Hi I’m Charlie. And from November onwards I have found myself in the privileged position to be able to run weekly Improv sessions in Cardiff with the help of NTW TEAM. For me, the core of Improv is the stories, how do we make stories, what makes them interesting, why is one story more engaging than another. On the other side Improv is a chance to be children again. Terribly sort of clichéd, I know, but as adults we are complicated, stubborn, and obsessed with this need to feel entirely original. And sometimes trying to be original from everybody else is just plain silly, as being like everybody else is what allows us to connect with one another. I’d like to share a brief passage from The Improv Handbook by Tom Salinsky and Deborah Frances-White which I think sums it all up nicely:

‘As adult, we’ve already decided what we’re good at and what we’re bad at, and we only want to have turns at things we’re already good at. We’ve met lots of people who’ve told us they can’t draw but none of them were seven. All children think they’re brilliant artists and want their drawings displayed on the refrigerator. As adults, even if we secretly think we can draw, we hide our sketches away under our bed: “Don’t look at those – they’re just some silly things I was doodling.” The thing is, we we’re all those children. We believed we were great artists, we sang and danced when we were happy and acted out cops and robbers for hours. No one ever stopped and said: “I’m not a very good robber. I’ve run out of ideas. I think I need to research my character.” We always had endless ideas. Endless positivity. Endless faith in our own talent.’

So if you’re interested in taking part email me at charliemhammond@gmail.com. We start November 6^th, 7-9, at St. Peter’s Community Hall, which is just around the corner from St. Peter’s Catholic Church, St. Peter’s Street, Cardiff, CF24 3BA (on the corner of Richmond Road). Places are limited and this needs dedication. If you are unable to attend on a weekly basis it becomes incredibly difficult to produce a group dynamic. Also, the more turns you take in exercises and the more you fail, the more you’ll learn. If you come and you’re amazing at everything, they’ll be nothing to teach. So come suck at something with a smile on your face.