The Improverts is animprovisational comedy troupe from theEdinburgh University Theatre Company, which primarily performs at theBedlam Theatre,Edinburgh. They perform weekly duringEdinburgh University's term time and every night during theEdinburgh Festival Fringe.[1]
The Edinburgh University Theatre Company's improvised comedy troupe now known as The Improverts was founded in Edinburgh in 1989 by Canadian-born Toph Marshall.[2] He named itTheatresports after the form of competitive improvisation developed by directorKeith Johnstone inCalgary, Alberta,Canada in 1976. As the show grew in popularity the name was changed, during theEdinburgh Festival Fringe, (for copyright reasons) toImpro-Vegetables and then finally, in the 90s, toThe Improverts. The Improverts was adopted as a permanent, year-round name from September 1997 onwards.[3]
Since the show's inception it has kept theBedlam Theatre as its primary performance space, running weekly duringEdinburgh University's term time and then at theEdinburgh Fringe. Each year new players are recruited largely, though not exclusively, from the student population though every player must be a member of the Edinburgh University Theatre Company. The troupe provides free weekly workshops in improvisation for the general public in order to attract new talent to the group.[citation needed]
Carrying on the teachings ofKeith Johnstone, the show's format has changed over time, but stayed within the short-formsketch mould similar to TV'sWhose Line is it Anyway?.[citation needed]
During term time, the Improverts play weekly at Bedlam Theatre,[4] and hold weekly free improvisation workshops for the general public.[citation needed]
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