice, to build on the back story.

The 1940’s group were a Mum, Dad, and daughter, living in war-time Britain, with the women going out to work, while Dad had been to war, but now faced having to find a job, whilst his wife and daughter brought home the family income.  We gather that Dad is finding his new domestic arrangement difficult due to him not being able to work out how to take the lid off the teapot!  We gather that this is set post-war, as they discuss now being able to see other people’s lights on.  Daughter Mildred, faces the reality of men returning from war, and wanting their jobs back – she is laid off from her job at the factory. 

As we head into the 1960’s, we must remember, that women had the vote at this point, but their financial independence came much later during the mid-1970’s when the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, prevented banks from requiring a husband to be guarantor/signatory on any mortgage/loan…just to put a bookmark in the timeline.  A female friend is staying in her friend’s house and is excited about her new job at a bank…did you know Gerald a few doors down is overdrawn!   Her excitement soon changes as her boss sexually harasses her, and she is sacked from her job.  But, on the bright side A &E said her fractured wrist would mend quickly (allusions to her having socked it to him).  The women have bought extra bras for the March the next day, and there is another loo roll shortage emergency requires a hasty dash into the loo with supplies!

1990’s – oh young ones…this is the era of video tapes, and the joy of being able to tape your favourite show so that you can watch it later, only to find that it has been recorded over by another member of the household.  But never mind that, love is blossoming from within, and two of the housemates have fallen for each other, and you know what they say – two is company, and three is a crowd, especially when it is within your home.  Spice World is pretty great!  If they make a sequel, I hope they go to outer space!  A marriage proposal, and an offer to their room mate to be their best man is a lovely ending to this section.

2000’s – come into the Party Palace, 11 Oxford Road is now a party house, and hangovers are guaranteed!  Hygiene is not guaranteed however, and with a permanent hangover, tidying and cleaning are a luxury, and cockroaches in the tea cups are normal.

The rehearsal process enabled the performers to explore the genre, gain direction from Smith as to the outcome that he wished to achieve from the show, and the pre-show efforts helped the improvisers enormously.  They presented an improvised performance, but with a structure that gave this made-up-on-the-spot piece, a feeling of theatre, and storytelling, which was interesting and heartwarming.
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The festival is over now, but I highly recommend keeping an eye on their website for announcements for next year, or follow their social media to keep a look out for announcements – https://www.liverpoolimprovfestival.com/.

Gricers, a brand-new spontaneous play at the Unity Theatre, provided a masterful conclusion to the opening night of the Liverpool Improvisation Festival. It is a exceptional example of “theatre of nothing.” On the surface, the premise is as stagnant as a rusted rail: two men waiting for trains. Yet, beneath that stillness, the performance excavates the full gamut of life, love, and the human condition within a brisk, 50-minute runtime.

Much like the DNA of Waiting for Godot, the two characters, Mark and Mike, exist in a state of perpetual anticipation. They never see a train, but they fill the void with a chemistry that feels lived-in and dangerously honest. Whether spiralling into a hilariously surreal routine about speed dating or the logistics of male intimate waxing, the duo ensures the void is never empty.

The brilliance of the show lies in its distinct archetypes. Mark Smith plays the grizzly curmudgeon to Mike Burton’s eternal optimist, a man perpetually looking to Mark for a wisdom that doesn’t actually exist. They are joined by the Station Master (Fergus Wynne), who serves as the perfect yin to the duo’s yang. Wynne injects a burst of normality that acts as a structural anchor, rooting both the play and the audience in a recognisable reality.

This is fresh, funny, and inherently “dangerous” improvised theatre. Rather than relying on frantic plot twists or cheap gags, the trio demonstrates a rare aptitude for slow-burn improvisation. Phrases and motifs are recycled throughout the set, gaining new layers of meaning each time they resurface notably a recurring theme involving Mark’s questionable, cut-price purchases from TEMU.

There is a visible craft in how the performers utilise silence. By withholding or delaying dialogue, they allow the audience to find their own meaning in the gaps, perfectly echoing the frustrations of a cancelled train or life’s broader woes. Their bond defies easy labels, not quite father and son, nor brothers, but something akin to a long-term marriage where every look or muttered breath is a challenge or an olive branch.

The production value further elevates the work above typical improv. While the simple brick wall and rail signage provide a physical location, it is Xenia Bayer’s lighting that truly enhances the piece, delicately shifting to reflect the changing seasons. Such a thoughtful aesthetic is a rarity in improvised performance, which too often settles for a bare stage and a single lighting state.

The closing moments functioned as the emotional engine of the play, moving beyond “nothing” into something deeply substantial. Smith’s final monologue bridged the gap between the hobby of train-spotting and the universal desire for purpose. As Mark lamented Mike’s impending relocation to Birmingham, the previous 50 minutes of circular dialogue felt like a necessary prelude to this sudden, raw vulnerability. It clarified the relationships between Mark, Mike, and Fergus (station master), leaving the audience with the sense of a world that continues to exist long after the house lights come up.
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Gricers proves that even when the train never arrives, the journey of the people left on the platform is more than enough to fill the stage. By focusing on the minutiae of the relationship, Burton and Smith found the extraordinary within the mundane.
Reviewed on the 7 May 2026

Mark Smith is an actor/director/producer, with a specialism in Improvisation and creator of the Liverpool Improvisation Festival which opens for its second season this month(19 – 21 April), in this blog, he looks at the importance of Improvisation within the UK theatrical landscape.

I am writing this in a response to a question I was recently asked about improvisation in the UK. I was asked in a particularly dismissive tone – what about improvisation in the UK!? I understand the question as it can sometimes seem like there’s not much happening, especially compared to other forms of entertainment.

But perhaps the question really stems from a lack of knowledge with only a handful of significant reference points to draw upon – Austentatious, Whose Line is it Anyway and Showstoppers the Improvised Musical. Indeed, improvisation may not have the same level of mainstream recognition as other forms of entertainment. This could be due to limited exposure through traditional channels.

So, is this a case of increasing exposure for improvisation? Raise this and you can start to turn the tide and win over a whole new audience and address the sceptic. Possibly? That is one possible route, and it is great to see the likes of Austentatious selling out shows in the West End, MC Hammersmith, Showstoppers the Improvised Musical and Spontaneous Potter all of whom have or are currently undertaking national tours.

Improvisation is slowly becoming much more present in the programming of some traditional venues and long may this continue. As taxpayers, we seldom see our art form in these types of spaces. But why the shift now? I suspect that with tightening budgets and the rising production costs associated with making theatre improvisation is becoming an ideal solution. The work is readily available – I watched 15 improv shows in Edinburgh (2023) and all were excellent.

However, the reality is that improvisation in the UK is a thriving community with tens of thousands of passionate participants. These individuals dedicate significant time and effort to honing their craft through classes, performances, and workshops. Improvisation fosters a sense of liberation, builds trust and camaraderie, and provides a platform for personal growth, creativity, and making new friends. It’s an enjoyable and rewarding experience for anyone involved.

Improvisation receives very little funding from Arts Council England or equivalents in Scotland and Wales. There are of course exceptions to this such as Improbable Theatre company who are based in England. They either create or use improvisation techniques in the creation of their work. Attitudes to improvisation are slowly changing; however, I was once told by an ACE officer that ‘improvisation is simply watching a staged rehearsal’. This type of mindset still pervades, however, I would argue that the improvisation community is the perfect model to receive funding from ACE certainly in light of its revised priorities within The Lets Create strategy document. Very often improvisation is seen as the poor relation to theatre in the UK and ‘yes and’ I do have a chip on my shoulder about it.

The D.I.Y ethos is strong within the improvisation community and runs on dedicated individuals/teams who work with their community and in doing so create opportunities to share practice and work. Across the UK you will find those who love the form and volunteer their time and in most cases money to ensure that their community participates regularly. I have seen the power of this in my home city of Liverpool and beyond. The pandemic for all live art forms was devastating, however, the improvisation community took to zoom. I was able to take part in online workshops with participants and teachers from around the world, many of whom I would not ordinarily have had access to.

This is when I decided to become one of those individuals. But how and more importantly why? Well, firstly I spoke with my community and asked if a festival model would be the appropriate way to shine a light on improvisation. The answer was Yes; however, I was left with a ton of other questions. I had been a director/producer creating numerous touring work nationally and internationally with my then company Spike Theatre. So, I had some experience in managing and organising folk to create and generate new work. But why? My motivations were simple I wanted to give back to a city that has given me so much back in return. Spike utilised improvisation in the creation of new plays, we worked with the exceptionally talented teachers and improvisers John Thies and Todd Stashwick from the legendary New York improv team Burn Manhattan. They created Hoof! in 2004 and we toured this show for a decade. It seemed fitting that this would be the last show Spike would perform in 2014 at the Unity Theatre. A sad time, but one I learnt a lot from.

There are multiple festivals which take place across the UK, these are beacons for the improvisation community. The Edinburgh fringe / free fringe for example is awash with companies, but I am also aware that there are significant financial barriers to taking part in pay-to-play festivals. Knowing this, I collaborated with Gordon Millar, former Artistic Director of the Unity Theatre, to create Liverpool Improvisation Festival. His first question, “why?” prompted me to reflect on my motivations. My answer was simple: a love for improvisation and a desire to give something back to my community in Liverpool. The chance to create opportunities for others and the benefit it brings in exposing folk to different types of work only strengthens and develops the scene locally. I was keen to remove the barriers that folk face in the pay-to-play model and thus there is no application cost, and all earned monies go directly back to the artist and companies. In addition, we document all work (film, photography and art) and share it freely for artists (future promotion), audiences (reminiscing and deeper engagement), and researchers (valuable insights).

We are always looking for ways to improve our festival experience for everyone involved. We actively seek feedback from audiences, artists and companies, workshop participants, and our venue partners. We value all insights and publish all feedback publicly, ensuring a transparent “you said, we did” policy. This feedback is vital in helping us meet the needs of everyone who comes to the festival. This year, we are further demonstrating our commitment to continuous improvement by working with an access consultant who will create an accessibility report.
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The UK and Europe boast numerous fantastic improvisation festivals. LiF 2024 actively encourages artistic exploration by welcoming debut performances and fresh works, striving to offer a platform for innovative and diverse approaches to improvisation. We’ve expanded to include 13 shows (including 5 world premieres) and embrace a wide range of artistic expressions like clown, comedy, dance, drag, musical theatre, opera, storytelling, and theatre. We’re also offering four workshops led by talented instructors and are excited to introduce a film competition open to global participation.

We open LiF 2024 this month and we can’t wait to welcome the 65 improvisers, audiences and workshop participants to experience a vast array of great work in our fabulous host venues The Unity Theatre and The Joe H Makin Drama Centre.

So, what about improvisation in the UK? In short, it’s a vibrant community flourishing and growing. While it may be younger than the scene in America, the UK improv community is emerging with unique strengths and a passionate base. With dedicated individuals like those across the UK carrying the torch, we are building a strong foundation for this art form to thrive and gain wider recognition in the future. As I discovered organising the Liverpool Improv Festival (2023), the countless hours of effort pale in comparison to the joy of seeing nearly 900 people enjoy the program I created. It was an incredibly rewarding experience that solidified my belief in the value of improvisation and the dedication of the community. It was one of the proudest moments of my life.

Wing It Impro and their ensemble team improvise ‘Taxi Tales’, conceived and directed by Mark Smith, inspired by Raymond Carver’s short stories, and Robert Altman’s movie ‘Short Cuts’.  We have all been in the back of a taxi on a night out and discussed all manner of things, or even forgotten where we are staying, and the driver drives around until you can remember (that is one of my memories from back in the day!). The team at Wing It Impro have this improvised show off to a fine art, as they examine the premise that anyone can climb into your cab, at any point of their life with their own tale to tell – ‘One Night On The Town’.

Simple staging of chairs with the improvisers facing towards the back of the stage waiting for their turn to either drive the cab or to be a passenger.  First up is Car 57, and we learn from the driver that he is having a bit of a problem with one of his eyes, so he can only take right turns…! This driver is very slow on the uptake, confusing his passengers with misunderstandings. But it is very funny, and this initial cab driver sets the standard for the others, and they do not disappoint. 

The taxi controller acts as a goader, calling the scenes with the suggestion of who the passenger is, why they are calling a cab, and which cab is going out, when the cab number changes a new improviser steps in which prevents the cycle from becoming stale. There are lots of references to local places which works well, as the local audience will understand the humour. There is also a story that develops between two cab drivers who do not realise that they have been working on opposite shifts for years and share the same child who is now thirty years old and getting married! 

In devising a storyline that surprisingly connects through until the end, they keep the audience invested in continuing to follow the narrative, even though it is haphazardly weaved into the individual cab rides, the surprising extra details hold their attention, in between the laughter, of course!


The show is imaginative and fun to watch.  The spontaneity means that it keeps the audience guessing, which can only be a good thing in improvised performance.



Reviewer: Caroline Worswick
Reviewed: 26th April 2025
North West End UK Rating: ★★★★

As I sat down in the Barber studio at Leeds Playhouse with my 9 year old nephew James, we had no idea what to expect, but it turns out, neither did the company.

The Rubbish Shakespeare Company’s performance of The Story Forge: Make Your Own Myth was a magical journey through time, rocketing us through real myths and legends like Thor: God of Thunder, Ares: God of War, and…Hester: Queen of Chants? 

If you’re not familiar with that last one, it’s because it was just for us and our audience. The British Museum Professors Lee Hithersay and Robert Rhys Bond are there to help us create 3 brand new myths. All generated from the minds, pockets and people of the audience. 

What followed was a quest of mythical proportions, with both cast (and of course beautiful music from Dan) using what we intrepid audience members and I have to say, it was brilliant. Hilarious throughout, not only for the kids who were entranced, but also the adults were laughing in a way that is rare for kids’ shows. It wasn’t an innuendo, it was real jokes for the adults that the kids wouldn’t get. Who knew a Las Ketchup reference would be hilarious in 2025?

Having to manage an army of real kids wanting to be involved in all of it, I think they did brilliantly in including everyone and it felt like an experience tailored just to us, which is the real magic of course. 

When we left I asked my nephew James what he thought, and he said “I want to see that again” which I can tell you is the highest compliment he could give. 
This truly is the perfect show to go to as a family, educational but also as far from boring as you can be. Go and see what myths you can be a part of, and who knows, maybe you will become the hero yourself? 
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On a UK tour until 11 October 2025, find further information on The Rubbish Shakespeare Company website.
★★★★★