Lee Simpson at Hoopla
Lee Simpson from The Comedy Store Players and Improbable is teaching a course with Hoopla!!!
“What do they of improv know who only improv know?”
Adapted from the original quote by CLR James.
To be better improvisers, Lee believes we need to look beyond improv and develop a greater understanding and practice in theatre.
Staging, atmosphere, structure, focus, definition, beats, subtext, voice, physicality, rhythm, ensemble, all these (and more) separate the good improviser from the great performer and the good improv group from the brilliant ensemble. To really get stuck into these techniques we need to learn from theatre and also go back to the theatre beginnings of impro in the UK with Keith Johnstone at The Royal Court (and there aren’t many places more theatre-y than that).
This course will work on improvisation as theatre and theatre as improvisation. Everything we do will relate directly to what you do on the improv stage, although we might have to visit some unfamiliar places to get there.
Lee has been making theatre and performing improv for 40 years. He is a member of the Comedy Store Players and a co-founder and Co-Artistic Director of Improbable, an internationally renowned theatre company.
dates, time, location
Dates: Every Wednesday for 8 weeks from Wednesday 26th March 2025. SOLD OUT
Time: 7pm – 9pm each week.
Price: £245. Either payable all at once or with £100 at time of booking and £145 when the course starts.
Teacher: Lee Simpson with guest teacher on one week.
Workshop Location: Theatre Delicatessen Studios, 107 Leadenhall Street, London, EC3A 4AF.
Tube: Bank or Liverpool Street.
Please note this course is only suitable for experienced improvisers. You should have at least done our Level 4 Long-Form Course or an equivalent somewhere else.
Lee Simpson
Lee has been making theatre and performing improv for 40 years. He is a member of the Comedy Store Players and a co-founder and Co-Artistic Director of Improbable, an internationally renowned theatre company.
He has been around long enough to have improvised with a lot of people in a lot of places including Paul Merton’s Impro Chums, Austentatious, Omelette Broadcasting, Grand Theft Impro, The National Theatre, The Globe, off-Broadway and the London Palladium.
He has been director, devisor, writer or performer for Improbable’s productions of Animo, 70 Hill Lane, Coma, Lifegame, Cinderella, Sticky, Spirit, The Hanging Man, The Stars Are Out Tonight (with Amici), Theatre of Blood, Satyagraha, Panic, No Idea, The Still, Still No Idea The Paper Man, An Improbable Musical and most recently Perfect Show for Rachel.
Lee started improvising in 1979 when his English teacher read “Impro” by Keith Johnstone and, in lunchtime Drama Club, they worked through every exercise in the book. He’s been performing and teaching impro since then.
He’s also been a croupier, cinema projectionist and breakfast show DJ.
His real name is Len.
topics
Lee will be teaching a selection of themes, topics and influences from the list below. Lee won’t be doing all these topics, as he will adapt the course to suit the group.
- Improv fundamentals.
- The joy of theatricality.
- Melodrama.
- Michael Chekhov.
- Status Work.
- Keith Johnstone.
- Physicality in staging and characterisation.
- The voice in staging and characterisation.
- Jeremy Whelans Tape Technique.
- The emotional geography of the stage.
- Allowing the audience to experience the emotion.
- Performance as an invitational practice.
- Viola Spolin.
- Beyond “Yes, and…”
- Building atmospheres on stage.
- Big life moments.
- Brave (obvious) narrative choices.
- Emotional through line.
- Arnold and Amy Mindell Process Work.
- Simon Sinek Golden Circle.
- Communicating beyond the footlights.
faqs
Who is this suitable for?
Experienced improvisers with previous long-form experience who want to learn some new skills from one of the best improvisers in the UK.
How much improv or acting should I have done before doing this course?
You should have done at least our Level 4 Long-Form Course, or a similar amount of improv or acting somewhere else. This course is not suitable for people totally new to improv or acting.
What comes after this course?
We have a variety of other advanced improv courses that would be suitable.
What if I can't make each week?
This is an advanced course and each week will be building on the work of previous weeks. Please don't book this course if you can't make all the workshops.
What if I’m running late?
We’ll be starting each session at 7pm. 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?
Our workshops usually have an average of 14 people.
Is there an end of course show?
Not on this course because we wanted to concentrate on new skills and themes from Lee and thought an additional show format on top of this would be distracting. However we are happy to help people find performing opportunities including many at our improv comedy club.
Can I pay by instalments?
Yes. You can pay half at time of booking and half once the course starts, please see details at top of page.