The Maydays Blog: Improv Comedy Company
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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...
Online Beginners Improv Course – Interview with Jon Nguyen Your online beginners’ improv course starts on 4th January, what do you like about teaching beginners improv courses? I love the connectivity that improv generates, as well as the positivity and a beginners course is easily the best way to get onto that road. Seeing...
2021 – the year to be excited about improv? I’m bursting. You know when someone keeps filling a cup of coffee until it spills over, that’s how I’m feeling right now about improv. Like many of us, I need to get myself on a stage before I overflow (is this metaphor working?) I’m writing this...
Online Longform Improv – Two Forms: Interview with Dan Ryan Your online longform improv course Two Forms – Four Track and Pretty Flower kicks off on 6th January, what gave you the idea for this course? I have an obsession with matching scenes, so that drove the desire to do some Four Track, and...
Improv Genre Selection Box: Meet your teachers This year we are excited to bring you not one but three holiday time intensives! Here we meet the teachers of the improv genre selection box. We find out about their class and what they are hoping to get from Santa! So, who are the teachers of...
There has never been more need for connection, laughter and escape than 2020. With the end of the year approaching fast, it is clear that the traditional celebrations, parties and events will be stripped back or will not take place at all. As for socialising online, we all know it can be awkward and tiring. ...
