NEWS

London 50 Hour Comedy Improvathon – Pleasance Theatre

Spectacular, Spectacular!   And it is sure to be a spectacular weekend of improvisation if previous events are anything to go by.  Whether you love improv and wish to immerse yourself in the whole weekend, or if you wish to dip your toe into a pool of new experiences, then this is for you!

Each year the creative team invent a new idea for this double marathon of none stop improvising, inviting the best in the world to take part in the whole event if they dare, or they may choose to perform in a few episodes.  Adam Meggido and Ali James act as director, with Su Young Shon assisting, steering this improvising tanker through some choppy seas – lifejackets may be needed, but they have never not brought the tanker home, safely into dock.

This year, the Pleasance Theatre, Islington will play host to this mega event, it will be transformed into a Parisian club the ‘Roulin Mouge’, and with players from ‘Showstopper!’, ‘The School of Night’, ‘The Comedy Store Players’, ‘Mischief Theatre’ and ‘Austentatious’, plus international guests and more, it promises to be one of their best yet.  Also, accompanied by live music co-ordinated by music director Christopher Ash, ably supported by Craig Apps, Richard Baker, Pete Furniss, Sarah Morrison, Samuel Pena Alvarez, Joe Samuel, Duncan Walsh Atkins, and Ed Zanders. 

Taking on the challenge of performing the whole 50 hours are:  Seamus Allen, Ruth Bratt, Justin Brett, Jamie Cavanagh, Alan Cox, Dylan Emery, Charlotte Gittins, Sally Hodgkiss, Safia Lamrani, Mark Meer, John Oakes, and Uma Shakti – supported by a tag team of players, immersing themselves into the world of burlesque. 

Will any of them chance a 50-hour French accent?  Can they high kick a ‘Can-Can’?  Will their garter elastic last for 50-hours?  To answer these questions and more, come along to find out from the 4th April at 7pm all the way through until the 6th April at 9pm.

The event is divided into 25 episodes, so if a quick peep is what you require, then book a 2-hour episode, or a nightshift pass from 11pm until 7am, or why not just binge the whole 50-hours with a weekend pass – go on, you know you want to…

To book the London 50-Hour Comedy Improvathon which runs at the Pleasance Theatre, Islington, from the 4th-6th April 2025, go to – https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/london-50-hour-improvathon-2025-because-we-can-can-can

The London 50 Hour Improvathon 2024 – Photo: Clare Bilyard

Caroline Worswick

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