Feb 20- An Evening with Mischler & More at easylaughs, sponsored by allimprov

Photo by Robin Straaijer

On Feb. 20 at easylaughs, Peter More and Nicole Mischler debutted their new sketch comedy show. A mix of written, scripted and improvised scenes in the style of Elaine May and Mike Nichols. The show opened with a vaudeville act, included some art-house theater, scenes about social media and dating and a couple of classic sketches from May & Nichols, a scene about the guilt of adultery and lust over the operation table. The show was a big hit and great fun. M&M will certainly be showing their sketch show again in the near future!

Photo by Robin Straaijer

Tim Orr workshop tour 2014

Full details of the recent workshop tour by San Francisco's Tim Orr, please see the wonderful report by Laura Doorneweerd.

Hili Yalon @ ImproBattle

Hili Yalon visited Impro Battle to conduct a workshop "Goodbye Mask." The workshop was attended by 20 participants. The objective of the workshop was to get the actor in touch with their own truth in order to become more believable. The side effects of the workshop were for the group to get to know each other better and to feel safer amongst each other. One of the  nicest points in the workshop came towards the end when all the participants read a monologue they wrote. The entire room was at full attention and the emotions of the readers were incredibly real and honest. Some immediate reviews from ImproBattle's closed Facebook page:
"Was vandaag weer een top les anders dan voorheen maar heb er echt wat van opgestoken het gaf mij weer power en extra inspiratcie om weer lekker de draad van impro battle op te pakken nogmaals was te gekke les en me complimente aan de leraares"

"It was a Great evening and we have been talking about working together with the israel class . So Lets hope .thanks a lot all of you but first off all the theacher hili thanks a lot"

Thanks Hili and hope to see you again soon.

TVA Top Module and Pina Bausch

February 21st, 2014:
The Top Module from TVA (Theatersports Vereniging Amsterdam) played at easylaughs in a show sponsored by allimprov.  The Top Module is TVA's most experienced players. Each year they choose a theme and have the freedom to experiment with different ways of using improvisation as performance. This year Pina Bausch, a German choreographer was the inspiration for movement-based improvisation. They take suggestions at the begin of the scene from the audience and then blend dance and ensemble work into the scenes for a heightened emotional and dramatic state. The show at easylaughs was a great success, The Top Module was excited to show their unique form to a new audience, and the form showed that improvisation mixed with dance is an exciting blend of two disciplines. The Top Module would like to thank easylaughs for hosting and thank allimprov for the sponsorship.

– Nicole, TVA Top Module

Improv Comedy Mumbai in Amsterdam 2013 - Workshops

Improv Comedy Mumbai will be back in Amsterdam and give two classes on Saturday the 7th of December:
Workshop 1: 10:00-1:00pm
Workshop 2: 1:30-4:30pm

40 euros per workshop.
70 euros for both.

To sign up, contact Stephanie Blokzijl at improvfuture@gmail.com

The Power of support Improv Workshop. 10:00-1:00pm

Instructor: Adam Dow

If you look good then I look good. This is the foundation of good improvisation. In this intermediate to advance course we focus on radical scene support. This class will work on active listening skills, endowment of other person on stage, attention to detail, and commitment to strong third character entrances. These skills can help you raise the stakes of the scene and make you a more fun improviser to play with. Adam Dow has had over 18 years of professional Improv experience from
working at Seattle Theater Sports, starting the first Improv group at the University of Washington, bringing the Improv scene to India, and being the main trainer of Whose Line is it Anyways India TV Pilot.

Total Class: 3 hours
Max Students: 15 people

Dance & Singing Improv Workshop. 1:30-4:30pm

Instructors: Drhuv Lohumi, Naveen Kaushik, and Nigel Rajaratnam

Learn to use improvised singing and dancing to create dynamic musical numbers. From the Indian Improv group that brought Improvised Bollywood to Amsterdam for Impro festival in 2012. Experience how to create unique and interesting stage pictures of improvised dancers while integrating dynamic expressive songs based around important plot points of a musical number such as Hero Song, Love Song, Sad Song, and a variety of Improvised dance games unique to Mumbai. This highly interactive class will give the students lots of stage time to try out there singing and
dancing skills. Accompanied by the highly talented musician Nigel Rajaratnam get the full experience of Improvised song and dance Mumbai Style.

Total Class: 3 hours

Max Students: 18 people

Workshop with JSTAR from Atlanta

The fabulous JSTAR is coming to Amsterdam!
JSTAR ıs the founder and artıstıc dırector of the 9 year old Basement Theatre ın Atlanta, GA USA. He ıs also the producer of the Spontaneous Combustıon ımprov festıval ın Atlanta ın March (2013 wıll be year 6 for the fest) Jstar has studıed at ıO (ımprov olympıc), Second Cıty and The Annoyance ın Chıcago as well as UCB New York, and Keıth Johnstone. He has also worked wıth everyone (alıve) who has wrıtten an ımprov book! Hıs ımprov style and teachıng combınes the best of the best from all schools ın order to have the most fun on stage! Jstar has travelled the world teachıng and performıng ımprov... ask to see hıs tattoos!

He'll be teaching a workshop on Saturday November 23 about starting scenes in new ways called: THREE STEPS AWAY.
How many times do we get that suggestion from the audience
HAMBURGER... and start the scene... "this is the best Hamburger!"
MOTORCYCLE... "This is the first time I've ridden a motorcycle!"
FOREST..."I've never been to the forest before!"
In this workshop we learn how to expand from the Suggestions
to begin dynamic scenes that will please not only your audience
but you as the actor!

The workshop takes place at Crea in Amsterdam from 1 to 4pm, and costs only 25euros.

Email to anne@easylaughs.nl for more information or to register.

ps If you want to see him perform, he'll take the stage with easylaughs the night before (Friday November 22)

Mischler and More Sci Fi at easylaughs 20th September

On 20th September, Mischler and More premiered their latest genre, Sci Fi. They picked Sci Fi because it’s one that improvisers alway complain as being difficult to do. Mischler and More’s approach is to try as much as possible to recreate a story in that genre. Not going for jokes that destroy that mood,but allowing there to be humour coming from the characters and situations. If that happens. They are also fine if the story is more tragic.

Their secret to science fiction, as with all stories and all improv, is that it is all about relationships and the needs of the characters. If some of those characters happen not to be human or happen to be mechanical, it doesn’t matter.

Mischler and More will be back soon with more visions of the future, watch this space (pun intended).