devising course
Use improvisation to develop scripts from scratch and develop them into awesome scripted shows.
Over this 8 week course you’ll be exploring a variety of different ways of using improvisation to create scripted comedy and theatre.
Devising involves creating a play or comedy show as a team but instead of sitting down and writing you’ll be up on your feet improvising, keeping the bits you like from each improvisation and then developing them further.
Scenes and characters you enjoy can become even deeper and richer through exploration and discovery as a team. And scenes and characters that didn’t work out the first time can be tinkered with and played with until they are something special.
Katy will be using devising techniques with you including writers room style, listing techniques, topical inspiration points, Second City inspired work, Pajama Men inspired work, improvised dialogue, repetition to find the comedy gold, making connections and more.
In-between workshops you’ll be taking scenes away to work on so improvisation and writing come together in perfect harmony.
Towards the end of the course you will come together as a team to create, rehearse and perform a brand new devised show.
Your teacher Katy Schutte is an expert in improv and devising. She has trained in improv and devising at Second City Chicago as well as improv iO Chicago, The Annoyance Theatre, UCB, The Magnet Theatre and more.
She is co-artistic director of award winning improv group The Maydays, as well as performing in science fiction improv show Project2.
Katy has successfully devised various shows throughout her career including her Ghostbusters themed musical “Who Ya Gonna Call?” which received rave reviews at 2013 and 2014 Edinburgh Fringe and left standing room only, her first solo theatre show I Have an Idea for a Film, and her award-nominated stand-up and storytelling show Schutte the Unromantic.
Katy has also written and performed in award winning satirical weekly sketch shows The Treason Show and News Revue.
She is currently performing her devised semi-immersive folk horror play entitled Let’s Summon Demons, featuring real witch craft!
Katy is now applying years of experience of improv and devising and applying them to this brand new course. As a director she’ll be helping you to spot what’s fun in your improv and help you turn that into devised masterpieces.
dates, time, location
Date: Every Tuesday for 8 weeks from Tuesday 9th April 2019, with show on Saturday 1st June 2019. BOOK NOW
Time: 7pm – 9:30pm.
Teacher: Katy Schutte.
Price: £200. Either payable all at once or with an initial payment of £100 followed by the remaining £100 once the course starts.
Venue: PQA Studios, 242 Pentonville Road, King’s Cross, London, N1 9JY.
Tube: King’s Cross.
Only suitable for people with previous long-form improv experience. If you haven’t got previous long-form experience it’s best to do our level 3 and level 4 improv course first.
Teaches the skills you’ll need to master scenes, stories and sketches in a relaxed environment.
If improvisation floats your boat you should head to Hoopla.
Hoopla's workshops are supportive and collaborative.
Inspiring. Everywhere you look, huge grins suggest an enthusiasm and an attentiveness that is rarely seen in a course.
The capital’s best improv. The UK’s first improv comedy club.
teacher Katy Schutte
Katy trained in improv at Second City and iO Chicago as well as with teachers from Annoyance, UCB, The Magnet Theatre and more.
She is a Funny Women finalist and winner of the Brighton Festival Fringe Best Comedy Show award.
She is co-artistic director of award winning improv group The Maydays. In 2014 Katy created Oh Boy! The Quantum Leap Show and also performs in The Mayday’s Tim Burton inspired show Happily Never After.
She performs and co-directs the sci-fi improv group Project2, including a recent successful run at The Rosemary Branch Theatre.
Katy performed in multiple seasons of the devised topical sketch shows The Treason Show and News Revue.
She also performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with her devised Ghostbusters themed musical “Who Ya Gonna Call?” which received rave reviews. She also made her first solo theatre show I Have an Idea for a Film at the Edinburgh Fringe.
She is half of the two woman long form show Katy and Rach, and plays in the Destination podcast and live shows.
She coaches long form teams and leads workshops in England, Europe and the States. Katy was one of the first people to teach the rest of the Hoopla team, and inspired us to create various shows.
She has toured with Fluxx, improvised musicals with Music Box and Baby Wants Candy and notably guested in the London and Liverpool Improvathons, Grand Theft Impro and Messing with a Friend.
Katy has recently been performing in Knightmare Live and her award-nominated stand-up and storytelling show Schutte the Unromantic.
She is currently performing her semi-immersive folk horror play entitled Let’s Summon Demons, featuring real witch craft!
topics
We’ll be covering a variety of topics and themes over the course, and also responding to the needs of the group.
- Improvising and devising.
- Spotting what’s fun in an improv scene and exploring it further.
- Exploring characters in greater depth.
- The Writers’ Room.
- Listing techniques.
- Satire.
- Second City inspired work.
- Pajama Men inspired work.
- Exploring improvised dialogue.
- Repetition to find the comedy gold.
- Making connections.
- Writing from improvisation.
- Rehearsing and polishing a final show.
You don’t need to have any knowledge of devising before starting the course, but will need previous improv experience.
faqs
What comes after this course?
We have a variety of other advanced improv courses that would be suitable.
Who is this suitable for?
People with previous long-form improv experience who want to learn and experiment with devising.
How much improv or acting should I have done before doing this course?
You should have done our Level 3 Improv Course and Level 4 Improv Course or a similar amount somewhere else. This course is not suitable for people new to improv.
Do I have to have any previous writing or devising experience?
No. You don't have to have any experience or knowledge of writing or devising, just previous improv experience.
What if I can’t make every week?
As we’re forming a team over the course to do performances at the end it’s best not to miss more than one session over the course. If you think you’ll miss more than one sessions over the course please wait until another time to do the course. You won’t be able to do the show if you miss more than two sessions.
What if I’m running late?
We’ll be starting each session at 7pm, and you may not be able to take part in the workshop if you arrive after 7:15pm. This is an advanced course and we’re trying to form a team, so please don’t book this course if you are likely to be late on a regular basis.
What’s the class size?
The group size is going to be limited to 15 people - small enough that you get lots and lots of practice and stage time, but big enough that there’s still a lively atmosphere in the workshop. It’ll be fun as we get to know each other and build a team together.
Where is the show?
Shows usually take place at our improv comedy club, at The Miller, 96 Snowsfields Road, London Bridge, SE1 3SS but we sometimes have to use other similar sized venues during busy seasons.
Do I have to perform in the show at the end?
No. The show is optional, and you’ll still get loads out of the course without doing the show.
Can I pay by instalments?
Yes. You can book and pay the £100 and pay the remaining £100 once the course starts.