Hoping to sharpen your comic timing or get quicker at thinking on your feet – while not losing your cool in front of an audience? Melbourne’s performing arts scene is home to a number of improvisation (improv) classes, each offering something slightly different.
The two most established companies, Impro Melbourne and The Improv Conspiracy, are great for beginners. Their training programmes have launched the careers of many talented performers and troupes, including Lena Moon, who has worked on Aussie improv TV show Thank God You’re Here and the stage show Les Improvisé, which had a sellout season at Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2024. They’re not the city’s only improv institutions though.
It’s a close-knit community, so ask those you know in local comedy, theatre and performing circles who they recommend training with or what may be happening in your neighbourhood.
It’s worth trying a few improv groups to see whether the teaching style works for you before you sign up for a full course, which will typically run for six to eight weeks. The good news is, most offer a taster session. You can also watch one of their regular shows and jams as an audience member to get a sense of their style before taking part.
Below is a rundown of some of the current improv classes available in Melbourne.
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Ideal for: First-timers, committed performers, and everyone in between
Location: City of Melbourne
Notable courses:
- Free trial class (Saturday afternoons, two hours)
- Sips and Scenes (Friday evenings, two hours, AU$37.50)
- Intro to Comedy Writing (eight weeks, AU$575/AU$525 concession)
Founded in 2012, the Improv Conspiracy focuses on teaching and performing the Chicago style of improv and sketch comedy. It is popular among both seasoned performers and those curious about trying improv for the first time.
It’s run by senior members Broni Lisle, Adam Kangas, and Laura Buskes, who have trained and performed with some of the best improv schools and troupes across the US and Australia, including Impro Melbourne.
Based in the CBD, it runs live comedy shows from Thursdays to Sundays every week that feature a mix of up-and-coming and more established performers.
The Improv Conspiracy offers workshops suited to beginner, intermediate and experienced performers, as well as a range of classes in improv comedy, stand-up and sketch writing. You’ll find drop-in sessions (Sips and Scenes, which blends BYO drinks with improv training in a two-hour session open to all), four-week short courses for people interested in improv as a hobby, and classes specifically for people interested in ensemble and advanced-level performing.
In addition to offering free trials for first-timers, the Improv Conspiracy hosts the annual Defrost Festival, the biggest improv festival in the Southern hemisphere. It takes place from late July to early August and offers one-off workshops for all experience levels.
Ideal for: First-timers, those interested in exploring improv formats
Location: Inner West Melbourne, Abbotsford
Notable courses:
- Free trial class (two-hour sessions)
- Spontaneity (eight weeks, AU$369/AU$329 concession/AU$309 early bird)
- Narrative (eight weeks, AU$329 to AU$359/AU$275 to AU$319 weekend)
- Character (eight weeks, AU$359/AU$329 concession)
- Scene Work (eight weeks, AU$359/AU$329 concession)
The longest-running improv theatre company in Victoria, Impro Melbourne teaches a style based on the work of actor and improv pioneer Keith Johnstone, who taught Theatresports, a competition format in which opposing teams perform scenes. It is the only company in the state licensed to perform Johnstone’s formats of Theatresports, Maestro Impro (an elimination-style improv format), and Gorilla Theatre (in which five improvisers compete before an audience with unscripted scenes).
Katherine Weaver is the artistic director of the company, which runs a programme of workshops throughout the year that cover the key principles and techniques of theatre-based improv.
Beginners start their improv journey with a Spontaneity course to learn the basics. Participants can then progress to Narrative (creating stories spontaneously) and Character (how to make interesting and powerful character choices).
Impro Melbourne also offers one-off workshops and courses on specific skills, such as clowning and singing. Try the SongProv workshop, which focuses on improvised songs. Courses typically offer free workshops or trial sessions so you can give it a go before committing.
Students also get the chance to perform on stage at welcoming, low-stakes student jams. The company hosts regular shows, which can be a great way to see the teachers and students in action.
Impro Melbourne also offers themed nights, such as Jane Austen Improvised, a fundraising night held in partnership with the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation.
Ideal for: Combining musical theatre and improv
Location: Inner South Melbourne
Notable courses:
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Improv musical comedy course (eight weeks, AU$360/AU$330 early bird)
Interested in combining musical theatre and improv? Impromptunes is an improvised musical comedy troupe that started in 2013 and has toured major comedy festivals across Australia and internationally, including the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
The troupe performs live one-hour improvised musicals with music, dialogue, songs, and dance routines all made up on the spot. It also has a podcast, which has twice been nominated for Best Comedy Podcast in the Australian Podcast Awards.
Its six- or eight-week workshops run throughout the year. They often sell out, so it’s best to sign up in advance to secure a place. Sign up for the mailing list or keep an eye on the company’s socials for future dates.
Ideal for: Learning key skills to perform and improvise on stage
Location: Carlton North
Notable courses:
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Foundational skill-stacking (six weeks, AU$269)
The Big Hoo-Haa! is an improvised comedy night started in Perth by actor, comedian, writer, and director Sam Longley in 2002. In 2010, it launched a branch in Melbourne and continues to hold regular shows at the Motley Bauhaus in Carlton.
The group began running classes in 2017, teaching foundational skills in improv. The courses are taught by comedians Jon Walpole and Ben McCarthy, who have also taught and performed at Impro Melbourne and the Improv Conspiracy.
Ideal for: Low-pressure, live performance opportunities through regular shows
Location: Collingwood, Fitzroy
Notable courses:
- Free trial class (two hours)
- Free improv jams (Thursday evenings)
- Level 1 (eight weeks, AU$380/AU$350)
- Level 2 (eight weeks, AU$380/AU$350)
- Level 3 (eight weeks, AU$380/AU$350)
The Improv Pit runs shows and workshops in Collingwood and Fitzroy focused on training students in Chicago-style improv comedy. The troupe formed as a touring group before beginning weekly local shows in 2018 and launching its own workshops in 2020.
The group currently runs three levels of eight-week workshops. Level 1 covers the basics, Level 2 focuses on scene work, and Level 3 works on the Harold long-form structure. The group also offers sketch comedy writing courses. Actor-comedian Damien Vosk, who previously taught at the Improv Conspiracy, is the artistic director.
There are regular free trial workshops, so you can try it before committing. They also offer improv jams and free weekly shows every Thursday night at the Grace Darling bar in Collingwood. Drop in to watch the group perform before you sign up.
Ideal for: Regular performance opportunities and a safe, supportive environment for transgender artists
Location: Carlton
Notable courses:
- Free monthly trans-inclusive improv drop-in sessions (Saturday mornings, two hours)
- Indie Improv Night (free jams on Tuesday evenings)
- Script jams (fortnightly on Wednesdays and monthly on Friday evenings, one hour, free)
Arts and performance venue The Motley Bauhaus hosts not-for-profit Cornershop Comedy’s Indie Improv Night. It promises a low-stakes, supportive, and inclusive environment to take part in a classic jam.
Cornershop Comedy also runs free drop-in classes every month specifically for people who identify as transgender, as well as community-focused clowning, improv, and comedy writing workshops.
