COMEDY IMPROV TRAINING
We are Improv North! We run comedy improv classes and shows in Manchester.
We’re delighted to be bringing our 30 years+ of being professional Silly People™ to the North West, to teach folks the joyful art of improv.
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But, what is improv?
Great question. Improv is "making stuff up". We specialise in improvised comedy - which is the art of making stuff up and having people laugh about it.
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Okay, how can I do this?
We offer weekly classes for all levels of improv experience - from folks who know their Harolds from their Canadian Crosses, to those who have no performance experience at all. All you need is curiosity and maybe some snacks.
Interested but not sure about jumping in to a full course? We run taster classes - a 2 hour intro for those who want to test the water before they commit.
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A MONTHLY IMPROV SHOW
Canadian superstars Stephen Sim & friends bring their improvisational magic to Manchester along with some local legends! Join us downstairs at Northern Monk Refectory.
Stephen Sim will also be hosting a full day master class on Saturday 13th: 'What Makes Good Long-Form?'
Don't miss this chance to benefit from this incredibly talented, experienced master of the form! Book your spot here!
UPCOMING COURSEs
& shows​​​​
26th Sept
With super special guest
Mike McShane from
Whose Line Is It Anyway?
We're celebrating the graduation of our Level Four students the traditional way - making them do a show for you!
Join us as we showcase the incredible talents of our graduates so you can see what they've been learning in class and so we can all fundraise for a good cause. Our Level Four students will be performing The Armando, an improv comedy show of two halves* that takes real life, true story from a guest and smashes them into fast paced, hilarious scenes!
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And our briliiant students will be joined by a legendary icon of improvisation - from Whose Line Is It Anyway? the Magnificent Mike McShane will be our guest speaker - and, time permitting, will put in a set after the main show.
All the profits from this show will go directly to Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), to support their work in Gaza and beyond.
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GET YOUR TICKETS HERE
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Dip your toes into improv in one of our friendly £5 taster sessions!
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LEVEL ONE: IMPROV FUNDAMENTALS - 8 WEEKS £200
Our friendly beginner course.
Starts: 5th October 2025
Sunday afternoons 3.15pm-6.15pm
OR
Starts: 7th October 2025
Tuesday nights 6.30pm-9.30pm
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LEVEL TWO: LONG-FORM STRUCTURE - 8 WEEKS £200
For more experienced improvisers.
Starts: 5th October 2025
Sunday afternoons 12pm-3pm
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LEVEL THREE: THE HAROLD - 8 WEEKS £200
Advanced class.
Dates TBC
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LEVEL THREE: ADVANCED GAME - 8 WEEKS £200
Advanced class.
Dates TBC​
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All classes take place at the mighty Northern Monk Refectory in Manchester's Northern Quarter.
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Will I feel any benefits from improv?
Improv is incredibly fun, which is reason enough to give it a try. But it's also good for you!
Working together to make stuff up in a supportive and relaxed environment helps build your confidence, makes you a better communicator and conditions you to be open to new ideas and adventures. It's like going to the gym for your creativity.
Learn skills that will not only give you a blast of fun every week but have you walk taller and think quicker in your everyday life.
Tuesday 16th September
7-9pm
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Sunday 21st September
4-6pm
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Together with his audience, veteran improviser Elms 'builds a comedy mind palace before your very eyes. You'll want to move in for good' (Phil Wang).
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"A lesson in the transcendent power of collective imagining" **** The Guardian
“You go there and bathe in it and try not to be jealous you didn’t think of it. Superb.” - Tim Key
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“You’d have to be dead not to enjoy it” - Katy Wix
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​"David Elms' show is so wonderful I could watch it every single evening until I die" Rosie Jones
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It’s our lucky day - David is also doing a workshop while he’s up here. A class for those interested in solo improvising and also simply wanting to strengthen their all-round skills. Boost your confidence when stepping on from the sidelines!
Does the idea of improvising by yourself send you into a panic? Join improv veteran David Elms for an intimate workshop exploring the mindset and practical ideas you can use to fly solo in comfort.
David has been performing improv for 15 years, both short and long-form. He taught at The Free Association for nearly 10 years and now runs leapday, an improv school and community in London’s West End.
As well as improvising, David acts and is most well-known for playing Goldsworth in Nick Mohammed's Mr Swallow shows at the Edinburgh fringe and in the West End, and for playing Clive in the semi-improvised sitcom Borderline.
Don’t miss a chance to work with this phenomenal performer and nice guy
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If you...
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want to feel more spontaneous and creative...
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want to get off the sofa and try something new…
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want to getting better at thinking on your feet…
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you’re a creative who wants to enhance their work…
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want to boost your confidence and express yourself…
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want to make friends for life and laugh your head clean off…
... this is the place for you.​
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Freya & Paul