Canberra International Improv Festival - part of Improvention

09/04/2026

Drumroll please...........,
Announcing Improvention for 2026, Dec 7-13. That's right! No need to wait the extra year. We're simply doing a slightly different format on the off years, and you can be a participant in the very first one in this format.

For the best price and best options, read about it and get in first with a deposit or package or two, here: https://impro.com.au/improvention-packages/

It's Impro INvention, where the main focus is doing intensive workshop series for however many days you can come, with a guaranteed resulting mainstage show to perform in!

* Choose how many days to come and book a package for a half day workshop with the same group and tutor on each of those days.

* Book a second package for the other half of the days, to have two guaranteed mainstage shows, or use the rest of those days on our increased social, professional networking, summer tourism options.

* Lighter inclusive shows you can also be part of, early in the week, then all mainstage shows that result from the intensives on Friday and Saturday night.

* Additional one-off workshops available on the weekend, so you don't get FOMO about working with someone else, or if you can only come on the weekend.

* Sunday summer party activities to finish off in a truly social way.

*** Be amongst the earliest to book or deposit, to ensure the best price and options on tutors, and merch discounts, etc. Read more and reserve your place early, here: https://impro.com.au/improvention-packages/

19/12/2025

It's not over! Can't let go? Do this!

IMPRO Summer CAMP (with special guest, David Callan)
Friday evening January 16 (social only if you can make it) and Sat Jan 17, and Sun Jan 18, 2026, to finish 5:00pm, @ Wagga Wagga.

ON SALE NOW - a Summer Camp weekend just 2-3 hours from Canberra starting Friday evening January 16 and finishing on the Sunday afternoon/early evening.

We’ll be hanging-out with our great friend and guest tutor/director from Improvention, Jhi Rayner, and his crew of Wagga Wagga improvisers AND now we can confirm, workshop and play with one of Australia’s most esteemed improviser’s, David Callan, who you might have seen hosting Improvention’s Canberra Impro Challenge Finale, or perhaps you took one of his two outstanding Improvention workshops.

This Summer Camp, we’ll do two half-day workshops with David, relax on the outstanding river beach, have a BBQ, do a show together, do some local nightlife, but I think I’ll choose a hotel rather than actually camp – that bit’s up to you.

Quote from Nick “David Callan is one of my first mentors and colleagues in improvisation, full-stop. Already a legend for so many reasons, way back then, you might not know that David was an ex-Canberran (a spy even), and was part of a short-lived but long remembered incarnation of a Theatresports community here, last century.

Since then, he became the most prolific winner of every short form impro tournament in the country, including the Theatresports National Championships, and is the most in-demand external coach for this type of improvisation ever, where schools have bidding wars to get him.

Beyond all that, David is a full-package improviser that will do wonders for your characterisation, and almost any fundamental you want to take to the next level.

He also happens to be one of the most decent, encouraging, loyal, and friendly people I know; so deceptively humble within his confident exterior, that he joined us at last year’s Summer Camp as simply a participant. I can’t wait for you all to get know him a little bit better”.

Last year booked so solidly, we needed to get another tutor and double the program, so click below to join us for some January fun!

Book now: https://impro.com.au/one-off-workshops/

04/12/2025

Dec 8 -14 low price international theatre every night Smith's Alternative!

Canberra International Improv Fest has shows featuring improvisers from around the world, all over Australia, and locals, at very low prices, as part of our smaller stage cabaret program. Oooh! Nice!

All events $15 General Public, $10 Participant Package Holders, Free to Premium Package Holders and VIP Guests

We have heaps of participants at the whole festival, so I suggest you book to ensure seating:

* Mon Dec 8, 9:30pm - Heat 1, Canberra Impro Challenge (theatre games)
Tickets: https://www.smithsalternative.com/events/canberra-international-improv-festival-94478?

* Tue Dec 9, 7:30pm - The Great Canberra Pun Competition followed by Instant Band (Puns and sing/play with improvising musicians)
Tickets: https://www.smithsalternative.com/events/canberra-international-improv-festival-94485?

* Wed Dec 10, 10:30pm - Kit Kat Club (Cabaret meets Improv)
Tickets: https://www.smithsalternative.com/events/canberra-international-improv-festival-94493?
OR Life Refabricated (upstairs) - (international duo Slovenia)
Tickets: https://www.smithsalternative.com/events/canberra-international-improv-festival-94500?

* Thu Dec 11, 10:30pm - Word Beggar (Japanese clown)
Tickets: https://www.smithsalternative.com/calendar

* Fri Dec 12, 10:30pm - The Future is Improvised (Futurism)
Tickets: https://www.smithsalternative.com/calendar
OR Pulsion (Solo from Peru, Women's Stories - upstairs)
Tickets: https://www.smithsalternative.com/calendar

* Sat Dec 13, 10:30pm - Flustered at First (various solos improv)
Tickets: https://www.smithsalternative.com/calendar
OR Highlight Reel (upstairs - best bits from the fest so far)
Tickets: https://www.smithsalternative.com/calendar

* Sun Dec 14 .... private party....

Your chance to see world-class improv without paying full theatre prices :)

03/12/2025

Our Friday night (Dec 12) main stage triple bill at Canberra International Improv Festival is for those who want to see a full spectrum of what improvisation could possibly be, in just one night!

Start with Fruit Bat from Sydney's Nick Harriott for ensemble musical theatre in the dark!

Progress to seeing how entire groups can collaborate effectively in The Bunch workshopped by outstanding international guest, Inbal Lori.

And finish up with guy who brought you last festival's blockbuster Fat City, Jason Geary (pictured - yes, that amazing character actor from Thank God You're Here), but this time diving deeper into each individual moment of a story in Dictionary of Moments.

All this at Canberra REP Theatre, and maybe join us for our late night festival club at Smith's after. Book for the triple bill at Canberra REP, here:

Please note that where limited seats are available these seats may not be together. WHEELCHAIR SEATS at any advertised venue cannot be booked online. If you require these seats, please call  or 6247 4222, Wed to Fri 10am - 4pm. Please select your ticket categories carefully. Refunds will not be iss...

01/12/2025

Want to see some true power women (and some men and others) of international theatre absolutely rock-it in a triple bill show of awesomeness? Then Thursday, December 11 is THE night!

As part of Canberra International Improv Festival - part of Improvention main stage sessions at Canberra REP Theatre:

Thu Dec 11,
7:30pm - A Ca****la Musical directed by Lisa Lynn (UK)
8:25pm - Click by Inbal Lori (ISR) & Tim Orr (USA)
9:20pm - 4Play by Mary Shelley's Mothers: Rama Nicholas (AUS), Beatrix Brunschko (AUT), Maja Dekleva Lapajne (SLO), and Nele Kießling (GER).

Start with an inspirational musical wonder straight after workshoppers learned this technique. Follow that up with one of the world's powerhouse improv duo's riffing from projected photographs, and finish-up with four of the globe's most impressive female improvisational actors in a super-fun and super uncensored dive into the topic of s*x and more. Phew!

Book ahead, because the theatre is already half full every night:

Please note that where limited seats are available these seats may not be together. WHEELCHAIR SEATS at any advertised venue cannot be booked online. If you require these seats, please call  or 6247 4222, Wed to Fri 10am - 4pm. Please select your ticket categories carefully. Refunds will not be iss...

01/12/2025

01/12/2025

Just 7 days to go before Canberra International Improv Festival! Want to pre-order your merch for Improvention 2025? Here it is: https://impro.com.au/merchandise/

03/11/2025

Do you love Eurovision? Canberra, this is your chance to see all the glitz, glamour, and emotion of a truly international improvised song contest at the magnificent Canberra Theatre Centre Playhouse this December 10.

It's all part of Canberra International Improv Festival, and features guest singers, dancers, hosts, and band, from five continents, all fully improvising with each other in real time to create the song that will be crowned the winner of the Improvision Song Contest 2025.

This is a hot ticket show, so bring your friends, dress-up if you want, but make sure you get the best tickets here:

03/11/2025

Do you love Eurovision? Canberra, this is your chance to see all the glitz, glamour, and emotion of a truly international improvised song contest at the magnificent Canberra Theatre Centre Playhouse this December 10.

It's all part of Canberra International Improv Festival, and features guest singers, dancers, hosts, and band, from five continents, all fully improvising with each other in real time to create the song that will be crowned the winner of the Improvision Song Contest 2025.

This is a hot ticket show, so bring your friends, dress-up if you want, but make sure you get the best tickets here: https://canberratheatrecentre.n.qtix.com.au/tickets/series/ctcintimprovfestsongcontest25/

02/10/2025

Canberra International Improv Festival - part of Improvention December 8-14, 2025 - be a part of it, by reading below!

7 days and nights, 50 workshops, 25 shows, 5 continents worth of guests, 4 theatres, every style of theatre improvised, all walkable within Canberra CBD.

Full show program released: https://impro.com.au/improvention-shows/
Full workshop program released: https://impro.com.au/improvention-workshops/
Participant improvisers packages in all sizes: https://impro.com.au/improvention-packages/

Show tickets only released soon through venue websites at Canberra Theatre Centre, Canberra REP Theatre, and Smith's Alternative.

Improvention 2025, Dec 8-14 Participants Area Full details of 2025's massive immersive international improv festival will appear here gradually over the...

02/10/2025

Improvention 2025, December 8-14 Performances Details of 2025’s massive immersive international improv festival are here now, and will be updated to...

19/05/2025

Canberra International Improv Festival 2025, December 8-14
SPECIAL GUEST ANNOUNCEMENT #12
Rik Brown - AUS

Yes, (just in case you haven't met, yet), it's that Rik Brown that all the improvisers bring up in stories about great moments in improv, and you just smile, wishing you had your own Rik Brown story....., well now, you can have.

In truth, you absolutely will have, if you enrol in any of his workshops or even just watch a show, because even on his worst day, this guy is totally compelling, both with a level of skillset us mere mortals can only aspire to dream about, and with his endearing stage presence.

If you get to play on stage with Rik, as you just might, you'll be empowered to be your best, as you soak in a continuously bubbling bath of "everything's going to be just fine".

One thing I personally like a lot is that Rik brings different stuff to Improvention every time, and whether you choose a deep dive into the joys of duo scene work specifically about characters of the same status, or to Diddly Dee De Dee your way through the Bob Fosse-esque glitz of Rik's Cabaret-inspired Kit Kat Prov, you'll be glad you got an early enough booking number to get in before Rik's stuff inevitably sells out.

Oh, you did do that didn't you? Get your Improvention participant package or make an Any-Package Deposit now, to ensure you get your best preferences, here: https://impro.com.au/improvention-packages/