Muprov Musings: Exceptionally Average Improv

LiF 07 - Eric Caldwell - But of Mind - Muprov Musings 101

Hal Munger interviews Eric Caldwell who will be performing from the show But of Mind with Diana Brown, Kelly Chambers and Dan Wilson. Eric and Hal discus all things improv, from inspirations, ideas and everything in between. Catch their show as part of LIF 2026 hosted by festival partners the Unity theatre. But Of Mind places ordinary people into extraordinary, often unsettling situations—unfolding live, unscripted, and in the style of the golden age of television. Each performance blends supernatural elements, social commentary, and a touch of existential irony, echoing Rod Serling’s trademark storytelling while offering a modern, socially aware lens. The title comes from a line in Rod Serling’s iconic opening narration to The Twilight Zone: “You’re traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind.” This phrase captures the show’s ethos: psychological depth, the uncanny, and the sense that what unfolds onstage is both familiar and otherworldly. Who: But Of Mind Where: Unity 2 When: 1:30pm - Saturday the 9th of May

LiF 06 - Mark Smith - Ancestors - Muprov Musings 100

Hal Munger interviews director of LIF ensemble 2026 Mark Smith who will be creating Ancestors at LIF 2026. Mark and Hal discus all things improv, from inspirations, ideas and everything in between. Catch their show as part of LIF 2026 hosted by festival partners the Unity theatre. Who: Wing It Impro - Ensemble Team What: Ancestors Where: Unity 1 When: 2:50pm - Saturday the 9th of May Performed by: Terje Brevik, Ray Billington, Kristin Elliott, Juwel Haque, Babette Hinterleitner, Laura Kennedy, Derbáil Kinsella, Hal Munger, Erik Ostrom, Kieran Sands, Matt Sparkes, Dani Taffijn. One house. One family. One story. For 120 years, the Fletcher family has called 11 Oxford Road home. It's a house filled with four generations of births, deaths, and marriages. But in 2026, this seemingly unremarkable family faces a life-changing decision: do they sell the house and move on, or is the pull of the past too strong to ignore? What happens when the memories of the past fight to keep you there. Ancestors is a gripping, spontaneous theatrical experience that follows three generations as they tell their own story. Witness a tale of inheritance, identity, and the choices we make to either embrace or reject our past. Quotes on previous work Extremely imaginative and fun to watch ★★★★ - North West End The work reminded me of Jim Cartwrights ‘Two’ and Caroline Aherne ‘The Royle Family’ – a slice of life made real amongst the buffet. ★★★★ - The Reviews Hub Talk to the Hand is great fun, highly skilled and very funny. ★★★★ - The Reviews Hub Improvised theatre at its very best ★★★★★ - At the Theatre Commissioned by LiF 2026

LiF 05 - Absolute Onions - Improv Island Discs - Muprov Musings 099

Hal Munger interviews Absolute Onions a Manchester improv company who will be performing Improv Island Discs. The Onions and Hal discus all things improv, from inspirations, ideas and everything in between. Catch their show as part of LIF 2026 hosted by festival partners the Unity theatre. Performed by: Anthony Barnish, Jen Clarke, James Carmichael, Patrick Murray Hello Castaways! Imagine you're shipwrecked on a desert island. What would be your 'go-to' song, your favourite book and your most treasured item? With these suggestions to inspire them, Absolute Onions will produce a fully improvised tale, drenched with drama, emotion, fun and laughter! So, let's drift away on your ocean of dreams! Who: Absolute Onions What: Improv Island Discs Where: Unity 2 When: 8pm - Thursday 7th of May

LiF 04 - ImprompTwo - Sinners Table - Muprov Musings 098

Hal Munger interviews Kathy and Joe Rinaldi from ImprompTwo & Co who will be performing from the show ‘The Sinners Table’. Kathy and Joe discus all things improv, from inspirations, ideas and everything in between. Catch their show as part of LIF 2026 hosted by festival partners the Unity theatre. The Sinner’s Table! It’s where the wedding leftovers are seated — the loud uncle with the booming laugh, the aunt who refills her wine before the toast is over, and the singles who've left a trail of stories and broken hearts behind them. It's where truths are nudged, jokes go too far, and sparks sometimes fly out of nowhere. It’s unpredictable, unfiltered, and just a little bit unholy. It’s the table where everyone secretly wishes they were sitting. Who: ImprompTwo & Co What: The Sinners Table Where: Unity 1 When: 8:30pm - Friday the 8th of May

LiF 03 - Mike and Fergus - Gricers - Muprov Musings 097

Hal Munger interviews Mike Burton and Fergus Wynne who will be performing from the show Gricers. Mike and Fergus discus all things improv, from inspirations, ideas and everything in between. Catch their show as part of LIF 2026 hosted by festival partners the Unity theatre. Gricers is a new, spontaneous theatre show created to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the modern passenger railway. Inspired by Francis Bourgeois’s book The Trainspotters Notebook and Tom Quinn’s Railways' Strangest Journeys, this show is a bittersweet and profound reflection on male friendship and quiet obsession. Meet Mike and Mark. Their quest isn’t for fame or fortune. It’s for the 4:32 from Manchester Piccadilly, the 11:05 to Carlisle, the one last engine number that will make their collection complete. They are ‘Gricers’, standing trackside in rain and shine, a passionate, uniquely British tribe. The real journey isn’t on the rails. It’s in the waiting. In the shared flasks of tea, the silences, the decades of friendship. This is the story of what happens in between the arrivals and departures, a tale of two men driven by a passion to complete a collection and the hope that they can finally finish. Performed by Mike Burton (Stupid, Atom Improv), Mark Smith (HOOF!, The Fly, A Wake and Taxi Tales) and Fergus Wynne this spontaneous theatre event is like no other. The show features compelling storytelling, a cavalcade of characters and live DJ'ing. Who: Wing It Impro What: Gricers Where: Unity 1 When: 8:30pm - Thursday 7th of May

LiF 02 - Stephen Longstaffe - Shakespeare on the Spot - Muprov Musings 096

Hal Munger interviews Stephen Longstaffe a solo improviser who will be performing Shakespeare on the spot. Stephen and Hal discus all things improv, from inspirations, ideas and everything in between. Catch their show as part of LIF 2026 hosted by festival partners the Unity theatre. The world clearly hasn’t enough Shakespeare, so this solo show improvises some more from audience suggestions. Your host (former university Shakespeare lecturer and current idiot) will transform whatever the Liverpool muses bring into new iambic speeches and dialogues by some of the bard's most famous characters. It could get silly. No asps, daggers, or skulls are permitted in the venue, but feel free to bring another hitherto unknown Shakespeare prop along! Who: Stephen Longstaffe What: Shakespeare on the Spot Where: Unity 1 When: 6:00pm - Thursday 7th of May

LiF 01 - Emily Rose - Play It Again - Muprov Musings 095

Hal Munger interviews Emily Rose part of the duo who make up the music improv shows 'Play it Again'. Emily and Hal discus all things improv, from inspirations, ideas and everything in between. Catch this show as part of LIF 2026 hosted by festival partners the Unity theatre. They are immortal lounge performers, cursed to provide light entertainment forever! ​Give them your sultry suggestions, they’ll give you beautiful ballads and mesmerising musical pieces. Laugh and sing along as these eternal entertainers play it again, and again, and again… "A jazzy little minx of an improv set" - Remix Improv Festival What: Play it Again Where: Unity 1 When: 8:15pm - Friday the 8th of May Age range: 16+ Performed by: Sam Marshall & Emily Rose

Animatia 05 - Terrarium - Muprov Musings - 094

Cheetah T John and Mantis Make their way through the Wilkerson estate... This one has an epic battle at the end. This episode wraps up the first batch of Animatia episodes! We will be back with more in March, but in the meantime, check out the Liverpool improvisation Festival interviews that we will be posting throughout February!!!

Animatia 04 - The Jungle - Muprov Musings 093

This episode has the craziest ending.... After last time we had the idea to do a bottle episode that followed Beatrice through the nightclub. We had no idea how out-of-hand things would get :). 

Animatia 03 - Welcome to Wilkerson - Muprov Musings 092

Topher gains some valuable information, Beatrice gets involved with some bad actors, and we see where the lake portal leads. We promise that the audie quality issue will be fixed on the next episode, sorry about it cutting off!