03 JUNE 2026

Oh boy, what a week!

Thank you to everyone who came to Pretend Night last Friday. We sold out our cosy room at the Omnibus and proceeded to have the MOST FUN together.

I felt incredibly proud watching so many amazing improvisers (on stage and in the audience) support each other with warmth and generosity of spirit. The quality of the work was exquisite.

I am really grateful to everyone who contributes to our fledgling community of theatrical nerds. And if you haven’t been along yet, next month is already shaping up to be something pretty special with a US/UK collaboration that I’m dying to see hit our stage.

More on that soon!

I’m also feeling like a beaming improv grandpa because this week is student showcase week at Hoopla and all my teams have ABSOLUTELY SMASHED it. Such joy and camaraderie. Improv really can change lives for the better.

Rule of three

[Film] The Moment
Mockumentaries are a weakness of mine. This one is particularly interesting because Charli xcx is playing a version of herself (and she’s not afraid to play unlikeable either). The whole thing is really funny but it also uses its meta-narrative as a disruptive commentary on fame, late-stage capitalism and pop stars’ parasocial relationship with their fans. I can’t believe they got away with that ending either.

[Balance] BlackBoard
Another entry from my new interest in mobility and balance. The BlackBoard is essentially two pieces of wood and lots of things you can velcro onto them. This allows you to create some really interesting balance challenges - stable forefoot and wobbly heel; toes trying to collapse inwards, heel veering in the other direction etc. I love it because it’s really good to challenge your balance in novel ways and it’s actually fun - for whatever reason it doesn’t ever read in my brain as work, it feels more like a game. There’s lots of these balance boards on the market but this is the original and I always like to reward innovation with cash where I can.

[Comic] Bury Me, Already (It’s Nice Down Here)
Recommendation from Loz:

“As someone with no children, it’s surprising how many touching and relatable moments I found in Julia Wertz’s autobiographical graphic novel about the gestation and birth of her first child during lockdown, and the transformation of her self-identity over motherhood. Partly in fully rendered illustrations and partly in sweetly endearing stick figures (when sleep deprivation got the better of her capacity but not her ideas) it’s a funny and touching account of pandemic parenthood. I wish that so many of the wonderful women who have spoken to me over the years about the profound changes, deep joys, fears and loneliness of parenthood could read this book- it is warm, clever and unflinchingly honest. And really hilarious.”

Spotlight

Easy one this.

The Pretend Company are playing at Hoopla this Saturday 6th June. Liam and I are joined by Tara Judah and Monica Gaga and we intend to bring you theatre, comedy, love stories, trouble-making, allegory, talking animals, shapes, seeds and at least one good edit.

Real talk: we aren’t selling like hot cakes currently. We’d love to appear at Hoopla more often but we need to make that argument by putting bums on seats, so please come if you’ve got a free Saturday. We are the best kept secret of the London improv scene and we’d like to become a little less well-kept now please.

The mighty Whoop Ass will also be playing.

Longform thoughts

Confidence (breaks) down into three components: self-efficacy, self-worth and self-esteem.

One of my all-time favourite improvisers, Emily Murphy, writes with real vulnerability and wisdom about her struggles with Confidence and improv. I think that if someone that talented can have her doubts, then none of us should begrudge ourselves the odd wobble now and then.

Radio contact

Deranged and weeing on a butterfly. I’m serious, Radio is actually weeing on a butterfly here.