London, 16th of June 2026

👋 Greetings, dear readers.

You caught me packing my suitcase. Tomorrow I’m going to visit Bulgaria for the first time, which has me incredibly excited. I’m going to facilitate an improv workshop and a Level 2 Playback Theatre weekend intensive for the community of Varna, by the shores of the Black Sea. 🧳🙂

The other day I was talking with a friend about how cult-like anything can become, something that becomes even more apparent during gatherings or festivals. No matter the activity, whenever there’s a community sharing something, it always rises the “hahaha we are a cult” joke.

Improv and Playback Theatre are no exceptions, and I bet that you’ve heard this in your community. It’s a joke because no one actually thinks it is, simply because it lacks two key ingredients: someone who exploits and controls the members of the community and/or their opinions for personal gain, and people (like Olivia Newton-John’s Sandy) hopelessly devoted to them.

I still haven’t met anyone with the mind-control skills you need to become a cult leader within the improv or Playback Theatre communities. Of course, you can find examples of malpractice within both communities. You might find examples when it comes to using notoriety or a position of power to shape a global opinion or even date members of the community. By the way, not all men, but always a man.

We can also find people in the opposite role, those who seem to be constantly involved in the community, making you wonder about their personal life outside of it, and if they even have one. I’m not judging, though. Anyone is entitled to use their time as they please, and their commitment is their way of finding that personal life. Balance is healthy though.

Who’s a leader within a community based on art forms that are about making stuff up in the moment anyway? When it comes to that role, it’s normal to flock around those with the most expertise, who tend to be seen as 'gurus.'

While its meaning is linked to a positive connotation, the Western version of the culturally appropriated term 'guru' is normally associated with power rather than expertise, it’s what we call to someone prominent in a field regardless of how and why they have achieved that prominence.

It’s normal to find examples of this red-flag-worthy 'guruism' in both improv and Playback Theatre, more likely in the former, although you can certainly find examples in the latter. Symptoms can be mild and are mostly displayed in the form of entitlement.

This topic came to mind after a friend recently told me about someone misusing Playback Theatre in a harmful way, recruiting people who were completely oblivious to both the practice and the background of this self-imbued authority.

So, if you are looking for someone to look up to and learn from, do a quick background check and contrast them with other sources of expertise.

Never follow anyone blindly!

Love to you all. 🫶

🎭 The Theatre bit

Due to my background in Theatre in Education, every now and then I like to read plays oriented towards young audiences, normally plays that aim to appeal to them by showing struggles they can relate to.

It’s very difficult to write this kind of play without falling into the cringe of an adult trying to speak the language of teenagers, giving off the exact same vibes as that Steve Buscemi meme.

So, I’m glad I found Monopatins (Skaters) a play written by Valencian playwright and teacher Manuel Molins.

Molins shies away from patronizing language in this story about a teenager passionate about skating, David, and a headteacher, Sara. Through a series of dialogues and powerful monologues, the play tackles the way adults communicate with teenagers and vice versa.

The action takes place over several months, during which time we get to know the characters while they get to know each other, navigating different flavors of loneliness. The play gets quite dark before reaching a satisfying resolution.

As a point of interest, this play from 2005 requires the young actor portraying David to actually perform skate stunts on a half-pipe built on stage. It must have been quite an experience to see it live! The published script even includes an annex with skate-related lingo that explains the different tricks mentioned in the play using diagrams. This annex was developed with the help of actual teenage skaters who are credited in the text. Kudos to Molins for including the young ones in the process.

📆 What is coming up

• 🇧🇬 20th-21st of June - Level 2 Playback Theatre Training (Varna, Bulgaria). Excited for going to Bulgaria for the first time to deliver my “Honouring Stories with your Voice” intensive. Looking forward to meeting the Playback Theatre community in Varna. Info here.

• 🇬🇧 10th of July - Acaprov at Shoreditch Balls (London, UK). Stranded in the city with no holidays? So are we! Come and have musical fun with us. Get your tickets.

• 🇬🇧 14th of August - Acaprov at Shoreditch Balls (London, UK). August tends to be a void for those staying in the city, why not filling it with fun and music? Join us for a good time. Tickets here.

• 🇬🇧 11th of September - Acaprov at Shoreditch Balls (London, UK). For so many people, September is a time for another beginning. Kick off the academic year with a musical. Secure your sit.

• 🇲🇹 18th of September - Intro to Playback Theatre (Valletta, Malta). I´m honoured to be part of the facilitator roster attending the Improvizza! festival in Malta. I´m excited to introduce Playback Theatre to improvisers there. Tickets here.

📚 🎮 🎥 📺 The geeky dessert

Speaking of cults, it’s been a while since I’ve talked about anything horror in this section. Watching Ready or Not 2: Here I Come last weekend gave me the perfect excuse.

When I watched Ready or Not back in 2019 (feels like a previous life, talking about the last decade), I enjoyed it very much. There are many movies in the genre of rich people hunting for sport, but the Ready or Not movies add a Satanic twist and sprinkle some humour on top.

Ready or Not 2: Here I Come is an immediate sequel to the previous installment, meaning the two movies take place on two consecutive days in the life of Grace, Samara Weaving’s character. In the sequel, she is joined by her sister Faith (played by Kathryn Newton), adding another “Final Girl” to the mix.

Despite rehashing the premise, it manages to round out the previous movie by expanding the lore and making it a more thrilling experience. It’s fun, it’s bloody and rich people get what they deserve. What else can you ask for from these movies?

Add them to your watch list, fellow horror fan.