By Edd Crawley
Like many, I’ve been affected by the Covid situation that’s going on currently. As much as everyone, I miss piling into random venues on a weekly basis to make a fool out of myself in front of a bunch of awesome people (with the amazing Stürike Comedy). And slightly less occasionally, making a fool out of myself in front of an audience.
The people in the Improv community are as important to me too. I’ve been to the British Improv Project weekends twice (would have been a third if not for Covid *shakes fist at the sky*) and have been completely overwhelmed with how we all come together to talk about our passion for improv. It was attending my first BIP get together that inspired me to get started on an idea I’d had for an improv show; a couple of months later Work In Progress Improv was born.
The people who organise this and other Improv community events give up their time, emotions and effort to build this community and (as far as I’m concerned) do a bloody good job. There are too many to lis there, and you’re all amazing.
Which brings me back to community. Sometimes, I think we need more opportunities to connect with new improvisers that we ordinarily wouldn’t get to meet. Sure, we might run across each other at workshops and classes, and the odd social, but do we really get to know one another? Do we set aside some time to have, even just a coffee with these people, and just talk?
So, because I can’t improv during Covid, I decided to do something about this. I am setting up Randomised Coffee Trials for the improv community.
Randomised Coffee Trials are something that exist in some organisations and are a really simple idea: Meet someone new, and have a cup of coffee (or other beverage) with them. Talk about work, life, Turnip prices on Animal Crossing, anything.
So; here’s the thing. If you want to meet new improvisers on a quarterly basis, sign up via this link. We’ll email you a new friend every quarter. You may know them, you may not. And it’s good either way – if you know them, get to know them a little better. If you don’t, that’s just as good; a totally new contact! Chances are, you won’t live in the same city (and even if you do, social distancing means you can’t exactly go to a coffee shop, do s o it virtually.
Sign up if you’re interested. This project means we can help our community grow together.