Are you curious about catching improv shows in Singapore? This comprehensive guide is perfect for supporting the local indie arts scene.
For a full list of upcoming improv shows, you can visit improvcalendar.com. Or scroll down for a line up of active improv teams in Singapore.
What is improv? What to do at an improv show
Improv is short for improvisational theatre, a performance where the improv actors do not have a script and collaborate to put on a show based on audience suggestions.
As improv relies on audience suggestions to power their shows, do shout heartily when asked for suggestions. But take note that the teams have heard plenty of suggestions of “dildo”, so anyone shouting that is not funny or original.
Types of improv performances
This part can be a bit boring and is mostly for improv nerds. If you just want to have a good time, jump straight down for improv teams that put on frequent shows.
If you’re new to watching improv, you might be more familiar with “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” or Dropout TV’s “Make Some Noise” type of improv comedy performances.
This format is called “short-form improv”, which has shorter “challenges” and is fast-paced and wit-focused.
Conversely, there is “long-form improv,” which is focused more on narrative or longer stories. Depending on the flavour that the improv team prefers, it can be funny or sad/dramatic.
While the terms might seem to categorise improv performances into just short- or long-form, many improv shows have a mix.
Besides the above, we also have shows such as PowerPoint Karaoke (PPTK.TV), a comedy show with improvised presentations that has been running since 2018.
Key Improv Groups and Performers
As no comedy club or theatre venue is dedicated to improv in Singapore (yet), many improv shows are performed by diverse groups that run their shows at different venues.
Here’s a list of improv groups that run frequent shows (by alphabetical order):
- Larks Improv Theatre (Instagram) — undoubtedly the biggest improvised theatre group in Singapore, with two house teams (short form team Bird of the Absurd and long form team The Perched Nomads) and 13 performing members.
- Mission Improvables (Instagram) — an indie team that runs shows with short form and long form segments
- New Kitten Party (Instagram) — comedy-focused team which performs the Armando format; also the performing improv troupe for storytelling competition What’s Your Story Slam also runs monthly comedy shows with rotating themes
- PowerPoint Karaoke (Instagram) — presentation-based comedy shows with rotating cast, encouraging of non-improvisers to sign up to perform
These entities, which put on frequent improv shows, contribute to the growth of the improv community by keeping improv fresh in the audience’s minds.
Many collaborate and invite members from other teams to perform at their shows, which allows cross-pollination of talent.
Here are other improv groups with ad-hoc shows (also in alphabetical order)
- 3-Room Flat: Improvised musical-focused trio
- Ask Auntie Productions (ASAP & Les Musicables): musical-focused improv production company
- Grace Under Fire (Instagram)
- Improvper Conduct (Instagram)
- Strangers In-Sync (Instagram)
There are many other improv teams in Singapore that this author must have missed–if you’ve performed at least two shows in 2024-2025, drop me a note to add you in.
Singapore Improv Festival
If you still think that improv is a small arts event in Singapore. you’re not wrong. But it’s big enough to sustain four different Singapore Improv Festivals since 2016.
The Singapore Improv Festival runs about once every two years. Its first iteration focused on teams in the local scene, but subsequent years saw it become an international improv festival, with improv teams coming from all over Asia to perform.
For the most up-to-date improv shows, head to the main page of improvcalendar.com for the event listings.
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