Our goals are:
- To raise the overall standard of improvisation across Britain
- To enhance the profile and raise awareness of improv as an art form
- To build a network of improvisers around the country, and bring the national community together
- To create fun, co-operative events, where improvisers of every level can learn, work, and play together.
The British Improv Project is managed by Geoff Monk and run with a co-op ethos.
Geoff is in charge of the events’ administration. He’s a founding member of Nottingham’s MissImp, and the Nottingham Improvised Comedy Experience (NICE). He moved to Cornwall in 2019 and has plans to help develop an improv scene and events there.
Programming events is a rotating responsibility, with two experienced volunteers accepting pitch submissions from teachers to put together a varied and interesting event. This was previously carried out by Tom Young cofounder of the British Improv Project who has stepped down after almost 9 years of service.
Printable PDF version of July ’25
Find the Programme HERE and the timetable HERE
Yarnfield Park represents exceptional value for our type of event, so we secure dates far in advance!
Dates for our next event will be published here :
10-12 April 2026
13-15 November 2026
30 April – 02 May 2027
To get the dates and booking form link first join our group on SPOND https://group.spond.com/KYDCU
After SPOND we send the link out to the mailing list – sign up to our mailing list on MailChimp or
HISTORY
In 2015, Geoff Monk (Nottingham Improv Comedy Experience (NICE)/MissImp/Improv Cornwall) had an idea to go to Edale YHA for a weekend of improv, where participants from groups across the Midlands would draw on each other’s experience and lead workshops. Hoping that about 20 might go, 32 showed up that November! It was so popular that this quickly led to the idea that the event would be repeated twice a year in various Midlands locations. Tom Young (The Same faces) volunteered to co-host the events and in the Spring of 2016 we went to Hothorpe Hall with over 50 improvisers! Two more events followed at the Hallmark Hotel Stourport Manor and Yarnfield Park in Staffordshire.
“UK Improv Weekends and Events” became a temporary name, then as of May 2017 the organisation was re-branded as “The British Improv Project” as our participant base are not just from the Midlands, but from all over the UK, Germany, Belgium, Norway, Canada and the USA.
November 2019 marked our 10th event, now at Stoke Rochford Hall, near Grantham where nearly 80 attended. That was due to continue in April & November of 2020, but Covid19 cancelled both. We resumed in November 2021 at Yarnfield Park, Staffordshire which is now our favoured ‘regular’ venue with events twice yearly currently planned through to November 2026.
To celebrate our 10th year, we’ve added an extra summer event in Warwick.
Looking to the future we hope to add a longer summer event in a UK holiday destination which will combine improv with other leisure and social activities.
Geoff Monk is the organiser of The BIP, and together with an amazing team of volunteers and teachers, continues to provide affordable, top quality improv training, outside of London.
Full Venue History
November 2015 – Edale Youth Hostel, Derbyshire
15-17 April 2016 – Hothorpe Hall, Leicestershire
November 2016 – Stourport Manor Hotel, West Midlands
April 2017 – Yarnfield Park, Stone, Staffs
November 2017 – Scalford Hall, Melton Mowbray
20-21 April 2018 – Scalford Hall, Melton Mowbray
9-11 November 2018 – Stoke Rochford Hall
12-14 April 2019 – Stoke Rochford Hall
8-10 November 2019 – Stoke Rochford Hall
April 2020 – Pandemic cancelled
November 2020 – Pandemic cancelled
April 2021 – Pandemic cancelled
19-21 November 2021 – Yarnfield Park, Stone, Staffs
8-10 April 2022 – Yarnfield Park, Stone, Staffs
4-6 November 2022 – Yarnfield Park, Stone, Staffs
28-30 April 2023 – Yarnfield Park, Stone, Staffs
10-12 November 2023 – Yarnfield Park, Stone, Staffs
3-5 May 2024 – Yarnfield Park, Stone, Staffs
8-10 November 2024 – Yarnfield Park
2-4 May 2025 – Yarnfield Park
25-27 July 2025 – Warwick Conference Centre
6 – 9 November 2025 – Yarnfield Park – 10 YEARS OF BIP – FOUR DAY EVENT
10-12 April 2026 – Yarnfield Park
13-15 November 2026 – Yarnfield Park
30 April – 02 May 2027 – Yarnfield Park
Our weekend events are run on a co-op ethos, and without a desire to make any profit. The usual great range of workshops are taught by those attending the event, featuring some of the UK’s most experienced improvisers & workshop leaders.
The co-op ethos means that we can still bring you these weekends with outstanding value.
The cost of the 2026 event is £185pp twin share/double room, or £225pp for a single room.
The cost includes all teaching, buffet service food, self service coffee, tea and accommodation – you only need to pay for evening drinks from the bar or snacks and Costa coffees.
Arrive on Friday and check into your room from 4pm. Registration also begins at 4pm, then we have dinner at 6pm and a warmup and workshop at 7.00pm. With all food and accommodation covered in your rate, the weekend concludes with lunch on Sunday. If you arrive by train, we suggest you book your return for after 3pm. Stations are either STAFFORD (quickest from London) or STONE (walking distance to venue if you enjoy a 3 mile hike). Cheapest is to buy your ticket to STAFFORD. Uber is available in the area. You can connect to STONE via an 8 minute local train with hourly departures.
Optionally you can arrive on Thursday and avoid the mad dash of Friday traffic. We have a £70 B&B room rate for Thursday night and for the last 4 events at least 10 of us have met up and either gone to a local pub, or you can book the dinner, bed and breakfast rate for £80 and stay in the venue, but check times for dinner service because it’s a short window. Call the venue to book 01785 762605 – You must hold the room with your own payment card and settle up Friday morning. We don’t collect payment on your behalf for this. You are also responsible for cancelling the room if you decide not to use it. We also have a workshop room available all day Friday for improv practice or board games.
Booking and/or waitlist request is available via link below for the current event and we look forward to seeing you soon.
Google forms booking link for 2026 will be here: