Takeaways

A short list of things I took away from NZ Improv Festival 2026:

• Work backwards when planning workshops. What is the end goal? What do you need in the room to achieve that?
• Try focusing on the technical effects of shitty content rather than its ethical considerations. Not because those aren't relevant or important, but because it's more likely to be listened to.
• Don't know what to do? KEEP IT COOL.
• Notice the difference between calling things out (drawing attention to a mistake/weird offer in a way that highlights them as wrong/odd/not part of the thing) and calling things in (highlighting something in order to make it a valuable offer in the scene) and think about when and why you might use either option.
• Learn how a triad is built - a three note chord. Learn how to hear the root and find the third and fifth. Pick one and sing it strong with a bunch of friends. Voila! A choir!
• Any offer can provide COLOUR or TENSION, and you get to decide which. Is this offer telling us something about the world we are in, or is it telling us what's at stake? React accordingly.

Shout out to Katherine Weaver, Brendon Bennetts, Ciarán Searle, and Chris Grueber for their workshops that provided these things! And the participants of my own workshop for helping me clarify that colour and tension idea.

Special bonus shoutout to Mo and Austin for opening and closing their first festival! It's always such a delicious time of year and I could feel the good vibes everywhere. If you were a participant remember to do the participant feedback survey ASAP.

snippets

• The Sublet happened again last week and was a delight - tough to sell tickets in the week following NZIF but the improv itself was *chef's kiss* delicious.
• Grassroots theatre gave NZ some of its best Hollywood stars - actor [and improvisor!] Penny Ashton explains why funding small theatres and fringe festivals isn’t just “nice to have” but essential for a prosperous country. (Behind a paywall x).
• RIP to Bristol Improv Theatre.
• Improv Gym - Drop In and Work Out (Wellington). This is a call out to the people who would like a few more improv jams in their life, inspired by NZ Improv Fest and how many cobwebs I feel in my improv bones these days. I want more muck around improv time in my life - perhaps sessions where you drop in for a koha, there's a different person running the work out each time, and we work on a particular improv muscle and then just play for a bit. Maybe you are between ensembles, waiting for the next set of workshops, nothing currently running suits your schedule, or you just want a little extra improv in your life - if this idea is interesting to you could you give me a heads up by replying to this email? If there's enough people I'll investigate making it happen...

coming up…

shows

• Nepo Babies In Space (Malcolm Morrison). 17-21 November, 6:30pm at BATS Theatre in the Dome, tix $15-25.
  "Nepobabies In Space is an immersive character comedy experience where the audience becomes the bridge crew of a Star Trek-style spaceship."
• The Wodyssey (Two Knocks Improv). 19-21 November, 7:30pm at BATS Theatre in the Studio, tix $15-25. Winner of Late Night Knife Fight #64!
  "The Wodyssey is a completely improvised Wellington odyssey: a heroic journey through a city transformed by danger, temptation, strange encounters and questionable decisions."
• Spooky Town (Wellington Improv Troupe). Fri 30 Oct , 7:00pm at Yogallery, 97 Ghuznee Street, pay what you can.
  "Come join the Wellington Improvisation Troupe ... for a spooky jam, where monsters and creatures of all kinds will come together and enchant you with visions from their crystal ball, tales of haunted houses and spooky news stories!"

workshops

• Character and Narrative (PopRox). Oct 21 - Nov 25, 6:30-8:30pm Wednesdays at the Toi Aro Arts Centre at 3 Market Lane, Te Aro. $185.00 - $220.00. Starts THIS WEEK.
• WIT Tuesdays (Wellington Improv Troupe). 6-8pm, Te Aro, various teachers. Drop in, koha. Check the most recent newsletter (at the link) for info on this week’s session.

ka kite anō

That’s all for this week; let me know what I missed in the comments or hit reply for a chat, and stay safe and well xx