LADIES WHO IMPROV is a female Manchester based troupe who focus on the funny. We sat down with the group to discuss their upcoming performance.
How did you go from meeting in an improv class to becoming a fully-fledged troupe?
We did a showcase at the end of the improv course and after we left the stage we realised just how much we enjoyed improvising with one another. We chatted afterwards and really got to know each other. With two of our players being Lithuanian and American we discussed our comedic inspirations and humours and learnt a lot about one another; all the while connecting as a group. Seeing this opportunity, I suggested we apply for the Women in Comedy Festival that was coming up at the time and the others were really keen although perhaps unsure if we would get in. We somehow did end up getting in, despite being a brand new troupe and LADIES WHO IMPROV haven’t looked back since!
Do you remember your very first show together—and how it felt compared to now?
Our first show was a bit of a blur. There was some nerves floating around. We not only sold out, but they also had to add more seats to the venue due to demand and so we felt the pressure to be great. Luckily, it was a great show and the audience had a lot of fun, but I think we perhaps were still getting to know each others styles and comfort levels within scenes and characters. Our shows now are a lot slicker and tighter in terms of cuts and character traits. Of course there are still some nerves but we don’t feel as much pressure. We just want to have fun and as we now know each other so well as performers, we really do enjoy performing together.
What’s the funniest audience suggestion you’ve ever run with?
That is a hard one, as we have had so many, including words such as ‘Help’ etc. I guess one stand out one for me, would be from our first ever show. An audience member decided mid game to shout a suggestion. Ever the professional, I jumped at the chance to hear this. The suggestion was to continue the game but to have an audience member join us on stage (as an extra LADIES WHO IMPROV member). I assumed this would be the enthusiastic suggester, but in fact they did not want to do it and decided it should be someone else instead. So we then had to find someone else to volunteer and chaos ensued. It was a lot of fun and luckily both audience members were great sports!
What has it meant to you to carve out space as women in a scene that can be very male-dominated?
I think it is really important to all of us in the troupe to continue to do this and to inspire and encourage other females to join in with improv and comedy as a whole. It’s surprising that in this day and age this is still a thing but we think it is very important to acknowledge this and build a safe space for women to play, interact and be silly. It is a very male-dominating industry, but that doesn’t mean it can’t ever change. I think there needs to be more celebration and focus on women within comedy. This is why we are so excited to be performing at the Women in Comedy Festival on 8th October 2025.
What advice would you give to other women looking to step into improv or comedy for the first time?
Just go for it! I have done a variety of comedy courses and improv classes in different cities across the UK, and it can be really hard when you are a newbie in an already established group or scene, but showing up is truly half the work. After that first interaction, you will have at least met one person you click with. Then after the next time, you will find some others who maybe have the same humour and before you know it, you will have people you trust and enjoy performing with regularly. I would also say if you are Manchester based then introduce yourself to companies such as Thirsty Productions, The Totally Improvised Company or Improv North. They’re all friendly and eager to have new people join!
How do you want audiences to feel when they walk away from one of your shows?
Apart from exhaustion from laughter, we want our audience to feel entertained and happy! Our shows are silly, fun and at times incredibly absurd. They are a source of fun and enjoyment, both for the audience and for us as a troupe. It would be great if some of the audience wanted to know how to start doing improv themselves. Perhaps they are looking for a new hobby or always wanted to try it. We love chatting to our audience after the show at the bar, so if anyone needs any advice on how to get into the improv community in Manchester, we would be happy to help.
Catch Ladies Who Improve on 8th October at 8.30pm at the Fitzgerald in Manchester (as part of the Women in Comedy Festival). Tickets are available here.