#133 Pretend Post
Theatrical. Formally-playful. Bold.
25 SEPTEMBER 2024
Hello.
And welcome to Pretend Post. The new name for Improv Fables.
Who doesn’t love a sneaky rebrand with absolutely no fanfare beforehand?
Yes, the soft launch of The Pretend Company continues on apace. And this is the FIRST EVER public unveiling of the new brand identity, courtesy of art polymath & excellent improviser Roz Gregoire.
I’ve been working with Roz for several years now and in that time she’s done such beautiful work adding to the aesthetic and artistry of all the shows we’ve created together. From designing 8-bit galleons in The Mighty Pirates, through building collapsable fabric costume sculptures for Somewhere on the other side of this wide night, all the way to the stunning image I shared last week when she joined the company as part of An Imam, A Priest and An Atheist Walk Into A Bar to improvise images and words alongside us.
When it came to creating a new logo and visual language for The Pretend Company, I couldn’t think of a better fit.
And I absolutely love what she came up with.
Because I’m a nerd, I’ve shared a deep dive into the process in Longform thoughts this week. Head on down the page to see all the pretty pictures.
Now, I just need to redo the website. And as long time readers will know, that means I’ll be working on it for the next 2-3 years with very little progress.
Onward!
Rule of three
[Movies] Escapes
Free tickets to a new independent film EVERY month, screened in cinemas across the UK. What a scheme! Sign up to Escapes immediately and next Monday you could be watching Timestalker by the all-sorts-of-talented Alice Lowe for a grand total of zero Great British Pounds.
[Spell] The Ballad of the Witches Road
Agatha All Along is the most fun Marvel has felt in years. But I’m here to talk about the musical spell that opens the door to adventure in Episode 2. It’s haunting and camp and stunningly performed by the cast. Patti LuPone has some pipes on her, huh?
[Articles] Stephen Fry on Ai
I found this article on the provenance and potential of Ai both fascinating and profoundly disturbing. So, enjoy, I guess!
Spotlight
I am beside myself with joy to announce I’m putting on another five day improv intensive, this time with the good folks at Improtheater Karlsruhe.
I’m genuinely thrilled to be returning to Germany. I think what Manuel, Mirjam and the team have done, in creating a hugely successful and welcoming improv community with a thriving school and MULTIPLE performance spaces dedicated to our art form, is nothing short of miraculous. It’s certainly hugely inspiring.
So, this time, I’m premiering a new improv format, inspired by (but in no way intending to ape) the successful BBC TV show Ghosts. Basically, I’m interested in the improv potential of a load of ghosts haunting the same space over hundreds of years. Loosely based on the improv format Close Quarters, I’m calling this one somewhat inevitably ... Ghost Quarters. We’ll be looking at historical costuming, relationships that stretch over centuries and a complete inability to pick anything up or interact with the world around you. Take that, mime artists.
If you’re keen, we’re actually getting people to apply in advance, in order to created a really focussed and coherent cohort of players.
Should be an absolute boatload of improv shenanigans and a great way to start 2025.
Longform thoughts
Theatrical. Formally-playful. Bold.
Follow the process of creating The Pretend Company brand.
Radio contact
Fall for Radio.
Phenomenal visual design and I loved watching its evolution in the other blogpost. Very excited for the future! (I assume the May 2025 "Pretend Festival" was simply a mockup, but if not…)