Podcasts made me an improviser, and improv made me a podcaster. By Edmund Fargher. Improv has become a turning point in my personal journey that I never saw coming. It changed the shape of my career. It changed the way I interact with people. It might seem like a trite sentiment, but improv has changed...

Brighton Improv Drop-in classes updates   It was our Brighton improv drop-in run by John that was the spark that started the Maydays back in 2004. The Thursday drop-in was the very first of our classes that we took online so it only seemed right that it was the first class we brought back after...

Noted! by Mayday, Liz Peters I have a collection of notebooks. Well-loved, well scribbled, both messy and neat depending on which flavour of me grabs them in any given moment. Over my lifetime I’ve filled notebooks of ramblings; notebooks that have documented adventures through jungles and deserts; notebooks for trying to understand my own psychology;...

Would my cat hate my improv shows? By Lloydie James Lloyd During the first lockdown, my home welcomed Yoda the cat. He is now 11 months old and we get on incredibly well but there is a small question about him that is bugging me; would Yoda hate my improv shows? We all want validation...

A Maydays Guide to European Improv Festivals   As the weather changes and people around the world start to make tentative plans for in-person events, I started to get excited about the idea of going back to improv festivals again. The Maydays have been very lucky to play at lots of International festivals over the...

‘Anxiety, social awkwardness and starting again’ by The Maydays, Rhiannon Vivian. I’ve always had the capacity to be wildly anxious. But these past 12 months have really turned that dial-up to Whoops It’s Come off In My Hand. Probably for two reasons. One, the world feels like it’s gone to the dogs, and two, being...

Improv gives us the opportunity as artists to create something and then immediately move on to create something else.  This gives us enormous freedom to suppress our judgement of our work as there is no time to edit it.  This is liberating and taps into the flow state which so many of us crave and...

Storystarters – Improv into Writing taster video from Jen Rowe Want to write fiction but can’t find the time? Love improv? Combine the two with Jen’s Online Improv Super-Elective: Storystarters – Improv into Writing Course starting 22nd April for 4 weeks, 2 pm-4 pm BST each week. Here’s a taster exercise to get you on...

Separately Together; The improv teams that have never ‘met.’ by The Maydays, Heather Urquhart Heather reflects on the last year since the world went online and all the new relationships and connections that have thrived in the improv world. Check out Heather’s new blog here. You can join our improv powerhouse for one of her...

New blog, ‘Seven Ways to end a Song in Musical Improv’ by Maydays, Heather & Joe.   Ending a song well in musical improv can make or break it. You can create an astounding melody, heartbreaking lyrics and beautiful choreography but if it fizzles out that’s often all the audience will remember. On the flip...

Online Improv Elective: Zoom-prov – Interview with Vic Hogg Your ‘Online Improv Elective: Zoom-prov‘ is on 22nd March. What gave you the idea for this course? I love Zoom! I love meeting people in their homes while I’m in mine. I love how it makes people connect more truthfully and, with the right atmosphere, laugh...

Maydays director, Jen Rowe, talks Energy & Rhythm, ahead of her upcoming Online Improv Elective: Energy and Rhythm for Character and Scene this Wednesday from 19:00-21:30 GMT. “The moments when your energy fully connected you to the world and you received energy back from that connection.” Patsy Rodenburg, vocal coach for the National Theatre, talking...

The Maydays, Katy Schutte, new blog Failure is all about the note that follows… We were talking in The Improv Place Office Hours yesterday about failure moments in improv scenes. The question was; how do we deal with it in the moment and not let it get us up in our heads and throw us...

Hard Conversations – by The Maydays Chris Mead When improv is going well it feels like flying. You don’t need me to tell you that. You’ve all experienced it at one time or another. There really isn’t any substitute for that moment when everyone is pulling in the same direction. It does feel a little...

Improvising Babies There has been a lot of talk about a lockdown baby boom. In Bristol, 6 women all on one street  got pregnant during the first lockdown, and in case you missed it, as well as making a LOT of banana bread, last year two of us Maydays made a baby!  We have joked...

A Year of Polarities A year ago I was preparing to go and play in the ensemble team at IMPRO Amsterdam 2020. This epic festival brings improvisers from across the planet for one magical week of high quality improvised theatre, workshops and party. It was a truly wonderful experience. For me, it was part of...

Three tips for Responding to Questions in Scenes There’s something I’ve felt quite conflicted about in improv: I am of the opinion that questions are an integral part of language and, when you think about them that way, it seems odd to avoid them in improv scenes. However, it is no secret that asking questions...

Ring-lights, phones and computer screens: online improv has been an amazing lifeline for some, and a welcome distraction for others, but don’t forget to take some time away from the bright lights and get some green-time (and I don’t just mean green-screens) this festive season. I have to be honest. While this year’s been terrible...

Online Improv Course: The Fundamentals of Stupidity – Interview with Britt Pay   Your Online Improv Course: The Fundamentals of Stupidity starts on 9th January. What gave you the idea for this course? I love clown & improv and wanted to combine the two, so we can all be joyous and stupid together! What excites...

Jennifer Jordan talks about her obsession with Improvised Puppetry and her top 5 tips to help bring your puppet to life.   I’ve been trying to work out why I love puppets so much, and honestly, I still can’t put my finger on it. It must be the same reasons I love silent comedy, BSL...