Event type: Comedy

3.40pm
 

Taxi tales … a night on the town
Taxi tales is inspired by Raymond Carvers short stories which subsequently became the award-winning film ‘Short Cuts’ directed by Robert Altman. Carver was a master storyteller in expressing a lot with a little, Carver’s signature style: understated yet impactful portrayals of the struggles and frustrations of everyday life.
The taxi driver, a witness to countless dramas, has seen it all unfold either in the backseat of their cab. Therapist, confidant – passengers bare their souls under the flickering city lights. The subsequent journey throws up recurring themes resulting in a rich human comedy – a mosaic of life’s absurdities, built piece by piece across one night.

1.30pm
 

A SPECIAL DOUBLE BILL

 

Cafe Amour

by Neil+1

Technology has made our access to the dating world easier. Swipe right for love, swipe left for your next potential marriage. But what would happen when our first date becomes the most influential moment in our lives? Join us in the Cafe of Love as Neil and a random audience member search for answers to the many mysteries of the heart!

Will you swipe right for me?
“What was really spectacular is how Neil Curran made a non-improviser off the street, the star. For a truly unique experience, I highly recommend this show”
 – Will Luera, Florida Studio Theatre
“Really recommend seeing @ImprovNeil. His show #NeilPlusOne is hilarious!”
 – Nathan O’Reilly, Spin1038
“Neil and his guest were superb”
 – Dave Madden, DublinCulture.ie
 

Godse Jansen

Improv Theatre Like You’ve Never Seen Before – and hopeful never will see again! 

The infamous Danish improvisation theatre group Det Hvide Snit (known internationally as The NoNoBut) is back on stage with their brand-new show, “Godse and Jansen”. Kim von Bülow and Bo Vilstrup, two of Denmark’s most seasoned improv actors, present a performance that challenges both the audience and themselves – with a mix of chaos, humor, and an unpredictable journey to… well, who knows where? 

Founded in 1986, Det Hvide Snit is possibly the world’s oldest active improvisation theatre group (?). They’ve gained a reputation for their boundary-pushing performances, especially their iconic show, “The Yellow Line”, where anything can happen, and nothing is off-limits. With “Godse and Jansen”, they take a new approach but with the same wild and humorous spirit that has made them kind of famous in Denmark.

Welcome to “Godse and Jansen” – where nothing is planned, and everything is possible. Bon appétit!

12.30pm
 

In Jungle of Emotions, young audiences will explore a world where animals get a voice, each with their own unique feelings and personalities. Through playful, on-the-spot storytelling, children will discover how we handle emotions like excitement, nervousness, and happiness. With laughter and surprise around every corner, this heartwarming show helps children understand and express their own emotions in a light and joyful way.

Full of imagination and creativity, Jungle of Emotion is perfect for young minds eager to learn and have fun. Kids will get to participate, shout out ideas, and even help shape the story as it unfolds! Bring your little ones for an uplifting, educational experience they won’t forget.

8.30pm
 

Taxi tales … a night on the town
Taxi tales is inspired by Raymond Carvers short stories which subsequently became the award-winning film ‘Short Cuts’ directed by Robert Altman. Carver was a master storyteller in expressing a lot with a little, Carver’s signature style: understated yet impactful portrayals of the struggles and frustrations of everyday life.
The taxi driver, a witness to countless dramas, has seen it all unfold either in the backseat of their cab. Therapist, confidant – passengers bare their souls under the flickering city lights. The subsequent journey throws up recurring themes resulting in a rich human comedy – a mosaic of life’s absurdities, built piece by piece across one night.

5.40pm
 

A DOUBLE BILL

 

STUPID.

Stupid are an improvised comedy duo staring Al Donohoe and Mike Burton.

Inspired by audience suggestions, the pair of fast-thinking fools create comedic scenes
that thematically link while bouncing off one another. And, as the name suggests, things
soon get silly…

Not only does the duo make it up as they go along, they also play multiple characters
within scenes, and, at times, swap and play each other’s characters. Watching them
skilfully keep pace with their own spontaneous creation only adds to the fun.

Stupid stars Mike Burton and Al Donohoe, two seasoned performers with decades of stage
experience under their belts. They’ve been performing together regularly since 2021. They
combine a mix natural observational wit and UCB style game in to make a joyful, daring
and very, very stupid show.

 
Far and the rest of the Family

If your family is weird, you will soon find out that this family is even weirder. All the way from Norway, this gang will enter the stage with a boom, and show you their funniest games. It might get funny, it might get emotional, it most certainly will be unforgettable (hopefully in a good way). Far and the rest of the family is a group of experienced improvisers doing short-form improv. We do it just the way you like your family get-togethers: maybe a movie your cousin forced you to see, popcorn from the microwave and wine from aunt Margaret’s closet. Spend a night with people you have to like since you are family, but realize at the end of the day that they are actually quite nice.

“Oslos best short form group” – Aree Withoelar, after Oslo Impro Festival 2023.

“..the Norwegian group “Far and the rest of the family”, is a fast cavalcade of short-form improv, with a group that appears to be really well-knit and coordinated.” – Cathrin Monell, Scenkonstguiden/The Performing Arts Guide, after our show in Improfest, Gothenburg, Sweden.

4.30pm
 

Loo-Prov! 
Ever wondered what happens on the other side of the doors to the ladies toilets? The women from Loo-Prov! bring the tears, pep talks and confessions of the bathrooms to the stage with their completely improvised show.
This all female, London based team is a favourite with local audiences! Finalists in the Free Association’s 2024 Cage Match and performers at the 2024 Das Improv festival in Berlin, their show is a touching, funny and sometimes illuminating experience!

 

RAWD

Get Ready for a show filled with joy, chaos, and unscripted brilliance!

RAWD have worked with festival co-director Jen putting together a show that promises big laughs, bold creativity and a whole lot of heart.

Expect the unexpected as our talented performers take the stage, creating totally unpredictable scenes— all inspired by your suggestions! From off-the-cuff comedy to side-splitting storytelling, this is making stuff up like you’ve never seen it before.

7pm
 

Mirth meets murder in the world’s daftest whodunnit. Following more than a decade of five-star, sell-out runs at the Edinburgh Fringe, Brighton Fringe, Leicester Square Theatre and more, the award-winning festival favourite ‘CSI: Crime Scene Improvisation’ comes to Liverpool with the rip-roaring crime comedy made up entirely on the spot. Grab your detective hats and prepare to laugh as you create your very own crime, grill suspects in a line up and, ultimately, decide who’s off to the clanger.

A fully improvised, witty and absurd murder mystery. No one knows who the killer is, not even the cast!

 
WINNER ‘Best Musical/Improv Show’ Leicester Comedy Festival 2023
WINNER ‘The Comedy Award’ Colchester Fringe 2024
“Quick thinking & fast paced. A spectacular must see.” ★★★★★ – Bunbury Magazine
“They have improvisation down to a fine art” ★★★★★ – Wee Review
“Unique and riveting… downright hilarious.” ★★★★1/2 – Luxembourg Chronicle

8.45 – 9.25pm
 

What happens when you take Norway’s tallest improviser and England’s shortest improviser* and give them a stage to play with? The answer is “The Orange of Truth”, a live comedy show like no other.

 

This unique performance invites audiences to experience the only comedy show in the universe that comes with its own orange!* “The Orange of Truth” promises a one-of-a-kind journey through the quirky, unpredictable world of human interaction, where the truth is sometimes stretched, bent, or entirely reimagined.

Using every inch of the performance space (and sometimes even stepping beyond the stage), this immersive experience explores the intricacies of how we all bend the truth in everyday life. From the most mundane to the most absurd situations, the show offers a fresh perspective on the stories we tell ourselves and others, all through the lens of improvisational comedy.

Disclaimer: While we cannot legally confirm we’ve measured every improviser or that this is the only live comedy show with an orange, but we think it sounds pretty good, don’t you?

Join us for “The Orange of Truth”—an evening of unexpected laughter, creative exploration, and audience interaction that blurs the lines between performance and reality.

2.40pm
 

The 1960s, a time of antiwar protests, countercultural movements, and the “generation gap.” ImprompTwo returns to its roots with their deep dive into the gritty, American gothic style of improvised theatre. Set in the midwest, where hard work is futile and dreams have gone by the wayside, FROM DUSK TILL DAWN delves into what keeps people going when everything is changing and nowhere feels right. Inspired by the great American playwrights, they will create a beautiful, improvised play filled with stunning silences, passion, and pathos.

8:00pm
Unity 1
Liver Bards ‘Unified’ brings some of the many brilliant poets and bards from Ma Boyle’s basement to the Unity Theatre. Liver Bards is a time and place for poets and those that like to be around them to get together and share their truths and listen to others speak theirs.

There is always a need to gather in person to experience poetry and share our humanity. Why not explore Liver Bards and the many other rich and varied poetic events and opportunities? You will more than likely find places, spaces and faces where you are welcomed.

Keep poeteering! Keep barding!

 

Thank you to the hundreds of individual Liver Bards – audience and performers alike – who make the best nest and help our fantastic flock to fly.

Many thanks to Iain Hoskins and the Ma Boyle’s team for making us welcome over the years.