Welcome to the feature which we are going to feature ever so often as part of Improv Corner. Ever so often, we are going to talk to improv acts about some of their favourite things about the comedy form. Today we are speaking to the Free Association group St Doctor’s Hospital, if you want to find out more about them and their up and coming shows then please click here. Today we find out all about their favourite things.

What is your Favourite:

Improv style

We’re a long-form narrative comedy show, so it’s got to be that. We wouldn’t recommend improvising any medical procedures.

Show by another improv act

We have so much love and adoration for our FA stablemates like Episodes, Minority Report and 666 Hell Lane.  

Film or television show

There’s too many medical films and TV shows to keep on top of. So to avoid a busman’s holiday, we like to unwind with something where there’s no illness or injuries at all, like a disaster movie.

Venue to perform at

We cherish our home above The De Beauvoir Arms in East London, but love taking our shows to central London venues like 21Soho and Soho Theatre, and of course touring outside the capital whenever we can.

Way to wind down

Like all Doctors, we sleep.

Way to warm up 

It can get pretty steamy in the improvised operating theatre, such is the sheer passion and tension at St Doctor’s Hospital. That keeps us pretty hot.

Suggestion

We’ve yet to get the improv-classic spatula, even though it very clearly could be a surgical implement in a pinch.

Memory of a show

Taking the show to Soho Theatre was one of the best nights of our lives (and several of us are married). We loved our 5 week run at The Free Association in 2022 and treasured being able to do the show night-after-night.

Part of rehearsing a show

The cast watched industrial quantities of medical tv dramas in prep from Grey’s to ER to New Amsterdam and everything in-between. Don’t get Shaun started on the fantastical shenanigans in Chicago Med: they literally do open heart surgery on a panda from the Chicago Zoo in one episode.

Thing about performing 

We can hardly believe that running around pretending to be a Doctor could be as much fun as it is, and we’re absolutely sure our parents are as proud of us as they would be if we were real Doctors.

Quote

“A patient once said they’d broken their leg in two places. I told them to stop going to those places!” But seriously, they were very injured and a long-road to recovery ahead of them.

Thing about the improv  industry at the moment

It’s an incredibly exciting time for UK improv at the moment. We have an incredible, passionate and increasingly diverse community of students and performers, and are seeing improv taking its rightful place among other theatre and comedy artforms in major venues.

Thing about this year so far?

Hey, at least it’s not 2020!

If you are an improvisers or want your improv troupe to feature get in contact by emailing us at phoenixremixcomedy@gmail.com