Birmingham Improv Festival 2016 will take place at the Blue Orange Theatre in the city’s famous and vibrant Jewellery Quarter from Friday 21st until Sunday 23rd October.

The three day event features some of the biggest and best Improv artists in the UK including Dudley born actress and Improv Queen Josie Lawrence, best remembered for the acclaimed series Whose Line Is It Anyway, some of the cast of the West End’s Olivier Award winning improvised musical Showstopper! As well as the UK’s premier improv comedy troupe Noise Next Door who come straight from the Edinburgh Festival.

Audiences can experience hilarious made-up science fiction, toe tapping improvised cabaret tunes, improvised musical theatre, a puppet show especially for grown ups and much more! All in the setting of the intimate Blue Orange Theatre.

As well as the main stage performances the festival will be running a series of Improv Workshops providing the public with the chance to work with world-class professional practitioners and performers. The workshops will include Improv for Absolute Beginners with Birmingham based Box of Frogs; Improvised Musical Theatre with some of the West End’s Showstopper! cast and Narrative Improv and story skills with Spontaneous Sherlock.

Festival Director Jon Trevor from Birmingham based Box of Frogs said “With the festival just over three weeks away it’s great to know that Birmingham seems to have a hunger for Improv with tickets selling fast for many of our shows including the Glenda J Collective, featuring Josie Lawrence, and the award-winning Showstopper! ”

Jon continued, “We’ve managed to put a fantastic festival programme together showcasing world-class Improv and, if successful, I’d really like to make it a regular annual event for Birmingham which will complement the city’s already thriving festival scene.”

The Birmingham Improv Festival 2016 is independently run and organisers have deliberately kept ticket prices low to encourage those who have not experienced live Improv to come and give it a try. Concessionary tickets are priced as little as £5 and the public can book a ticket for all ten shows for only £59 (subject to availability)

The Festival will culminate in a special Charity Showcase in aid of Birmingham Children’s Hospital featuring the best Birmingham and Midlands’ talent including surprise guests.