Birmingham Improv Festival: Workshop led by Heather Urquhart and Jules Munns

Improv for Tricksters

There aren’t any rules, but you can still break them.

Improv thrives on a balance of order and chaos. We need a little order to know what the scene is about, who is in it and where it is going. But then what do we want? Often the joyous chaos of an improviser just saying and doing whatever they feel*. And this is where the trickster thrives. Both a dupe and con artist, an idiot and a sage, the trickster says and does what should not be said and done. They break the fourth wall, invert the exercise and undo everyone else’s careful work. And they are so much fun to watch.

Inspired by the Shakespearean fool, classic cartoons and the idea that everything new comes from ignoring something old, this course I’d inspired by the festival of the Lord of Misrule and asks you to come dance with him in the moonlight. Unleash a simple and vivid way of playing.

*Within reason.

Heather Urquhart and Jules Munns of AndAlso Improv

Heather originally trained in physical theatre and went on to study improvisation at Chicago’s I.O and Annoyance theatres. She improvises with the Olivier award-winning ‘Showstopper! The Improvised Musical’, ‘Blues Hammer’ – an improvised blues show with the legendary Joe Bill, and London’s premier all-female improv team ‘Yes Queens‘. Heather also co-wrote a book on the subject of musical improvisation called ‘Sing it!’ with Maydays colleague and BFF Joe Samuel.

Heather was winner of the award for best female performer in the Brighton Fringe & of the Argus Angel Award for artistic excellence. In a previous life she wanted to front an indie band and has been a vocalist with the Mercury music prize nominated Electric Soft Parade and improvised many a concept album with Fred Deakin of Lemon Jelly.

Jules started improvising while studying at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where he was a member of now-defunct group the Improsarios. After graduating, he was a founder member of the Nursery, where he was Artistic Director for over a decade. During that time, he ran the Nursery Theatre, Broadgate as well as the house team and corporate training programmes. He also co-created Slapdash, London’s first international improv festival.

Jules directed the first run of Impromptu Shakespeare and is still a cast member. He also performs with the Maydays, both in Brighton and with their touring show, Happily Never After.