What a blast! As a newcomer to improv, I feel so lucky to have discovered Hoopla. So much so that I took the next course level and did my first public performance. Then if someone puts themselves into a shape of a barn and shouts “HIGH-BARN” the ye-hahs bounce back in the other direction. The director does an impression of a creature of the deep to the person next to him. Hoopla run an Improv Comedy Club in London, and improv courses and classes. Talking about a shared holiday in pairs and starting every new sentence with ‘Yes And’. Here’s some other resources that are great for improv exercises: Our next Beginners Improv Courses start next month. Love what they’ve created here and so so pleased to be a part of the Hoopla following! Naveed Khan is on Facebook. Two people are up playing a scene, with two audience members either side. Puns are fun, but the best ones are the bonkers ones that make no sense at all. Great to instantly connect with people, drop barriers and have fun for a few hours a week. I now regularly try to make room for improv and play time in my life. Heidi: Yes, let’s make a picnic to go with us. I can’t explain it with words so stop me when you see me and I’ll show you it. Similar to Wild West above, but with Eastenders themed shout outs. Hoopla Improv Theatre at The Miller, 96 Snowsfields Road, London Bridge, London, SE1 3SS. The least judgemental people I've ever met. Hoopla Improv Theatre at The Miller, 96 Snowsfields Road, London Bridge, London, SE1 3SS. Everyone stood in a circle. Hoopla Impro are the founders of the UK and London's 1st improv theatre. Did the level one course and absolutely loved it. For instance: Igor: Waves arms around head wildly. For instance: Gunther: Hey, let’s go to the theme park on Saturday. What started out as a fun way to spend a few evenings and learn something new quickly became so much more. I… Our next beginners improv course start next month, with both online and real-life options available. Improv Comedy Club, Shows, Classes and Workshops | Website designed and built by Moocow, and Harry Turnbull. I find it a good bonding exercise too and often my students have big smiles on their faces conjuring up these false memories. Igor: I agree, we need to get to a bug spray shop immediately. Everyone copies what they just saw, not the original, so they gradually change like chinese whispers. “London’s Best Improv” – Evening Standard, Advanced course with Suki Webster and Maria Peters, Course starts: Get back into impro with Maria Peters, "London's Best Improv" - Evening Standard. It’s funny, simple and daft. Next step, they either both jump, or both not jump. At Hoopla we pride ourselves on having the most welcoming and fun classes in the country. One turns to the next person, and they also clap at the same time. Took an improv course with Hoopla, it was the best ever. www.hooplaimpro.com View my complete profile A fun game of swapping channels on an imaginary TV set. Oracle is a brilliant low stakes word at a time short form game. it should be on the NHS. They are now working together as one teaching super team on this one-off course for experienced improvisers! If you're looking for improv comedy, this is the place to be. He proceeded to do all the show business things that every successful Canadian entertainer does. Hoopla have been running for over 14 years and are the UK’s biggest improvisation training school, teaching 1000s of people every year. I’ve seen Edgar make a group play this for 40 minutes before. GAMEZ is one of Hoopla Impro's house teams. Whatever is said is then wildly applauded, to help people get used to improvising in front of an audience. The director gets suggestions for machines (tractor, typewriter, combine harvester etc) and the improvisers make those machines with their bodies as one team, without talking about it. You don’t have to be clever, fast or funny either! 1,2,3: Surpisingly fun game for something so simple. This introduction to improvisation will teach the skills you'll need to master scenes, stories and sketches in a relaxed environment. Then there are no shout outs at all and the group just does magically the same thing, adjusting from walk to shuffle as they go by everyone sensing what the group wants. Today's # improv game of the day is Meet & Greet Walkabout. Improv is for everyone! When Oracle is in silent contemplation everyone’s hands are together in a kind of ‘prayer’ pose. Our improv classes and courses are open to everyone, no previous experience of impro, acting or comedy needed. All the feedback has been extremely positive! Everyone stands in a circle, one person says something, the next person in the circle observes & then mimics exactly what they heard & … Brian – Weston super mare! Split everyone into groups of 5 or so. Five Cent Games 7454 Edinger, Huntington Beach (714) 847-2191 10033 Whittwood Drive, Whittier (562) 902-0993 Video and redemption games. The UK’s first improv school and London’s first ever improv theatre. When the director shouts go everyone tries to stay in an equilateral triangle with their two people, so the whole group is moving around and maybe even finds equilibrium. Hoopla Improv blog with workshop notes, exercise ideas, performing tips and loads of other useful stuff about improv. Hoopla offer the most fun and friendly environment to learn improvisation in the UK. They are directed to physically yes and, being in agreement about the physical envrionment and activity and adding to it. Everyone runs around the room, they run up to each other and jump up in the air simultaneously and shout “YIPEE!”. I just love the new reality that gets created by one random word. Here’s a list of our favourite improv exercises for people who are doing a beginners improv course with Hoopla Improv. Those were 8 things! Brian – Thank you Sarah – Is there anymore? Surviving lockdown through improv! Everyone walks around meeting and greeting each other in different ways. It’s important that everyone enthusiastically supports every suggestion, this helps the group trust each other that ever offer will be supported. Everyone is very positive and friendly, and you have no fear of joining a class by yourself as everyone is usually alone but you leave feeling part of a community. Play a scene or conversation where every line starts with the words Yes And. One person is Grandmother or Grandfather, stood with their back to the class. You can also follow us on facebook, twitter and instagram. Director – 8 types of holiday Brian – Skiing! Also a variation is to physical act out anything that gets mentioned. We have an atmosphere of safety, trust and support. I always feel at home there. With a career that has spanned over three decades, Jay has become an artist that is very difficult to define. Everyone in a circle. The Comedy of Elders takes you through our core improv curriculum but allows you to take classes with people who have similar life experiences. One of the players said, ‘I don’t kiss on a first date I…’ then tapped the player playing the pillar who said, ‘juggle!’ So, I don’t kiss on a first date, I juggle! They are given a category of things to say 8 of. If you're thinking of doing an improv course, you definitely won't be disappointed. In pairs. One at the front sitting on the floor, one behind sat on a chair, the one behind that standing and the last one stood on a chair. Brian – Cheese museum holiday! When the director claps their hands and shouts swap the other person takes over telling the story exactly where they left off, and then they continue swapping throughout the story. Everyone else has to sneak up and try and touch them on the shoulder. And being word at a time you can guess how wise oracle sounds. Hoopla are the UK's biggest improv school and the founders of the UK’s first ever Improv Theatre. Here’s a collection of our favourite zoom games from the year that you could play with your family online this … Microwave over, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5!”. About 5 people get up, stand in a line and tell a story between them, only speaking when the director is pointing at them. First learnt this from Charna Halpern at IO. Sounds a bit wanky but it was properly life affirming! Everyone – FIVE! Except the ones presenting have no idea what the back line will do. I just can't recommend them highly enough! Gets improvisers used to looking at other people’s offers and adding to them (yes and) in a collaborative way. Commit. When the person comes back they are apologising to their boss for being late while trying to guess why they were late, how they got there, and what their job is. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected. A real example from some of my talented newbies recently was a scene set on a date. Brian – Staycation! People in pairs have simple conversations where they use the word yes lots and say yes to statements that pop up, and try to give each offers the other person would like to do. Everywhere you look, huge grins suggest an enthusiasm and an attentiveness that is rarely seen in a course. Improv resources | Helpful things for improvisers | Hoopla We like to help all the improvisers our there. While in the scene the players will conveniently ‘forget’ their words at intervals and then tap the audience (or the pillar) for a word to finish the sentence. So there are 3 or 4 players are on the back line and it’s their task to just make tableaus that look like holiday photographs. Simple as! At first they pass around “YE-HAH” by shouting YE-HAH in a Western Accent and swining their arm to the person next to them. Good for physical Yes Anding. Team of five improviser stood in an arc, and one improviser in front of them (Story Conductor). Fun & friendly improv classes and shows at London’s 1st improv theatre and biggest improv comedy school. If improvisation floats your boat you should head to Hoopla. I felt like I was developing personally in a supportive, fun environment and that felt great. Escalates his original sound and action. Super supportive staff and knowledgeable teachers. Make friends. Hoopla's workshops are supportive and collaborative. Here’s an example of it: Brian – does small sound and action Sarah – That’s great! There’s fewer better ways to see what spur-of-the-moment comedy London has to offer. The workshop really helps you internalise important skills like really listening and not dismissing others’ ideas out of hand. Never… Recommended by The Guardian, The Independent, Time Out, The Evening Standard, The Daily Telegraph and more. If we say Pan Left they all move around one place so that we have a new TV channel at the front. The most fun & friendly place to learn improv in the UK! As a variation improvisers can shout “Again” whenever they want to re-start with a new story, which stops people getting stuck and keeps them in the flow of it. Hoopla always puts on the best nights and is an amazing supportive place to learn! Maria: Gosh the flies out here in the wilderness are deadly. Laugh. 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