Our story
Improv Queensland (formerly known as ‘ImproMafia’) was founded in 2004 with the goal of creating and sharing the joy of improvised performance and unscripted theatre. From our humble beginnings on pub stages, we've grown to become a well-loved part of Brisbane’s improv scene that performs in local and international festivals.
We live and breathe improv, and we hope this passion is reflected in the energy and enthusiasm that we bring to each and every performance and classroom.
Our achievements
20+ years of entertaining Brisbane audiences.
Teaching thousands of students how to improvise.
Producing shows in the Brisbane Comedy Festival, Sydney Fringe Festival, North Australian Festival of Arts, Manila Improv Festival, Melt Festival of Queer Arts and Culture, the Anywhere Festival (and many more).
Running the annual Queensland Youth Theatresports Competition.
Creating award winning shows such as Murder at the Bowlo, How to seduce a dragon, and Rock Pigs.
Gaining the rights to perform Theatresports in Brisbane.
Our team
Our team have decades of experience performing and teaching improvisation around Queensland and the world.
Our company consists of an auditioned ensemble made up of some of Australia’s most talented and dedicated improvisers. We also have an associates program which is a dedicated year long training program focused on building the skills of new improvisers. Many of the associates have historically gone on to join the ensemble.
We also seek to encourage new talent and experience with an active training program and our social theatresports club.
Our artistic vision
Our goal is to push the boundaries of improvisation and see what we can create that is unique, exciting and playful. We love to create everything from raucous comedy shows in a pub to immersive interactive shows and thoughtful, dramatic works.
This might mean a 1980s murder mystery set in a suburban bowlo, a bawdy interactive romantasy adventure or a big comedic Theatresports competition. Whatever the show, we want audiences to see something they couldn’t see anywhere else.
Our approach to teaching
Our philosophy is to help students discover their own creative voice. We aim to create a generous environment in which students can try new things and get things wrong. Our classes try to balance support with critical feedback designed to develop your skills.
While our approach is grounded in the work of Keith Johnstone, we encourage students to find their own use for the work which we teach and to create the kind of work they want to create.
