IMPRO FEST 26

Acting for Improvisers

15.00–17.00 Friday October 9

For performers who want to bring more truth, depth, and emotion to their scenes. By using tools from different acting techniques, we will dive into the core elements of acting, including discovering emotional truth, developing layered characters, mastering scene work and we will learn how to bring these skills seamlessly into our improvisations.

Some improv experience recommended

The Power of Play

12.30–14.30 Saturday October 10

An experiential workshop exploring drama therapy-inspired techniques, Jungian archetypes and improvisation to deepen your understanding of character, group dynamics and your own performance instincts. Through playful exercises and an improvised group performance, you’ll explore how you naturally respond to others, the roles you gravitate towards, and what happens when you listen, adapt and allow yourself to play without knowing where you're going.

No prior experience needed

Writing without a map

10.15–12.15 Saturday October 10

What happens when you stop trying to think of a story and simply let one appear? In this playful, spontaneous session, we'll mix creative writing, intuitive prompts and improvisation to discover stories, poems and characters as we go. Expect surprising connections, unexpected characters, flights of fancy and the occasional plot twist. You don't need to be a writer — just bring your imagination and a willingness to play. Come with an open mind, leave with words, stories and characters you didn't know were waiting to be found.

No prior experience needed

Intro to clowning

15.00–17.00 Saturday October 10

Sven Verelst has been sharing his passion for clowning for many years. Since 2009 he has been offering courses where play, creativity and authenticity are central. He combines his experience into a special annual tradition: the summer clowning course. Get to know his unique method in a playful and accessible way.

No prior experience needed

Improv Martial Arts

12.00–15.00 Sunday October 11

In improv, we are expected to think fast and play intuitively. For good reason, nobody wants to watch you think for 60 seconds on stage before each move. Is the ability to think fast just unchangeable biology? Can you only build intuition through decades of stage time? I believe we can train for it.

In Improv Martial Arts, we slow down before we speed up. We train by playing the scenes beat by beat or even line by line. After every move, we analyse how the move impacts the story arc, the character dynamics, or the emotional impact, and decide where to go next.

Expect lots of freezes, deliberate replays, and group discussion. At first, this approach feels like taking the play out of improv. But you build better intuition faster. And more importantly, you figure out what kind of stories you want to tell as a group.

Some improv experience recommended

Mastering Tragicomedy: Flawed, Funny & Human

15.30–18.00 Sunday October 11

What makes us laugh at a character one moment and ache for them the next? Inspired by the gloriously imperfect characters of After Life, Fleabag and This Is Going to Hurt, this playful, practical workshop explores the messy territory where comedy and heartbreak collide. Through character work, improvisation and scene play, we'll explore flaws, contradictions, emotional U-turns and the things characters desperately don't want to say - discovering how the funniest moments often come not from writing jokes, but from truth, tension and very human attempts to hold it all together.

No prior experience needed