Birmingham Improv Festival is Back

Tickets are now on sale for all performances at this year's Birmingham Improv Festival which returns to the city for 9 days offering the very best in Improvisation from Friday October 26th - Saturday November 3rd 2018.

Now firmly on the Festival map and included in this year's 'Best UK Comedy Festivals Worth Booking a Holiday For!' on Trip Advisor, 2018 sees a range of performers visit the city from across the UK and internationally including New York, Edinburgh, London, Bristol, Ireland, Nottingham and many home-grown Troupes from Birmingham - now seen as a seedbed for improv talent!

Over the 9 days audiences can expect a variety of themes and an abundance of made-up popular, hilarious, energetic and breaking-the-boundary performances featuring Star Wars, Shakespeare, Enid Blyton Adventures, Hip Hop, Halloween Spookiness, Soap Opera, Musicals and more!

Improvisation just wouldn't exist without input from the audience. Each night audiences will be invited to throw out suggestions and themes to performers which will guide how the night will go - expect the unexpected, lots of laughs and a slight bit of madness!!!!

The festival, which celebrates its third year in the city, has proved a real hit with Birmingham audiences growing year on year. As well as the popular Blue Orange Theatre, who will be hosting the majority of performances, the festival is excited to welcome on board Birmingham Repertory Theatre as a new venue partner for 2018.

Highlights for this year include: the return of the West End's Olivier Award-winning Improv Musical Showstopper!; Birmingham's Jumprov the UK's first ethnically diverse Improvisational Theatre Company; BBC Radio 4's and Edinburgh's sell-out Superstars Austentatious; the hilarious Neil Curran+1, organiser of Ireland's own Improv Festival, who will select at random a member of the audience to perform with him; London's Concept Album who make their festival debut with an entire new album improvised live, North Coast who bring 'mind blowing' Hip Hop Improv comedy direct from New York; London's Castles in the Air improvising stories in the spirit of the films of Hayao Miyazaki; Society of Strange who bring a seasonal touch to the festival with Halloween mystery and horror and Birmingham's very own Box of Frogs who are regulars at the city's popular Glee Club.

Birmingham Improv Festival also offers experienced and beginners in Improv the chance to attend a special Improv Workshop at The REP on Saturday 2 November at 10am.

And there's something for kids too! With the return of a special children's performance of Showstopper! for Kids an improvised musical for all ages at The REP on Saturday 2 November. The kids decide where the story is set, who the performers meet and where they go. Dora and Gruffalo meet dinosaurs under the sea? Everything is made up on the spot with suggestions only being taken from the children in the audience. A must for all the family.

Festival Organiser Jon Trevor said "Big thanks to our regular supporter Blue Orange Theatre and a big welcome to The REP now on board for this year - a great endorsement reflecting the success of the Festival. And I'm thrilled that we've managed to bring such a diverse range of brilliant shows to Birmingham - the festival is going from strength to strength."

Lynette Dakin, Producer at Birmingham Repertory Theatre, said, "Birmingham Improv Festival just keeps on growing and we're delighted to be working with the Festival this year to bring some brilliantly talented, sharp and witty Improv to The REP. As well as three completely unscripted and spontaneous performances, we're also hosting a Showstoppers Improv Workshop to help budding Improv stars hone their skills.... who knows what might happen!"

Birmingham Improv Festival 2018 will be supporting Birmingham Children's Hospital with a special Charity Gala on Sunday 28 October. This will be a knockout competition with 15 talented improvisers battling to be the declared the winner. All proceeds to Birmingham Children's Hospital.

Tickets for previous Festivals were snapped up quickly so organisers advise to book early!

Birmingham Improv Festival 2018 opens on Friday October 26th and runs until Saturday November 3rd 2018. Tickets start from just £5.Ticket buyers can also purchase multiple and weekend tickets at reduced rates subject to availability.

For full listings and to book tickets go to www.birminghamimprovfestival.com/

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