Hello There! Tell us who you are and three random facts about yourself!

My name is Jake Clements stage name Jake the Improviser, original I know!

My favorite animal is a great white shark.

I ran the London Marathon 2018.

I have a pig heart valve.

How did you get into improv?

I watched repeats of classic Whose Line is it anyway USA growing up. Then watched these guys wearing orange hoodies on YouTube do short improv games. Shout out to the RH Boys, I then started taking classes at Hoopla with Steve Roe.

What inspired you to start improv?

Robin Williams inspired me to start improv comedy, I watched all his movies growing up and his short scenes on Whose line were amazing!

What troupes are you are a part of?

I am part of a short form Hoopla House Team called The Aquarium and working on my Solo show. It’s debuting later this year is a blend of my two passions Hip Hop and Improv!

Tell us about the styles of improv you enjoy and why?

I love short form improv and Hip Hop improv. I love the way they both are high energy spontaneous and you can create bold characters.

What are some of your earliest memories of your early improv performances?

Performing a short forum scene with Steve Roe  it was in a science room B52.

Creating the bold cheesy american characters THE BOBS.

Who are some Improvisers that you find inspiring and why?

Francesca Reid- she creates bold comedic characters and is an amazing singer. I recently saw her Spicy Drag King show! Brent Would got Wood. She inspires me to up my game in creating bolder characters and to implement more clowning into my performances.

Rob Broderick is a lyrical Rap GOD of Improv Hip Hop scene. I saw him three times last year at the Underbelly Festival. He is a massive inspiration for my solo show. I never knew improv comedy and Hip Hop could work together side by side. Who knows I could share the stage with him one day. Having an improv rap battle, that would be sick!

 Chris Turner’s blend of freestyle comedy and stand up is amazing as well. I am seeing his show at Museum of Comedy in August I can’t wait.

What three things are you looking forward to about performing in an improv show?

Creating bold characters. Reading the audience reactions to the last scene, what the show needs next is a bold clowning scene or a more slow pace real scene. Going out of my comfort zone and ready to embrace fails.

What are some of the best bits of advice you have been given about improv and why?

 Yes And, Listen to your scene partner, rule of three. All this advice is the core of improv like a 101 of improv. As we perform more often we sometimes forget these. We try and complicate the scene by making a game within a game. Just go back to basics sometime the most power scene just start with a simple YES AND.