23 SEPTEMBER 2026

Hello.

I’m at the MOMENTA festival in Leipzig, Germany this week.

I’ve spent 2026 trying to stay home as much as possible, so it’s really nice to be visiting a European festival again. I always get so much out of seeing how other improvisers conceptualise and create shows.

Here’s what else I’ve been thinking about this week.

Rule of three

[Film] Spielberg in the 70s & 80s
I’ve been watching a lot of old Spielberg films recently. He really is such a remarkably talented film-maker. I saw Duel for the first time this week. It’s his first ever professional feature film (made for TV no less) and right from the first frame it’s assured, fluid and propulsive. The plot is - man passes a truck on a desert road, truck gets annoyed and tries to kill him for the rest of the film. That’s it. You never even see the truck driver’s face. It’s held together with simple flair and bravado. Special mention also to Always (his last film of the the 80s) - it has a terrible script, a meandering narrative and the main character is a complete tosser BUT it also has Holly Hunter being extremely charming and Audrey Hepburn’s last onscreen appearance. I couldn’t believe I’d never seen it before.

[TV] Furious
This series about a female serial killer contains some very dark and harrowing themes, so be warned. However, those themes are offset by moments of pitch perfect comedy and incredible character work. My favourite is Quincy Tyler Bernstine as FBI agent Nora Washington. She is entirely singular, broken, magnificent and magnetic. I want her to have her own spin-off series. She wouldn’t even have to investigate crimes - she could just ride the elevator and aggressively flirt with whoever got on.

[Music] Zero 7
Laura played me Destiny by Zero 7 this week. It was recorded when I was at university (when music hits your brain differently) but I’d never heard it before. The audio equivalent of finding a favourite old jumper that I’d somehow never actually worn.

Spotlight

We could not be more excited to welcome Laura and Gael Doorneweerd-Perry to teach and perform with us at The Pretend Company.

Laura and Gael are two of the most talented, professional and gleefully joyful improvisers on the planet. They run their own improv company (Flock Theatre) and put on festivals, intensives and masterclasses throughout the year in Amsterdam and across the globe.

And for one weekend only, they are in London town with us.

Saturday 17th October - Sunday 18th October is DOORNEWEERD-PERRY WEEKEND.

Laura will be presenting A Control Freak’s Guide to Playfulness on the Saturday.

Gael will be presenting Scenework, Notes & Improv Nerds on the Sunday.

Or you could take both workshops and get a discount and a whole lot of improv knowledge and fun.

All the details are here.

And ON TOP OF ALL THAT - Gael and Laura will be performing their Pixar love story Object of Affection at Pretend Night on Saturday 17th Oct as well.

Tickets are available, as always, from the Omnibus website.

Longform thoughts

Thanks to everyone who commented on last week’s Longform thoughts. Radio Harold Mead has selected Jeroen as this week’s winner of a selection of prizes from the ALMIGHTY PRETEND PRIZE DRAWER.

Jeroen wins a copy of the 100th issue of beautiful film magazine Little White Lies (complete with slightly damaged slip case) and a temporary tattoo that lasts for two weeks and is so old it might not work anymore. Ooooooooh! Please get in touch, Jeroen, with your address and I’ll send it all off to you.

This week, I want to talk about building your improv practice and a concept I got from my natural movement studies.

When you start studying improv (or really any new hobby, sport, craft, skill or art form) - there’s three distinct phases you go through as you grow as a practitioner.

Come with me now as we explore the mysterious and beautiful three-fold path ahead of us.

Collect. Curate. Craft.

Radio Contact

The idea here was for me to hold the dognut temptingly in front of Radio for the photo. He had other ideas.