This month I will be talking to different acts that are taking part in the Brighton Fringe Festival. Today I speak to the Leamington Spa based improv group Leamprov about their improvised sketch show.

Location: The Caxton Arms
Date: 14th and 15th May
Time: 4:15pm
Ticket Price: £5
Link: https://www.brightonfringe.org/whats-on/the-elephant-in-the-room-an-improvised-comedy-show-159595/

Tell us about your act ? 

Our Show is called ‘The Elephant in the Room’. It’s a quick-fire improvised sketch show in the style of ‘Who’s Line is it Anyway?’. We will be performing comedy sketches and theatre games crafted from suggestions from the audience and made up completely on the fly. Expect fast-paced comedy where anything can happen!

How did you come up with the name of your show that you are taking to the Brighton fringe?

The Elephant in the room is… We don’t know what each show will be about! The scenes and theatre games will be made up from suggestions from the audience on the night. The show is also named after Leamington Spa’s much loved unofficial mascots, the three elephants who lived in a circus in the town in the late 19th century.

Tell us a little bit about your style of show?

We do fast-paced sketches and scenes using short-form improv games. It’s similar to a sketch show. A great show if you’ve never seen improv before.

What can people expect from your Brighton Fringe performance?

Our show creates a fun and relaxed atmosphere, there’s no pressure to shout out suggestions if that’s not your thing. Even though the show is improvised, we can guarantee plenty of laughs and lots of absurdity and silliness.

What other acts are you looking forward to seeing at the fringe?

We’re looking forward to being able to see other improvised comedy shows, as they don’t come up as often as more traditional comedy performances. Our whole troupe are super looking forward to seeing After Dusk: The Improvised Twilight Zone, that should be a riot!

How are the rehearsals going?

Even though the show is improvised, we still practice! Rehearsals are going well, we regularly do local shows in Leamington Spa too which are getting a very positive reaction. It’s always interesting to see what suggestions the audience give out; incorporating properly oddball suggestions into the show is always a fun challenge.

Have you done the fringe before? What have been some of your favourite shows to date and why?

This will be our first ever fringe ever and we are so excited to soak up the atmosphere  and help make this a great festival in Brighton!

What advice would you give to others who want to perform at Brighton Fringe next year?

Come join us next year! This is our first ever fringe festival, but we have found the application process super simple and accessible. The Fringe academy webinars have helped us pick up tricks and tips and there is always support available if you have any issues. There’s no excuse not to get involved!

Leafleting and promotion through the streets of Brighton is a huge part of the festival – what are your tips for flyering?

Though it’s pretty obvious, try to stand out. Nearly every act in Brighton will be flyering at some point, so making your promotions memorable and different from the rest is a must. We’ll be distributing classy orange and black business cards to promote our shows, which will hopefully draw intrigue more than a more traditional flyer.

Performing by the sea as well, that surely makes the fringe all that much more fun?

Yes! We are from the Midlands and we get very excited just to be beside the sea-side, It’s a proper adventure for us. Let’s just hope the sea air doesn’t get to our heads too much.

Who would be your ultimate dream audience member?

If we can get people interested in Improvised Comedy who have never seen it before, then I’ll consider the show a great success! For a specific person, It would be lovely, albeit nerve wracking, to be able to show off our stuff to Paul Merton, one of the British improv greats.

If people want to find out more about you where can they follow you on social media?

We have our own website, https://www.leamprov.com/

Facebook Page:                       https://www.facebook.com/LeamingtonSpaImprov

                                                @LeamingtonSpaImprov

Instagram:                               @ leamprov

Meetup:                                  https://www.meetup.com/leamprov/

And Finally finish this sentence – ‘you should see our show at Brighton Fringe because….

It’s very, very silly, and it’s different every time!