Autumn Residential Festival 2011 - Dorset

The Maydays' improv comedy festival is wonderful therapy for those who feel their schooling f****d up their creative genius! Imagine a school where you woke up every morning and had breakfast with fascinating people, most of whom are incredibly funny creative geniuses.  Imagine a school where you looked at the day's timetable and were disappointed that you could not attend EVERY lesson as they were all just too brilliant.  Imagine a school where you hoped that a chance fault in the space-time continuum would mean that the lessons would never end.  Imagine a school that you didn't want to leave at the end of the day!   Thanks Maydays – I've now mentally replaced the memory of my own dull, grey schooling with the rainbow-technicolour memories of last week.
Steve Chapman, Osho Leela, Autumn 2011

A previous participant recommended the festival - now the only thing that would stop me coming back is the overthrow of civilisation as we know it by a benign, yet irrationally anti-improvisation, alien force that cannot be resisted! - I enjoyed the Musical improv sessions and Maydays performances the most.
James Schumann, Osho Leela, Autumn 2011

I had wanted to come along for a couple of years. It was all very enjoyable and impressively well put together, thanks.
Rupert Meese, Osho Leela, Autumn 2011

Top marks all round! Love the festival, wanted to learn new stuff, improvise with some great people and have fun. The only problem I had was that, just coming for the weekend I didn't get to do all the workshops I wanted. I would have loved to come for the whole thing. I really enjoyed the workshops, shows, making new friends and seeing old friends.
Cath, Osho Leela, Autumn 2011

Brilliant supportive atmosphere created by all the course leaders. This made the workshops work well for everyone, regardless of their ability or experience. Improvising has a strong self-development and quite therapeutic element to it, and this focus on kindness and support was a really important part of the experience. It was also great to be away from everyday life and in such tranquil surroundings. Being at a retreat centre helped us focus on what was really important and develop our improvising skills along with the chance to relate to other people more kindly, more simply and honestly than we can sometimes manage in ‘everyday life’. Overall a wonderful experience on many levels. I wanted the chance to do improvising, and particularly musical improvising, for 5 days straight with other improvisers. I didn’t know the Maydays before I came. Having now worked with them all, and experienced their different individual improvising and coaching styles, it would definitely be a draw for me in future to come on any course, run by any one of them! I loved the musical improvising; also some of the long form classes were great. All the classes taught me something, however. I appreciated having the range of options to try out alternative things. This also meant we worked with a wider range of other participants. I felt I got to know lots of different people at the festival who had slightly different improvising interests. It was good seeing the shows in the evenings as well and just socialising with other improvisers and hearing their experiences and stories about what they were doing with improvising.
The only thing that would stop me coming back, and West Country separatists forming their own gonzo nation state, and closing off the London road so I can’t get to Osho Leela. If that doesn’t happen, I’m definitely coming back.
Sarah Castell, Osho Leela, Autumn 2011

My coming to the retreat for the first time last year definitely had an "I want to learn stuff" flavour to it. This year, I saw it as more of a holiday. You can go to the improv retreat to learn stuff or to have a holiday - and either would be equally true. But if you put your attention on the latter for a moment, I think you'll find that it's rare to come across another event where you get more genuine fun, laughter and good times per each pound you have spent.
Berkan Eskikaya, Osho Leela, Autumn 2011

Love of improv brought me to the Festival - I enjoyed the singing the most - there's not much that would stop me coming back next year!
Dr Duncan James, Osho Leela, Autumn 2011

I thought the Festival would be good for my personal development (being pushed out of my comfort zone). Full marks for quality of the workshops.
Kathleen Goodwin, Osho Leela, Autumn 2011

Enjoyed the festival, staff friendly, quality of workshops good. Personally I especially benefited from Katy's long form and all of John's sessions.
Magdalena Whitehouse, Osho Leela, Autumn 2011


Autumn Residential Weekend 2009 – Dorset

Great Bunch of people, the space was held nicely by Osho members. Everything pitched just right. John Cremer is a joy to work with. Exactly what I needed - got me out of my tedious self indulgent thought processes.
Jack Willow, Osho Leela Autumn 2009

I enjoyed meeting new people and being creative for a whole weekend. The workshops were fun and I learnt a great deal. It suited my learning style, best loved basic and advanced music and loved object work.
Ali Adolph, Osho Leela Autumn 2009  

The mix and match was good and I most enjoyed the workshop on character.
Jim A, Osho Leela Autumn 2009  

What a wonderful concept for a festival! I would definitely do another festival in the future. I really enjoyed doing longform.
Joy Walter, Osho Leela Autumn 2009

I thought the organisation of the festival and the quality of the workshops was great. I would definitely do another weekend in the future - nothing would stop me from coming back.
Peter Phillips, Osho Leela Autumn 2009

The variety of the programme was great. I most enjoyed the commitment and the joy.
Jonny Gould, Osho Leela Autumn 2009 

The quality of the workshops was great and I will be back. I most enjoyed just laughing
Gail Lowe, Osho Leela Autumn 2009 

Bodacious!
Maureen, Osho Leela Autumn 2009

The variety of workshops was excellent and I also loved the performances. I loved the short form songs and the advanced short form class.
Anon, Osho Leela Autumn 2009 

I really enjoyed myself and will def come back!
Flora T-Clarke, Osho Leela Autumn 2009

The only thing that would stop me coming back would be a dinosaur/robot takeover!
Taha, Osho Leela Autumn 2003

Totally brilliant, learned loads in workshops. I most enjoyed the variety of workshops, being able to expand skills and challenge myself. Evening entertainment was up to usual superb standard. Hope it's going to be an annual event.
Honita Mcdermott, Osho Leela Autumn 2009

I came to the weekend to refresh current and develop new skills. I enjoyed it all but mostly object work to up skill further.
Christine Hepworth, Osho Leela Autumn 2009

It was all great especially the chance to do lots of improv with great teachers. 
Julia Knight, Osho Leela Autumn 2009  

It is difficult to choose what I enjoyed the most, it was all great! I would definitely come back.
Kate Ballard, Osho Leela Autumn 2009

Brilliant.  I encountered great, well constructed and enjoyable sessions with very clear instructions. Always felt really encouraged with good comments and feedback given.
Anon, Osho Leela Autumn 2009

The Maydays were very keen to assist and support.
Martin, Osho Leela Autumn 2009

Everything was great, I would definitely come back and I loved the singing.
Padma, Osho Leela Autumn 2009