Episodes
An improvised interview podcast. Every week Martina Minnow interviews a director about their upcoming film.
Along for the ride are our resident improvisers (Vicky Hawley & Rory Vieyra) who create scenes, clips, and cutaways based on the films being discussed.
However...
until she introduces them, only Martina knows the guests name and the name of their movie.
Jenni Hardwick (Cheryl Thwack) is a writer, editor and actor. She performs with Southside Players and immersive murder mystery company Play Dead London. She usually has a podcast in her ears and is always asking to look after her friends’ dogs.
@jenni_hardwick
Liv Long (Gabs Ball) is a comedy improviser and creator. She works with Hoopla Impro creating sketches, improvises with Michelle Impro - and anyone else who’ll have her. You can find her on Instagram or at The Miller in London Bridge most Friday or Saturday Nights.
@ohlivia
James Walsh (Lesley Whisper) is a comedy writer / performer, and budding improviser. He co-produces Next Level Sketch, a monthly sketch comedy podcast & live show at the Miller. He would like to visit every remaining Wimpy Bar in the country, and wants a dog.
@nextlevelsketch
James Witt (Clarence Buckle) is an actor, improviser and director. He was a founding member of Music Box Improv and Dreamweaver Quartet. He still directs and performs with the latter on a regular basis. He teaches various courses on improvisation for Hoopla Impro ranging from Beginners to advanced levels such as Satire, Panto and Musical Improv. His favourite role was playing Boris Johnson in Brexit the Musical.
@DreamweaverQRT @HooplaImpro
Liam Brennan (Bruce Bellows) is an improv comedian, writer and actor. He performs and teaches at Hoopla Impro, the UK’s first improv theatre and biggest comedy school. His improv workshops have been featured in The Times, The Guardian and The Evening Standard. He regularly performs with Hat Trick: The Improvised Sketch Show and Hoopla House Team Michelle.
Liam writes and produces sketches for 2 Dollar Sock Club and loves creating independent projects.
Instagram: @brenmiestergeneral Tiktok: @2dollarsockclub
Francesca Reid (Rosemary Ravine), as seen on E4, BBC3 & Comedy Central, is an actor/singer/comedian/improvisor/presenter/drag king. Graduating from East 15 Acting School she took her passion for clowning across the globe training in both the US & UK. She most recently had a wonderfully received (pre-pandemic) sell out run at London's Vault Festival of her first solo hour as the bawdy & ladish "Brent Would”. You can see her in solo shows or performing in her 2prov partnership "Franston Pickle", her drag king crew "The Bareback Kings" and quixotic musical improv team "Dreamweaver Quartet".
@Brentwouldd @Francescarenee3
Marty Sears (Rick Hardiman) is an animator, artist, and video editor, and has done 20 different Hoopla courses over the last 5 years. When he's having days off from improv, you're more than likely to find him painting portraits, playing board games, hosting poker nights, trying to get out of an escape room or creating the film posters for each and every episode for IMDp: Improvised Movie Director Podcast. In 2018 he created a word puzzle game app for smartphones called Word Fumble, featuring the voice acting talents of none other than Sabrina Luisi.
Lisa Lynn (Willow Chase) graduated in 2009 with a First Class Honours in Music Theatre and has been a performer ever since. Founder and Director of Acaprov, Co- Director of Multiverse and core member of MusicBox and Hell Yeah! The Show - Lisa also teaches improv for Hoopla, as well as teaching Acting to teenagers in her spare time. As an actor she won The Stage Award for Acting Excellence 2015 as well as several Hollywood Fringe Awards.
Adam Courting (Damon Ripley) is an unflinchingly curious actor, improviser, puppeteer, writer, and producer. He can often be found performing with the objectively wonderful all-Black improv troupe “Do The Right Scene” and occasionally browsing and liking random social media posts using the handle @adamcourting. If all goes to plan he'll be a fully qualified Forest School practitioner by the end of the year!
@DTRSComedy @adamcourting
Charlie Vero-Martin (Meredith Mountain) is a Scottish actor and comedian in London who has been performing improv for over 10 years with groups Blind Mirth, Glitch - The Improvised Puppet Show, Mike & Charlie and The Nursery's Boxed In. She has written for BBC Scotland, Radio 4, Hat Trick and Griff Rhys Jones as well as taking three solo character comedy shows to the Edinburgh Fringe. She teaches bespoke Improv For Business workshops: https://www.improvforbusinessuk.com
Twitter and Instagram @CharlieVMartin Facebook @CharlieVeroMartinComedy
Francesca Reid (Rosemary Ravine), as seen on E4, BBC3 & Comedy Central, is an actor/singer/comedian/improvisor/presenter/drag king. Graduating from East 15 Acting School she took her passion for clowning across the globe training in both the US & UK. She most recently had a wonderfully received (pre-pandemic) sell out run at London's Vault Festival of her first solo hour as the bawdy & ladish "Brent Would”. You can see her in solo shows or performing in her 2prov partnership "Franston Pickle", her drag king crew "The Bareback Kings" and quixotic musical improv team "Dreamweaver Quartet".
@Brentwouldd @Francescarenee3
James Walsh (Chuck Mountain) is a comedy writer / performer, and budding improviser. He co-produces Next Level Sketch, a monthly sketch comedy podcast & live show at the Miller. He would like to visit every remaining Wimpy Bar in the country, and wants a dog.
@nextlevelsketch
Ryan J Murphy (Charlie Boonsmith) is an improviser from London who has been performing since 2012. He’s performed shortform, longform and musical improv up and down the UK, including at the last 7 Edinburgh Festival Fringes, and internationally. Ryan performs in the Enid Blyton inspired show Bumper Blyton and improvised acapella musical Acaprov. Find him eagerly shouting out answers at a quiz or whipping up a pavlova.
Twitter: @RyanJMurphy
Anjali Singh (Roxy Barnaby) is a Brighton-based writer, performer and improviser. Her performing career can be accurately described as 'bits and bobs' including being in a short-lived sketch duo called Pickled Lily, performing as anarchic drag king heartthrob Amir Bhoy and becoming the Runner-Up Alternative Queen of Reading with a three-minute musical about a young alien grappling with the male gaze. As an improviser she's been a member of the Staccatos and Bandana, and is currently in Loose Seuss, a kids' show 'at' the Hideout Theatre in Austin, Texas, of all places.
Rebecca MacMillan (Sylvia Swank) is a founding member of The Maydays, and also plays with Impromptu Shakespeare, The Adventures of the Improvised Sherlock Holmes and Steamed! The Improvised Dickens Novel. She has been performing and teaching improv theatre and comedy in the UK - and beyond - for over 15 years.
Charlie Vero-Martin (Meredith Mountain) is a Scottish actor and comedian in London who has been performing improv for over 10 years with groups Blind Mirth, Glitch - The Improvised Puppet Show, Mike & Charlie and The Nursery's Boxed In. She has written for BBC Scotland, Radio 4, Hat Trick and Griff Rhys Jones as well as taking three solo character comedy shows to the Edinburgh Fringe. She teaches bespoke Improv For Business workshops: https://www.improvforbusinessuk.com
Twitter and Instagram @CharlieVMartin Facebook @CharlieVeroMartinComedy
Andrew Gentilli (Trevor O'Flynn) teaches and performs improv in BEINGS (@BEINGSImprov), Music Box (@MusicBoxImprov) and The Inflatables. He is also a filmmaker, artist and voice actor.
RJ Williams (Felix Thorn) is a performer, coach, and cup of awesome from Dallas, TX. He performs Hip Hop/Musical Improv with North Coast, and Baby Wants Candy and is on a house team at The Peoples Improv Theater. Additionally, RJ has performed around the US and Europe. If smiles were currency, RJ would be rich.
Doug Dunn (Sebastian Gale) is an actor, writer and director who did a degree at RADA and then promptly did nothing for half a decade. He has recently returned to the theatre scene working with Southside Players, KDC Theatre and Play Dead London. He co-hosts a regular podcast, ‘You and Me’ with previous IMDp guest Rachel Lucy Smith. He likes canapés that he didn’t pay for and toast. @dog_den
Victoria Hogg (Lavender Twist) is an applied improviser and director of The Offer Bank. Based in Brighton, she works online with all kinds of groups and company settings. Vic is part of DDG Improv: a free weekly online jam whose sixth birthday is in February.
Edmund Fargher (Argyle Cranston) is an improviser and actor originally from Suffolk. Discovering improv after training and working as a filmmaker, he is a member of tenured improv troupe The Maydays (themaydays.co.uk). As an actor, he has appeared on Keith Lemon: Coming in America on ITV, comedy sketches on BBCThree and is in the process of writing and performing in web series Sideliners (sidelinersseries.co.uk.) edmundfargher.com @edmundfargher
Hugh Edwards (Jack Raven) is an actor, improvisor, musician and teacher from South London. He trained with Monkey Toast in the UK and at iO Chicago, and currently performs with Amorphous Horse, Acaprov and Track96. Hugh is also the Director Of Theatre at Reigate Grammar School in Surrey, and runs the Reigate Comedy Festival. @HughEdwardsReal @track96 @acaprovmusical @AmorphousHorse
Jo Tanner (Harriet Thistle) is an actor from Birmingham, who started out by studying improvisation and comedy with Hoopla when she first moved to London. Over the last 14 years Jo has played various roles in local theatre, film, stand up and most recently in Play Dead London’s Murder mysteries both online and in person.
Chris Mead (Marcus Entwhistle) is a UK-based performer and theatre-maker who teaches and coaches improvisation in London and around the world. He studied theatre at Royal Holloway College, University of London and improvisation at iO and The Annoyance Theatre in Chicago. Chris is co-artistic director of The Nursery Theatre, a space in London dedicated to improv as a theatrical art form. He is a member of the internationally-renown ensemble The Maydays, one third of sci-fi collective Project2 and recently co-founded Unmade Theatre Co to pursue new projects as a director and performer. Chris is also the host of YesBot, a podcast about the theory and craft of improv. @mrchrismead. mrchrismead.com https://theimprov.place
Edmund Fargher (Franklin Fairburn) is an improviser and actor originally from Suffolk. Discovering improv after training and working as a filmmaker, he is a member of tenured improv troupe The Maydays (themaydays.co.uk). As an actor, he has appeared on Keith Lemon: Coming in America on ITV, comedy sketches on BBCThree and is in the process of writing and performing in web series Sideliners (sidelinersseries.co.uk.) edmundfargher.com @edmundfargher
Monica Gaga (Tabitha Flutterby) is a British-born black African queer improviser, facilitator, host, and scripted actor and performer.
She trained in Community Theatre at East 15 Acting School, and her boundless love for improv stems from time spent at Second City in Chicago.
When she is not performing, hosting or teaching, Monica is championing diversity, inclusion and equity in improv and trying to get as many people, particularly POC, involved as possible.
Monica is based in London, UK. www.monicagaga.com
Andrew Gentilli (Fredrick Von Klink) teaches and performs improv in BEINGS (@BEINGSImprov), Music Box (@MusicBoxImprov) and The Inflatables. He is also a filmmaker, artist and voice actor.
Ryan J Murphy (Charlie Boonsmith) is an improviser from London who has been performing since 2012. He’s performed shortform, longform and musical improv up and down the UK, including at the last 7 Edinburgh Festival Fringes, and internationally. Ryan performs in the Enid Blyton inspired show Bumper Blyton and improvised acapella musical Acaprov. Find him eagerly shouting out answers at a quiz or whipping up a pavlova.
Twitter: @RyanJMurphy
Rachel Lucy Smith (Diane Dynasty) Drama and theatre teacher by day, shaping the minds of future generations by sharing her passion for the arts. Actor and writer for immersive murder mystery theatre company, Play Dead London, by night. Rachel also co-hosts podcast You and Me 2020. She loves her dog Bobbi, all the music, and making gains in the gym.
Twitter: @starsbyRachel. Instagram: @starsagain
Russ Morgan (David Dynamite) is a London-based improviser that has learned from some outstanding Improv organisations including Hoopla, The Nursery, The Maydays, Northcoast, and of course BIP. Russ is a founding member of Buffet Improv and hip hop improv team Track 96. He has performed across the UK and loves all things improv!
Steve Roe (Roger Rhinehart) is Director of Hoopla Impro. Hoopla have online classes, shows and jams starting in January and hopefully back in real life as soon as possible. The peak of his performing career was the GCSE devised play Vietnam! Death! Now!
@hooplaimpro hooplaimpro.com
The IMDp Team: @improvmoviepod
Sabrina Luisi (Martina Minnow) is in Hoopla House team Michelle, acapella improvised musical group Acaprov, improvised musical narrative group Multiverse and long form team Buffet. Sabrina is also an actor and writer in immersive online murder mystery group, Play Dead London. She loves Eastenders, refrigerated Curly Wurlys, and has three accents she uses on rotation in improv shows.
Twitter: @sabrinaluisi Instagram: @sabrina.luisi
Vicky Hawley (Resident Improviser) is an improviser, comedian and storyteller who regularly performs with groups including Chortle Award winning Jericho Comedy, Edinburgh sellout Bumper Blyton, and internationally touring improv musical Multiverse. Vicky is also a professional DM, the host of D&D liveplay podcast Vicky's World, and a regular player on Sasha Ellen's Character Building Experience.
Twitter: @vichawley Instagram: @vic.hawley
Rory Vieyra (Resident Improviser) is an improviser and Actor who regularly performs with Music Box Improv, Acaprov and The Inflatables in London and abroad. He also teaches improv with Hoopla Impro and performs in immersive Murder Mystery group Play Dead London. He loves Cinnanmon Buns, Dolly Parton and Ancient Greece. He know his impressions are bad but refuses to stop.
Instagram & Facebook: @roryvieyra
Monica Gaga (Resident Improviser) is a British-born black African queer improviser, facilitator, host, and scripted actor and performer.
She trained in Community Theatre at East 15 Acting School, and her boundless love for improv stems from time spent at Second City in Chicago.
When she is not performing, hosting or teaching, Monica is championing diversity, inclusion and equity in improv and trying to get as many people, particularly POC, involved as possible.
Monica is based in London, UK. www.monicagaga.com
Ryan J Murphy (Resident Improviser) is from London and has been performing since 2012. He’s performed shortform, longform and musical improv up and down the UK, including at the last 7 Edinburgh Festival Fringes, and internationally. Ryan performs in the Enid Blyton inspired show Bumper Blyton and improvised acapella musical Acaprov. Find him eagerly shouting out answers at a quiz or whipping up a pavlova.
Twitter: @RyanJMurphy
Adam Courting (Resident Improviser) is an unflinchingly curious actor, improviser, puppeteer, writer, and producer. He can often be found performing with the objectively wonderful all-Black improv troupe “Do The Right Scene” and occasionally browsing and liking random social media posts using the handle @adamcourting. If all goes to plan he'll be a fully qualified Forest School practitioner by the end of the year!
@DTRSComedy @adamcourting
Steve Tanner (Producer/Editor) is Director of 4Foot1Films. He creates and edits video content for theatre productions and regularly collaborates with Hoopla Impro to edit their sketches. He runs Make A Movie Club, filmmaking workshops for kids, and is also an actor with immersive online murder mystery group, Play Dead London.
Instagram @4foot1films
Marty Sears (Resident Illustrator) is an animator, artist, and video editor, and has done 20 different Hoopla courses over the last 5 years. When he's having days off from improv, you're more than likely to find him painting portraits, playing board games, hosting poker nights, or trying to get out of an escape room. In 2018 he created a word puzzle game app for smartphones called Word Fumble, featuring the voice acting talents of none other than Sabrina Luisi.