All this month we are talking to acts that are performing at the Liverpool Improv Festival which takes place between Thursday the 24th – Sunday the 27th of April 2025. Today we speak to Wing It Impro.

Tell us about:

Your latest improv show for Liverpool Improv Festival? 

The concept for ‘Taxi Tales’ originated from my frequent taxi journeys. Disliking silence, I often turned these trips into informal interviews, curious to learn from the drivers. This sparked an interest in fleeting, shared conversations between strangers who might never meet again, where truth and fiction could intertwine. I then delved into existing artistic works – plays, films, music, and novels – that explored similar dynamics, using them as inspiration to develop my approach.

‘Taxi Tales’ is a series of improvised interactions between taxi drivers and passengers, staged over a single night. Unlike traditional improvised theatre, which relies on audience suggestions, I act as the ‘cab controller,’ providing prompts and making editorial choices. This curated spontaneity reveals authentic glimpses into the characters’ lives, showcasing their loves, fears, and eccentricities – the full spectrum of human experience. It’s akin to a traditional play but created in the moment.

For LIF 2025, I will collaborate with 16 international and national performers over two days. We will form two ensembles, performing ‘Taxi Tales’ on Friday and Saturday.

Friday team: 

Sophie Appleby, Diana Brown, Lucy Fiori, David Gregg, Jen Hardy, Deirdre Lynskey, Chris Mead, Samuel Pownall and Anthony Saldana. 

Saturday team: 

Michael Ananins, Annabel Edmonds, Jen Hardy, Karen Hughes, Adrià Lerma, Hal Munger, Owen Scrivens, Sash Steele and Josie Throup.

Your favourite suggestion you have been given?

We were playing fishbowl, a game where the audience writes scene prompts. When I pulled out a slip of paper with ‘BLUE’ emblazoned in bold letters, we were momentarily stumped. However, we decided to run with it, and the resulting scene was extraordinary. The brilliance of the prompt was its non-literal quality, giving us ample room to interpret and creatively play with the concept of ‘BLUE’.

# Your favourite venue to perform at:

Bradford’s ‘Theatre in the Mill’ holds a special place for me. I’ve performed there often, and the space’s distinctive challenges—far from being obstacles—become catalysts. They demand a unique approach, resulting in performances that are always deeply connected to that specific space and audience.

# Improv hero:

Though John Thies is no longer with us, his teachings, alongside those of Todd Stashwick from the legendary New York improv company ‘Burn Manhattan,’ continue to shape my approach. John gave me a transformative understanding of ‘talking’ my story, empowering me to connect with audiences by sharing authentic emotional narratives, both joyful and painful.

My improv highlight is still the two prov show that they did together in their venue called ‘The Hothouse’ in Los Angeles. The fluidity and connection they had together gave me chills and still lives long in my memory. Two improvisers at the top of their game. 

# Dream venue to play at:

A spaceship would be very cool. But back on earth it would be ‘Wiltons music hall’ in London. An amazing space, full of character and history. 

# Describe the feeling you get when you walk on stage to do a show:

A deep calm resides within me now, a stark contrast to my past. Now, I delight in the spontaneity of improv, collaborating to shape stories in real-time. The awareness that we’re building a unique, shared experience with the audience, one that will never be replicated, is something I deeply value.

# The hardest improv suggestion to perform and why:

Early on especially in short form improv it would be the ‘gynaecologist’. Why this always came up is odd, however we would always flip the idea e.g., the gynaecologist on their day off or something else.

# Essential items you always take with you to a show?

I call it a ‘costume,’ but it’s really just a different outfit. It’s crucial that the audience encounters a different version of me after the show. These clothes are a subtle yet powerful tool, allowing me to release the day’s burdens and step into a new emotional space—a second skin.

# Describe your fans in three words:

Experimental, intelligent, funny

# What we can look forward to from you this year: 

My current show, ‘Story Forge: Make Your Own Myth,’ is on a 43-date UK national tour, concluding in Autumn 2025. Following that, I’ll be co-creating ‘Story Balls’ with Freya Parker, a collaboration I’m thrilled about. I’m also actively pursuing opportunities to teach and direct in Europe, a long-held ambition.

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