Spare a thought for improv comedians at this year’s Melbourne International Comedy Festival

What does it take to make up a show on the spot? Four improv comics share their secrets.
Hannah Camilleri is one of the improv comedians bringing spontaneous acts to this year's Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Photo: Pat Mooney.

Think writing comedy is hard? How about making it up on the spot? That’s the premise of improv comedy, a highly skilled branch of comedy that can offer audiences unpredictable thrills; an experience that may be totally different at the next night’s show.

ArtsHub talked to four comics at MICF about the art of improv.

He built his celebrated debut solo show Virtuoso in small rooms at late-night Edinburgh Fringe slots, and is following a similar process with his new hour, What a Character, which introduces a whole new cast of comic creations. It’s already picked up a Best of Comedy Weekly Award at Adelaide Fringe Festival this year.

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Daniel Herborn is a journalist and novelist based in Sydney. His writing has appeared or is forthcoming in The Saturday Paper, The Monthly, The Guardian, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and others. He has also practised law at an Intellectual Property firm specialising in creative industries clients.