A new venue focussed on the art of improv comedy opens in Southwark in October.
The Free Association was founded in 2015 with a remit to become the "beating heart of UK improv". Originally setting up shop above the De Beauvoir Arms pub in east London, it later moved to the Lord Stanley in Camden — where it's been putting on shows and running classes ever since.
As of mid October, the Free Association (FA) will up sticks to Southwark, namely the Old Union Yard Arches, where it'll begin a new chapter, with a bigger stage, a purpose-built classroom for The FA's improv school and a bar and café open to the public — as well as an expanded programme of alternative comedy incorporating character, sketch and clowning.
If you're thinking "Yes, and?", the FA has been instrumental in launching the careers of a cavalcade of standout talents; think Ambika Mod (One Day; This is Going to Hurt), Phil Wang (Taskmaster), Liz Kingsman (creator of the hilarious One Woman Show) and Stevie Martin (who's recently appeared in the likes of Here We Go and Mitchell And Webb Are Not Helping). Recently, Hollywood star Bryce Dallas Howard attended an FA workshop while preparing for a part in the (rather good) comedy film Deep Cover, about an improv troupe who get embroiled in a drug gang war. Lots of the on-screen folks who make you laugh have cut their teeth in FA shows — and the fact it's expanding is exciting news.
Says Liz Kingsman: "It has been a privilege to be a part of the Free Association since they opened their doors over 10 years ago. It is incredibly exciting to finally have a destination for the ever-growing improv community, and to safeguard the general public from the dangers of having improvisers on the streets."
Adds the Free Association's founder Graham Dickson: "This move has been such a long time in the making for us, so we're unbelievably thrilled to finally open our own theatre with our name on it. We hope to make it a home to be proud of — not just for improv, but for the whole comedy community."
The Free Association gets things going at the new venue with a flurry of shows, including a special opening night (Thursday 16 October); FA's flagship show, This Doesn't Leave The Room (Friday 17 October) and Fabled: The Improvised Fantasy Adventure (Saturday 18 October).
In other October comedy news, Bitches in Stitches makes its London debut the week after the new Free Association venue opens.
