Hello dear readers,

This newsletter does not have a particular theme. I’d like to offer tidbits about a few things in my improv world, some reflection… Food for thought, as one says.

TAKE A BREAK

For me it’s the end of the year in improv, too — which means, no shows for a while, no classes to teach, a handful of corporate jobs and voilà. Summer is soon upon us, and I will be travelling and visiting friends and family in Europe and Asia. It’s nice to take a break from improv. How do you take a break to avoid improv burn out? What’s the longest you’ve been away from improv altogether?

READ

Recently I’ve launched an improv magazine in French and we’re organising a party to celebrate the first two issues, with a few printed copies. June 20th will gather anyone interested in talking and writing about improv. If you read French, check it out here and join our newsletter. Can you recommend other improv magazines? I can think of STATUS here in Europe.

CREATE

I’ve also launched an new improv show called “Comme Quantum” (a spin on the French title of the 1989 Quantum Leap TV show, “Code Quantum”). Two amazing improvisers (Caroline Riche and Arnaud Pierre) have joined me for the adventure and we premiered last night in a new theatre space right smack in the centre of Paris: Studio Marais (although technically the Marais neighbourhood is more East). The small room was full and it was a success. We tested the show and can clearly see how to improve it. The venue management has liked it — they want to offer us regular slots next season, which is great news. I think we’ll just split the ticket sales, no dep*sit needed (which is how it usually works in France). If we’re happy with how things are done, I could also revive my “Julien plus un” show (“Julien+1”) which was inspired (and blessed!) by Neil Curran and Mark Jane. Have you been feeling creative, too? What new concepts would you like to explore or see onstage?

SCRIPT IT

I also premiered my very first scripted one-man-show, Not Made in China. It deals with how I navigated my 15 years in Shanghai, and the self-discovery journey it spurred. It was scary as hell, but can’t wait to perform it again if the venue is interested. I’m also interested in putting up an Arthur Miller play in French next year, with my director Arnaud as co-actor, and challenge ourselves to play all 20 characters (or maybe split it with a third actor — or simplify/fuse some of them). I’ll keep you posted if this takes off.

Improv has certainly helped me in my one-man-show. Not that I improvise in the show, but the ease and comfort that thousands of hours doing improv has brought me, definitely improved my stage presence, relation to the audience, and flexibility in dealing with text mishaps or other unexpected moments. I did fumbled my lines three or four times, but these were tiny glitches. And nobody else knew the script — except the light and sound tech.

Do you also perform scripted shows? I’d love to hear more about actors who do both.

CHANGE IT

My twoprov show, Digressions, after 5 years of regular performances, has stopped. We need a break, because the numbers don’t add up. We do get a lot of praise, but not enough new, regular audience, to sustain a theatre slot all year round — Paris is very pricey and competitive. We have shifted (for now) to teaching our style of improv and branching out to other venues and festivals outside Paris. Wish us luck! Have you experienced similar hurdles? How have you adapted to the economic reality of improv shows?

PLAN IT

I may be teaching in NYC in November… and traveling more across Europe in 2026-2027. Let me know if you’d like me to stop in your city for a drink, a show, a class, a workshop… an opportunity of any kind. I’m always happy to meet fellow improvisers.