Tell us about :

Your latest improv show:

We’re a group that has come together to explore several questions about the relationship between Artificial Intelligence, specifically Large Language Models (LLMs) and improvised performance. Can LLMs inspire art? In what ways might they be better than humans? In what ways are they worse? What are the opportunities? What are the difficulties?Electric Sheep Tales is an improvised show we’ve developed for the AI Arts Festival. It’s based on the Armando, a long-form improv format created by Armando Diaz, Adam McKay, and Dave Koechner in 1995 at iO Chicago.

When performing the Armando in the traditional way, an audience suggestion inspires a human monologist to tell a true, personal story, which is used to inspire scenes. When we perform, one monologue is given by a cast member, and the other by an LLM. The result is that every scene and every show is unique to that performance!Afterwards, we are inviting the audience to discuss it all with the performers and a panel – we expect some interesting questions and conclusions!

Your favourite suggestion you have been given?

The cast have shared some brilliant stories about adventures in a Cathedral, and childhood memories of cricket commentary. From the AI we’ve had some very strange stories including one about a delicious cheeseburger found in a warehouse! In the end, it will be interesting to see who has the better understanding of the suggestions – the cast or the LLM! In either case, there are always plenty of juicy details to spark the starts of scenes, if you listen carefully enough. We are going to make good use of our A-to-C thinking, in which ‘A’ is the shiny thing we’ve collected from the monologue, skip the first thing that occurs to us (“B”) use “C” a third idea, when initiating our scenes. It’s a great way to add variety.

Your favourite venue to perform at:

The St Denys Boat Club in Southampton is our current den. It’s a nice big room with plenty of space to move.

Improv hero:

Damian (Director): Chris Mead is a fantastic improviser, amazing teacher, and lovely person. He runs a range of improv classes at nearby Farnham (as well as teaching in London and overseas). If you get the chance to train with him, please do!

Stuart (Host, Cast): Steve Roe. Hoopla Impro is where I started my improv life. I could not wish for a better birth.

Dream venue to play at:

Stuart: I’ve always had a thing about the Royal Albert Hall

Damian: At Southampton Improv Community we’ve been training together for a while, but The Arc, Winchester will be our first public performance: We would love to take a show to the nearby Maskers Theatre, though.

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

Damian: It’s important to be excited and proud to perform with your team-mates . There’s a feeling of anticipation in waiting to see what the prompt is going to be, and joy at the opportunity to share what we create.

Stuart: I love the energy you receive from the audience.

The hardest improv suggestion to perform and why:

Stuart: I’m not a purist. You don’t need to take the first suggestion you hear.

Damian: Ideas that are abstract or obscure. We’re a diverse team so it’s easy for references to be missed by one or more players, though there’s an argument that this isn’t always important in improv.

Essential items you always take with you to a show?

Damian: A clock so we can keep to time!

Stuart: Copies of Keith Johnstone’s Impro, Improvisation at the Speed of Life: The TJ & Dave Book and The Upright Citizens Brigade Comedy Improvisation Manual to refer to if we get stuck.

Describe your fans in three words:

Stuart: Love you Mum.

Damian: Reading this now?

What we can look forward to from you this year:

We’ll be performing at The Arc, Winchester, as part of University of Southampton AI Arts Festival 2026 on 22 March at 2.10pm.And follow us on Facebook for plenty of opportunities to enjoy the fun of improv!

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