Thursday 11 December 2014

BOOKING FESTIVE FUN!

The best value laughter in town this Season!
There are still some Group bookings available for tables of 5 and over. (£25 for table of 5)
Single Tickets cost £6
BOOK now before they're all going, going, gone  >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


The Story so FAR.....

Sarah started the first Improbables in Edinburgh with the Edinburgh Graduate Theatre group in 2006. The name and the question mark logo were born. (Logo designed by then Improbable Gordon Craig)

Sarah has always felt that improvisers are super heros without a clue so the name was fitting.
They performed their own shows at the Pleasance Cabaret bar and at the Edinburgh Festival described as 'Hysterical' - Three Weeks

After moving to Guernsey Sarah and Stephen improvised some babies and Super Hero improving took a back seat.

Fast Forward to 2012 when the first course was run in Guernsey. With just eight brave trainees rocking up for the course, not having a clue what to expect, they were instantly hooked!

They performed the first show on the 26th of November 2012 at the Cobo Bay Hotel to a packed out audience. Those first 'Improbables - Guernsey' were Rachel, Alison, Tim, Beaky, Sarah P, Tristan, Micheal and Stephen.
2013 saw patches of shorter courses but in January 2014 a full sold out course started. In March 2014 after several successful graduation performances, the professional Team was launched
Oliver Davies, Dave Hyett, Cailin Sullivan, Stephen Rouxel, Sarah Hansmann and Lydia Pugh.
They have been in demand ever since, performing at The Guernsey Literary festival, The Sure Festival of Comedy, Chaos Music Festival, Specsavers Search for a Star, Shows at the Wicked Wolf and now their new home the Fermain Tavern.

A new course started on September and a fresh crop of Improbabobs got to strut their new found YES, and skills infront of their family and friends.

And before the year is up Guernsey Improbables will be launching the first ever 'IMPROBABELTERS! - IMPROVISED COMEDY MUSICAL'

THE STORY SO FAR SLIDESHOW



We had a Birthday

What a cracking night at the Fermain Tavern on Wednesday the 26th of November!

An audience filled with people from the courses over the two years and a few Improv Virgins too!

Stephen Rouxel took the lead and was master of ceremonies for the evening and the two teams competing included the regular pro team and the best Improbabobs from our community players.

Oliver, Tim and Harry played against Sarah, Dave and Beaky with some stiff competition and the introduction of a few new games, like 'Backwards/Forwards' at the Highland games in the style of film Noir.
Back - Beaky, Tim, Stephen, Sarah, Harry
Front - Dave, Oli, Fluffy, Lydia



Friday 14 November 2014

Special Offers for Festive Fun!

Planning a work night out this festive season and you fancy something extra fun to do, then look no further.
We're offering group discounts on our shows at the Fermain Tavern 26th November, 17th & 21st December. Book online below.
***If you have a group of 30 or more then we can arrange a show for you or bring the show to your venue, just contact Sarah to arrange improbablesguernsey@gmail.com***


Saturday 8 November 2014

Booking for Upcoming shows!

As the festive season descends it's good to know there's some fantastic Comic entertainment coming up. Group booking available for all the shows, so bring your friends and have a good belly laugh!



For the first time in Guernsey an Improvised Musical
Our own new Format FLUFF or FORFEIT!

Monday 27 October 2014

More Shows for the Silly Season!

After we celebrate our fabulous second birthday on 26th of November in style with a whole bunch of fabulous improvisers, we'll be gearing up for festive nights out.

Our new format Fluff or Forfeit which involves five of our most experienced improvisers directing their own scenes. The audience decides whether they get Fluff or a forfeit (which could include making them do anything, like replay the scene in interpretive dance) Wednesday 17th of December!

Then for the first time in Guernsey we bring you ImprobaBELTERS! the improvised musical. Sunday 21st of December!



Wednesday 1 October 2014

Book for the SHOWS!

We're thrilled about our new venue, The Fermain Tavern!
Wed 15th October, a full show with Guernsey's first Impro Jam after the show (open to anyone who would like to give the scenes a go!)
And celebrating our second birthday on Wednesday 26th of November.

Thursday 11 September 2014

New Venue, New Course, New fun!

So much to look forward to over the next month. We have a new venue, a new beginners course starting, Specsavers Search for a Star Final and some preparations for a one day Master Class to impart some of the wealth of technique from the week with Keith Johnstone in London.

Tuesday night's inaugural performance at the Fermain Tavern was a great success! The venue has the feeling of a perfect comedy club and with it being a great music venue the acoustics are an added bonus. We look forward to more regular performances there.

On Wednesday, after spilling water all over the BBC Radio Studio and Jon Ozanne, I managed to talk about my amazing week with Keith in London and the new beginners Course starting on the 24th of September. (More Info on Course Here ) (Listen to the full interview here)

We're looking forward to the Final of Specsavers Search for a Star on September 20th which promises to be a wild night show casing eight of Guernsey's best entertainment acts.

More info soon about the Master class and more shows at the Fermain Tavern.

Wednesday 20 August 2014

We'll be laughing as we say goodbye!

Our next show on Tuesday the 9th of September is going to be a raucous farewell to one of our funniest performers Caitlin who is leaving us to return to the halls of learning at University.
And for this Farewell we've chosen to team up with the home of Guernsey music, The Fermain Tavern and present our full length Improv Comedy Show in their foot stomping  venue.

Book Now by contacting Sarah on improbablesguernsey@gmail.com

Or buy tickets
www.improguernsey.ticketsource.co.uk



Wednesday 13 August 2014

New Course

Yes lets run another full course!

Starting on the 17th of September and every Wednesday for 10 weeks.

As Sarah will be freshly back from working with Improv legend Keith Johnstone, this course is set to be awesome!

Do....not....miss....it!

Book now for early bird special

http://gsyimprobables.eventbrite.co.uk

Monday 14 July 2014

Friday's Double Bill of Fun!

On Friday night the Guernsey Improbables packed out the Wicked Wolf again!

The evening started off with a opening showcase from those who have been coming to the Drop in classes (nicknamed 'The Improbabobs') Harry Billington made her debut on the Improbables stage, joined by Tim 'one hand' Park, Hattie 'the giggles' Birch, Tristan 'thumbs up' Boscher and Beaky 'Diesel drinker' Beacom.
And after their hilarity The Guernsey Improbables took to stage and for the first time flying by the seats of their pants and choosing random games from the hat. This means that there really is no way to second guess or plan ahead, you are literally thrown into the game and are forced to be in the moment which is the best place to be to improvise.
And it showed with some absolutely crazy moments and an audience that was belly laughing their way through the show.
The best bit was it was all in aid of The Hub and some of their staff got to come along and get a good laugh in too, so winners all round.

Sunday 15 June 2014

Big Friday FUN!

After only launching our professional team in March, Guernsey Improbables has played to packed out shows at the Wicked Wolf, performed at the Literary Festival and the Guernsey Festival of Comedy, and now we bring you BIG Friday Fun! 

On Friday July the 11th we will bring you a double bill of Improv Comedy. The show will kick off at 7:30 with a show from our up and coming Improbables and after the interval a show by the pro team. An entire evening of giggles and because it's on a Friday night, you can make a night of it.

The proceeds of the show will go to a fantastic local charity scheme for providing young people on the island with help support and advice, The Hub.

Book HERE 

Wednesday 4 June 2014

Another Festival of FUN!

Ollie having a party with a Cheese Maker, Dolly Parton and the Tardis


Guernsey Improbables played to a fantastic audience at the Roquettes last night (Tuesday June 3rd) as part of the Sure Festival of Comedy. This is our second Festival in the last month and we are loving the Festival experience.

Similar to the Literary Festival, the audience was filled with majority Improv Virgins. Some nervous that they may be hauled up onto stage or would squirm with embarrassment, but they soon had their worries allayed. In the words of one audience member:

'I was a teeny bit worried that I would be squirming 
in my seat with embarrassment- I needn't have been! 
I never thought we had THAT much talent in 'lil' 'ol Guernsey, 
what a fantastic performance, with each actor on stage giving it 100%.
I will be back for more!'


SO another room full of converts. Now planning for the next show and more 'drop in' sessions, Guernsey is well and truly catching the improv bug!

Monday 19 May 2014

One Festival down next one to Come

An Improbable Literary experience!



While hosting the 'Word on the street' as part of Guernsey Literary Festival on Saturday night, we spent much of the evening watching some great Guernsey talent. After watching the Ukuladeez (a six piece Ukulale troop), we definitely decided to up our game and included an Alphabet Opera as the finale of the show! Set in an igloo, the title was 'The Foghorn of Fate' and randomly included a Penguin with a credit card machine.

Now we're looking forward to the Sure Festival of Comedy. We're running a full show on Tuesday 3rd of June. Book Here

And planning the rest of the years shows, including our CHRISTMAS Party Season! (Yes it's never too soon to start booking your Christmas Party!)
Contact us for more info ImprobablesGuernsey@gmail.com

Thursday 15 May 2014

Guernsey Literary Festival Fun

Guernsey Improbables are super excited to be part of the Guernsey Literary Festival. We're hosting the Literary Cabaret on Saturday 17th May in the Hub (Big white Bubble Tent!) in Market Square.

We'll be introducing the show and playing some games in-between the other acts that include the Ukuladeez, Slam Poetry, Book reading, Shakespeare and performance.

Especially for the Literary Festival we've been working on some themed games. We've moulded one the usual improv games we play called 'Press Conference' to 'Author's Nightmare'. Actor leaves the room, the audience then decides on a title and genre of a book. The actor returns and is an author holding a press conference. They need to guess the tittle of their book through the questions that the other actors ask them in the 'press conference'.

The Team Selfie after our last show!

Tuesday 22 April 2014

Quick Sale!

To celebrate our Facebook page getting so much love we've decided to give the first 20 people to buy ticket online a discounted ticket, so nab them now folks before they're gone and we have to cry in your fish bowl.

TICKETS


See you on the 30th April 8pm at the Wicked Wolf

Wednesday 2 April 2014

New Shows Lined UP!

There are TWO new shows lined up already for Guernsey Improbables.

Wednesday 30th of April at the Wicked Wolf, we will be creating another unique improvised show. With every show being different there are already a number of devoted fans who are signing up to see the next performance. Book Tickets for this show here

And we're very excited to be included in the amazing line up of this years Sure Festival of Comedy. Tuesday 3rd of June at The Rocquettes. Get Tickets here! 

If you're still unsure here's a little taster of some of the highlights of the show on Wednesday 26th of March.



Tuesday 1 April 2014

Guernsey Improbables are a hit!!!

On Wednesday 26th March Guernsey Improbables launched their professional Improv Comedy show at the Wicked Wolf to a packed out audience of 150 people!

Here are some action photos captured by Tim Park

Watch your ladder!
Just fastening your arm down before I cut it off
Aaah!
'I never knew it was so smaaaaaalll!!!'
  
I can fly!

Just your everyday scene in a brothel under a Volcano trying on a fossilised bra, oh and it's SCI FI




Release the Improbables




On Tuesday and Wednesday 18th and 19th of March, the Wicked wolf played host to the two Graduation showcases of Guernsey Improbables.

With 12 new players completing the course there was a packed out line up that did not disappoint. Beautiful characters and stories as well as a laughed out audience who were so excited most of them came along to the next night and the following weeks launch of the professional group.

Guernsey has definitely caught the Improv Comedy bug.

Highlights include the amazing Caitlin and Andrew in a beautiful and hysterical look inside the kitchen at Buckingham Palace where they had to include a mullet somewhere and a secret turtle.

Friday 14 March 2014

Ready to be unleashed

Looking forward to three shows.
The current crop of Improbables are reaching the end of their 10 week course and we've had such a great laugh. Now it's time for them to take the next step and add the adrenalin of a live audience on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Then on Wednesday the 26th we will be doing a full professional show with the best Improbables and I get to play.

Tuesday 4 March 2014

Some of the, about to be fresh out of the box, Guernsey Improbables!


Ready to get out of the box.


Dave Hyett demonstrates his ability to wrangle a pair of rain suit pants with one leg in a flash.
Dubious Dave
Oscillating Olly

Hopelessly Happy Hattie
Jubilant Jenny
Mamma Bear Martina


Mak the Knife


Balmy Beaky
Super Sarah
Electric Light fandango
Topgun Tim


Scintillating Steve
Sugar Plum Shona 


Tumultuous Tristan

Friday 28 February 2014

Improbables are bringing Improv Comedy to Guernsey




I'm so excited to announce that Improbables Guernsey will be having three upcoming shows.

18th and 19th of March will be the graduation live shows for the current crop of Improbables finishing the course, peppered with the more experienced players from previous courses.

And on 26th of March we will be launching our first full length professional show here in Guernsey.

All shows at the at the Wicked Wolf.
Tickets available here:
improbables.eventbrite.com

Or by contacting Sarah on improbablesguernsey@gmail.com

Tuesday 21 January 2014

Story, Story DIE

On Monday the Improbables met for the second instalment of 'Unleash your Inner Comedy hero' Improvised theatre course. This weeks sessions focused on narrative.

There was a special addition to the night in the form of Lydia Pugh who has joined us to have a crack at providing some musical improvisation.

I am not a musician myself and have always been intrigued by the genius of the musical improvisers. They've always seemed to create atmosphere and tinkle along without any effort but I have absolutely no idea how they do what they do. So when I approached Lydia and she asked what she would be doing, I found it difficult to explain exactly what she would be doing. Luckily Lydia is no stranger to the stage and managed to play along as if she'd always been part of the team.

I watched the first game with the 'drop in' class ( for those who have done the course before). We played Style replay and the first replay was Action/Thriller and from the second Lydia touched the first keyboard note I was immediately reminded what a invaluable addition a musical improviser can be. The soundtrack adds a layer and lifts the level of  the actors playing. I believe we respond to music in a unique way and having it in the show is a fantastic bonus. I loved it. The next show is going to be unmissable. That and I did the splits. I may even do them again in the show, just saying.

The second half of the evening was devoted to creating stories with the beginner Improbables. As an exercise we played 'Beginning, Middle and End' in a circle. It's great when the group gets this exercise straight off the bat without even sticking to the classics 'once upon a time' beginnings and sunset ending. The stories that emerged made me want to hear more, especially the missing bits of the seal.

Playing 'Story, story, die' with the half of the group making up the story was a real test of their listening skills and produced some fun deaths. There was a word at a time interview about a Haribo eating record attempt that was expertly handled by the interviewer. A 'Pop up Story' book with some reluctant monsters. A space jump through a market place, a touch of coward getting dressed, a scuba diving expedition to a very hairy back wax and back again. So many moments.

Now I'm excited for next week when we tackle characters.






And we played...

I realised I haven't blogged about the fantastic start to 'Unleash your inner Comedy Hero' last week.

Marauding Micheal, Hopelessly Happy Hattie, Lippy Lesley, Cheerful Charlotte, Momma-bear Martina, Daring Dave, Jumping (Stumble) Josh, Tumultuous Tristan, Juicy Jenni, Oscillating Oli, Mak the Knife, Splendid Steve, Silacious Steve, Super Sarah, Kicking Katherine. What a great bunch.

As usual 'Yes, And' produced some far fetched journeys. Starting with lets go get some ice cream and some going to space, filming their exploits, feeding ducks, a lot of eating (I think a few participants may skipped supper) a mission around Torteval and back again. We had some topical discussions on Jersey with an expert. A very strange demonstration of hairless chicken knitting. That was just the first half.

We ended the evening with some rounds of 'Short, shorter, shortest'. This game involves the actors playing out a normal scene. Then replaying the scene in half the time, then again in half of that time, then in half the time and lastly in 3 seconds.
It's always a very high energy game to end off a class because the actors race around the stage desperately trying to repeat their blocking, with more and more hysteria as the replays progress. What I enjoy seeing is the barebones of the scene emerge. In each replay more fluff is lost, until you are left with just the skeleton of the scene. I suppose if we were using improv during rehearsal we could sit and pick apart what the scene was really about by seeing what markers we choose to keep in that final replay. Perhaps the pen ultimate replay. The final three second replay is, without fail, just pure mayhem and screaming, so there isn't much to decipher from that one.

So a great introduction to Improv.



Friday 10 January 2014

What is Improv?

With the next course coming up and more people are asking, 'What exactly is improv?' (In my world I still can't believe there are Improv virgins out there) I've decided to write this post to attempt to tackle that question.

Basically the easiest short answer that I could give is, "Have you seen 'Whose line is it anyway?'? It's like that only its live and much, much better".

In an ideal world, where we we aren't so impatient to get the answer in sound bites, I'd prefer not to do that. Improv is about sooooo much more than just those short gags caught on camera in Who's line.

So, allow me to attempt to let you see under the skirt of the old dame of Improv. My version anyway.

We all know it's fun. As previous Improbable Alison put it so aptly, 'It's the most fun I've had with my clothes on!'. Oh how my stomach muscles ache after each session. People always leave on a high after Improv. Whether its an audience member, player or course participant, they all leave with a smile on their face.

But why is it so much fun? Yes, there are gags and yes, people do say funny things and sometimes they even say super clever twisted witticisms at the unexpected drop of a hat. Not all the time and certainly not everyone.

Yet we still have fun, watching or doing because we are playing and watching the enjoyment of playing. I'm a huge fan of that word. PLAYING. I love that when I'm doing Improv I get to say 'I'm playing tonight.'

Being a mum of two small children now I see their joy at playing. I also watched their playing develop. (Like I do with all my Improv children. I'm joking. I'm not that much of an Improv matriarch. Or am I? *evil laugh*)

There's a developmental point for a child when they start playing with others and let me tell you, it doesn't come naturally. Children love playing but they are not happy to play with others... in the beginning. Choruses of 'Mine! Mine! Mine!' and rantings about 'That boy is playing with my car!' (even though you're at a toddler group and your child only played with that toy once last week and then left it, but now someone else is playing with it and the world is ending mummy!) regularly infest your ears.

So, you try putting your toddlers together and watch as they play in their own personal space, completely ignoring each other until suddenly, one of them vaults over and thwacks the other child who was contemplating playing with 'her' garage. Maybe this is just a western thing or Guernsey thing, I can't speak for all the children across the world but I have done my time at toddler groups to observe this mania!

But there is a point, and it usually happens around school going age, when they start asking 'can I play with so and so?' The penny has dropped, it's more fun playing with others than playing alone.

Why is this?

When you play by yourself you are limited by the bounds of your own self, your imagination and your experiences. When you play with others your limits are suddenly exponentially expanded.

This can be frightening at first because as you know we as little puny humans evolving in a big scary world naturally fear what we don't know, and to be frank, who knows what lurks in your friends head. Sometimes I'm not even sure what lurks in my head never mind three other people on stage.

But unlike children, who seem to effortlessly assimilate the concepts of playing together and enter into whole new worlds with each other with little prompting, as adults we need a bit of help to get there. That's where the magic of teaching Improv happens. Not really teaching, but discovering the tools to make that leap to playing effortlessly with others.

So Improv is playing and all that playing involves. Building stories, creating worlds and characters, trusting yourself and others, laughing and sometimes even failing, because there's no right or wrong in playing. There are rules yes, but rules are different to something being wrong.

There is a structure and loads of fantastic theory that has been discovered and rediscovered by those fantastic Improv Masters who have put it down in much better writing than mine. But really it does just come down to releasing your inner PLAY.

So onward to Monday when we play.

Ps the class is also fully booked so sorry if you missed out. *crying in cornflakes*

Monday 6 January 2014

'To Void Disappointment'

To 'void' disappointment is similar to avoiding disappointment, only it involves home made rockets and launching your disappointment into space.

To avoid voiding your disappointment into the cold reaches of space I'm encouraging people to snap up the few remaining places in the next course.

Tickets

One week left.

Wednesday 1 January 2014

New Year New Course

or May the Hoola Hoops of Destiny follow your cornflakes to the dance at the OK Carol singing service

It's 2014 and the new improv course 'Unleash Your Inner Improv Hero!' starts in less than two weeks! After the Christmas decorations come down, the early dark nights are no longer made cheery by festive lights and the hangover from New Years finally kicks in, it's good to know that there is a bright shining knight of endorphin filled improv to look forward to.

Just looking back at some of the amazing ideas and things that happened in the last course and how it really is the best antidote to the gloom of January and February.

After the second session of Improbables last course 'Ride your Marshmellow Bicycle to work' one of the participants wrote:

'Another brilliant night last night, this course is really special and it's great to be part of it!'

Endowments is always a great session. In the last course I wrote:

'No Humans were harmed in the Endowments last night, but a giant rabid Rabbit did threaten the two (oddly creepy) unsuspecting tourists
An unobtanium a new element was described as but by it's very nature it was unobtainable and therefore in the possession of the inventor of invisible specs that appeared in disguise as normal specs.A silent Queen was taken out by the all too convincing Hugh Hephner with a pencil sharpener. I loved the the Zoo keeper who lost everything including the railings around the cages, while an unexpected understudy filled in for the striking Train driver and drove a train around the stage endlessly (or for an entire scene). And I wish that every day I could be inspired in the bath to invent an enormous chocolate boat.'

So much creativity is unleashed that an evening of improv crackles with moments of pure genius that will never be repeated. Even thinking back on it brings a smile as I look forward to new moments of magic.

Don't forget to book your place by emailing Sarah  -  improguernsey@gmail.com 
or purchasing tickets from here.