Classes are now booking for September 2025
12 places available
Images by Jake Ryan
Spontaneous Theatre
This is a fun course with play (spontaneity) built into the heart of it. It is appropriate for those who have some experience in improvisation and are looking for an intensive hit of creativity. This eight-week course will explore the practical and philosophical elements of Long-Form Improvised performance. In undertaking this course it will give you the skills and confidence to transfer these into your performance work and into life.
Mark is an award-winning director and improv facilitator with over 30 years of experience. (see about page) He is passionate about improvisation and storytelling, and brings a wealth of knowledge to developing stories. His PhD further solidifies his expertise in this area.
Mark's performance credits include the short-form show "Monkey Lab" (Rawhide comedy), which ran weekly at the Casa from 2001 to 2003. He then transitioned to long-form improv, working on "Hoof!" a show developed with Todd Stashwick and John Thies of the legendary New York company Burn Manhattan. "Hoof!" toured nationally and internationally from 2004 to 2014.
Since then he has continued to develop his practice, teaching and creating numerous long form improvised shows. These included Improvised Rubbish Shakespeare - The Incomplete Works, Talk to the Hand (puppet improv) the The Fly, A Wake both in association with The Insiders and The Story Forge: Make your own Myth which is going out on a national tour this spring. He is currently developing a new piece of work for LiF called Taxi Tales. He also curates and runs Liverpool Improvisation Festival.
'Improvised theatre at its very best' At The Theatre - ★★★★★
'Talk to the Hand is great fun, highly skilled and very funny.' The Reviews Hub - ★★★★
'The work reminded me of Jim Cartwrights ‘Two’ and Caroline Aherne ‘The Royle Family’ – a slice of life made real amongst the buffet.' The Reviews Hub - ★★★★
'Story Forge is like Horrible Histories on steroids’ The Reviews Hub - ★★★★★
All monies after costs will be reinvested back into the annual Liverpool Improvisation Festival. This will include a small fund for the development of new improvised work.
Who is this for:
You will explore the following areas through games-based exercises:
Details and Key information:
Cost: £160
Payment: Money can be paid in full or in two parts you have the option.
Where: Liverpool, City Centre.
When: Runs for eight weeks – Wednesday – 6pm - 8pm - 10th of September - 5th of November 2025.
Contact: To book a place please fill in this short form
https://forms.gle/QxpRE2wWDyvQ8eMV7
You will receive links to further written materials to enhance your understanding. You will also receive an extensive bibliography and links to other resources should you wish to extend your learning.
This is a fun course with play (spontaneity) built into the heart of it. It is appropriate for those who have some experience in improvisation and are looking for an intensive hit of creativity. This eight-week course will explore the practical and philosophical elements of Long-Form Improvised performance. In undertaking this course it will give you the skills and confidence to transfer these into your performance work and into life.
Mark is an award-winning director and improv facilitator with over 30 years of experience. (see about page) He is passionate about improvisation and storytelling, and brings a wealth of knowledge to developing stories. His PhD further solidifies his expertise in this area.
Mark's performance credits include the short-form show "Monkey Lab" (Rawhide comedy), which ran weekly at the Casa from 2001 to 2003. He then transitioned to long-form improv, working on "Hoof!" a show developed with Todd Stashwick and John Thies of the legendary New York company Burn Manhattan. "Hoof!" toured nationally and internationally from 2004 to 2014.
Since then he has continued to develop his practice, teaching and creating numerous long form improvised shows. These included Improvised Rubbish Shakespeare - The Incomplete Works, Talk to the Hand (puppet improv) the The Fly, A Wake both in association with The Insiders and The Story Forge: Make your own Myth which is going out on a national tour this spring. He is currently developing a new piece of work for LiF called Taxi Tales. He also curates and runs Liverpool Improvisation Festival.
'Improvised theatre at its very best' At The Theatre - ★★★★★
'Talk to the Hand is great fun, highly skilled and very funny.' The Reviews Hub - ★★★★
'The work reminded me of Jim Cartwrights ‘Two’ and Caroline Aherne ‘The Royle Family’ – a slice of life made real amongst the buffet.' The Reviews Hub - ★★★★
'Story Forge is like Horrible Histories on steroids’ The Reviews Hub - ★★★★★
All monies after costs will be reinvested back into the annual Liverpool Improvisation Festival. This will include a small fund for the development of new improvised work.
Who is this for:
- Improvisers: Who are looking to develop their skills and explore long form improv
- Actors: Looking to sharpen up their acting / performance skills (working in the moment) – TV casting (adverts)
- Companies: For those who are interested in developing their own improvised performance or those who are looking to devise
- Writers: Who apply improvisation in developing new plays (devising)
- Directors: Who apply improvisation in developing new plays (devising)
- Teachers: Who are looking to develop their experience in facilitating improvisation
You will explore the following areas through games-based exercises:
- Characteristics
- Relationships
- Authenticity
- Voice - when and how do you employ rhythm and tone
- Physical (mime / shape / object and space)
- The structure of story and how this is incorporated into scenes
- Transition / edits - between scenes and characters
- From rehearsal room to performance
Details and Key information:
Cost: £160
Payment: Money can be paid in full or in two parts you have the option.
Where: Liverpool, City Centre.
When: Runs for eight weeks – Wednesday – 6pm - 8pm - 10th of September - 5th of November 2025.
Contact: To book a place please fill in this short form
https://forms.gle/QxpRE2wWDyvQ8eMV7
You will receive links to further written materials to enhance your understanding. You will also receive an extensive bibliography and links to other resources should you wish to extend your learning.
Have a listen to Andy Roberts on why you would benefit from taking the course. Andy is a writer, director and based in Liverpool.
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"I had so much fun with Wing It Impro. Even though everyone attending had different levels of experience with improvisation, it was a really great environment for learning and experimenting. Mark is very knowledgeable on all things impro and his passion for it is quite infectious. I would definitely recommend this course for anyone with an interest in improvisation and building their confidence through performance." (Kate Mulvihill - 2021)
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"The Improv course Mark ran reignited my love of the form. His teaching style is relaxed and intuitive and he allows everyone to learn in their own way. No one is pressured to perform but instead find they want to. All levels of ability were incorporated seamlessly into the class. No-one was made to feel less for not having more or less experience. Mark has a wealth of knowledge and experience to impart yet it never feels like he's trying to outsmart you. He asks and encourages you to bring your own skills and experience to help your scene partners, which for me is one of the fundamentals of Improv. I can't recommend these classes enough." (Trev Fleming - 2021)
"Mark Smith's improv class have helped me to gain confidence and insight into improv. It was one of my biggest fears to do improv in acting, always thinking I had to be funny. Mark has taught me that improv is about listening, reacting and seeing where it takes you and most of all to enjoy the journey. I have enjoyed the class tremendously, I also got to meet some really nice people always a bonus." (Rachel Pennington - 2021)
"During Mark’s improvisation course I have expanded my theatrical skills in: Mime, Monologuing, and developing improvisations through character. I have developed the ability to edit and support fellow improvisors on stage. I have loved building a strong connection with fellow artists through eye contact and developing different types of offers (physical, verbal and emotional). Mark uses games, exercises and music to create an extremely fun environment that allows the group to flourish and generate fascinating and dynamic stories from seemingly nothing. The group developed from short form memory-based mime tasks to forty-five-minute junk sets that are completely unique. I cannot recommend Mark’s sessions enough, he creates a really lovely environment and you are made to feel welcomed and relaxed from the first day." (Ryan K Byrne - 2021)
"Mark works you hard, but you will learn a lot" (Lucy Jones - 2019)
"Mark’s sessions are always enjoyable; you get into the zone and the time flies" (Max Porter Bennett – 2019)
"Mark unlocked something in me which I hadn’t expected" (Jamie Goulding – 2019)
"Mark is great at explaining things, he works you out and what makes you tick" (Sonia Sidje – 2019)
"Mark’s sessions are always enjoyable; you get into the zone and the time flies" (Max Porter Bennett – 2019)
"Mark unlocked something in me which I hadn’t expected" (Jamie Goulding – 2019)
"Mark is great at explaining things, he works you out and what makes you tick" (Sonia Sidje – 2019)