Dark Impro
Hobart’s Festival of Improvised Theatre
PROTEA IMPRO presents DARK IMPRO Hobart’s Festival of Improvised Theatre
Join us for two weeks of improvised theatre featuring international and interstate guest artists. We have a huge range of double bill shows, workshops with our visiting artists, Theatresports™, and the special late night season of "The Lighthouse" running all through the festival. So grab your tickets now for the biggest Impro festival Hobart has ever seen.
Please note that tickets Theatresports™ on Friday 29th August must be booked via the Theatresports™ booking link on our Linktree. Theatresports™ will be held in the Founders Room, Salamanca Arts Centre. All other Dark Impro shows will be held in the Peacock Theatre, Salamanca.
Friday 29th August
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Presented by PROTEA Impro
Join PROTEA Impro for your monthly improvised hijinks. Two teams battle it out in made up on the spot scenes and sketches to vie for the right to hold aloft the coveted “As Yet Unnamed Perpetual Trophy”.
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Presented by PROTEA Impro
Usually the lighthouse is manned by one keeper at a time. This year however, the changeover hasn’t gone to plan. And two lighthouse keepers are stuck with each other for the season.
The Lighthouse is a bonus show and is free for any ticket holder that night!
SHOW | 7:30pm - 9:45pm
Saturday 30th August
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With Jason Geary and Jaron Why
Drums are not often associated with theatrical improv, Jaron Why and Jason Geary are changing that. Whiplash is an explosion of creation. Offers inspire beats, beats inspire SOLO character and narrative.
This workshop will challenge and inspire you to create character in a wildly different way. It draws upon character creation and gives you the tools to play those characters solo. Taking this workshop will sharpen skills like physical character creation, monologue and narrative structure. It's a workshop for any skill level as long as you're willing to give it a red hot go.
Trigger warning, drums are loud. You might like to bring earplugs if you are sensitive to loud noises.
WORKSHOP #1 | 9:00am - 12:00pm
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In The Stories That Made Us, participants will explore how cultural and personal stories influence the way we create characters and play scenes. This workshop invites you to reflect on your own background, traditions, and ancestral tales, using these stories to deepen and enrich your scene work. We’ll explore oral storytelling, integrating culture, history, and heritage into performance. Participants will engage in guided exercises and activities that help bring diverse perspectives into their scenes, unfolding authentic and meaningful stories. By the end, you’ll have the tools to tell richer, more connected stories on stage.
Note: Participants may be cast from this workshop to perform in the Bonfire show. Casting is at the discretion of the teacher.
WORKSHOP #2 | 1:00pm - 4:00pm
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Presented by Jason Geary and Jaron Why
One drummer. One improviser. No script. Pure adrenaline. Witness Jaron Why and Jason Geary as they ignite the stage in a high-octane fusion of live jazz drumming and unscripted storytelling. Like Whiplash meets freestyle theater, every beat drives the narrative forward—every riff sparks a new twist. Frenetic improv meets jazz’s raw power. Characters, stories, and emotions woven in real-time. Drumming so intense, it bends reality. This isn’t just a show—it’s a live-wire act of creation. Will you be there when the magic (or chaos) unfolds? Don’t miss it. No two nights are the same.
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Presented by Matías Avaca
Bonfire invites you to gather around the fire and immerse yourself in a world of storytelling. Performers bring to life captivating tales of culture, heritage, and folklore, weaving together personal and ancestral stories that celebrate the richness of human experiences. The intimate setting creates a space for connection and reflection, where each performance is a unique exploration of shared histories and the power of storytelling. Experience an evening filled with laughter, wonder, and a deep sense of community, as we honor the timeless tradition of stories passed down through generations.
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Presented by PROTEA Impro
Usually the lighthouse is manned by one keeper at a time. This year however, the changeover hasn’t gone to plan. And two lighthouse keepers are stuck with each other for the season.
The Lighthouse is a bonus show and is free for any ticket holder that night!
SHOW | 7:00pm - 9:45pm
Sunday 31st August
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With Jaron Why
When improvising songs, the music is our muse. It inspires everything. But do we honour everything it has to offer?
Having improvised behind the keys and on stage for over 10 years, Jaron resolves to raise the stakes in the world of songprov, combining his knowledge of both sides of the coin.
In his workshop, you will learn the tools to create cohesive musicals with your fellow improvisers and musicians alike. And you'll get a full on workout with plenty of reps, to pump up those songprov muscles!
We always strive to 'yes and' our stage partners, building upon their emotional, narrative, or character development. We'll explore deeper into how that can propel our musicals to new heights, plus how to 'yes and' their melodies, rhyming structure, and most importantly, the offers from our improvising musician. When improvisers and musicians are in sync, there is magic to be made.
Join this class and feel the almighty power of music!
Ideal for improvisers with confident singing abilities, but not necessary as there are many ways to create music.
WORKSHOP #1 | 9:00am - 12:00pm
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With Lindsay Drummond
It is time to explore one of the most fun character driven improv formats of all time!
The La Ronde is a character driven improv format that allows us to explore the lives and relationships of interesting characters through an easy to perform narrative format. Although the La Ronde is narrative, it is not a 'hero's journey'. Unlike other narrative formats it doesn't need to be protagonist driven and many subplots can co-exist. The beauty of this format is the ability to see multiple sides to characters and their relationships and best of all it's simple and easy to learn.
In this workshop we will explore the options of a 'Monoscene' (one location and time) La Ronde and a La Ronde with time and location based edits. We will learn the skills for both and decide which we prefer as an ensemble, and perform it at the festival! YAY! Let's discover and explore some awesome characters and relationships. See you there!
WORKSHOP #2 | 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Monday 1st September
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With Matías Avaca
Get ready to turn up the drama and bring the passion in this improv workshop focused on the beloved Latin soap opera genre: Telenovela!
In this workshop, you’ll learn how to incorporate over-the-top acting, heightened emotions, and complex plot twists into your improv scenes. We’ll also explore how to effectively utilize language barriers and cultural differences in your storytelling. And who knows, you may just discover a hidden talent for playing the antagonist.
Join us and let’s create some unforgettable Telenovela moments!
Note: Participants in this workshop may be selected to perform in the show Hotel Sol. Casting is at the discretion of the teacher.
WORKSHOP #1 | 5:00pm - 8:00pm
tuesday 2nd September
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Presented by Matías Avaca
Welcome to Hotel Sol, where the magic of the Mediterranean beachfront meets the fiery drama of a telenovela. Immerse yourself in a world of love, betrayal, mystery, and uproarious humour, all set against the backdrop of a luxurious seaside resort.
Get ready to be guided through a whirlwind of suspense and hilarity, ensuring your heart is thoroughly entertained. Reserve your spot for this exclusive event, a one-of-a-kind show that will keep you mesmerised from start to finish.
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Presented by Ryk Goddard
A cabaret from the end of time where every act is improvised as the world collapses around performers who squeeze the last bit of life and love from themselves to entertain you. Bizarre, dark and tinged with bitterness the show features some of the most brilliant physical and musical performers in collaboration to create an improvised cabaret.
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Presented by PROTEA Impro
Usually the lighthouse is manned by one keeper at a time. This year however, the changeover hasn’t gone to plan. And two lighthouse keepers are stuck with each other for the season.
The Lighthouse is a bonus show and is free for any ticket holder that night!
Show | 7:00pm - 9:45pm
wednesday 3rd September
Show | 7:00pm - 9:45pm
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Presented by PROTEA Impro
6 people go away for a long weekend. Something will happen that will change their lives forever. But who are they and what will happen to them? We’ll find out on the night.
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Presented by Lindsay Drummond
It is time to explore one of the most fun character driven improv formats of all time! La Ronde follows a chain of intimate, unexpected encounters with each scene linked by a shared character. Watch as stories unfold in a circular dance of connection, desire, and shifting power dynamics.
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Presented by PROTEA Impro
Usually the lighthouse is manned by one keeper at a time. This year however, the changeover hasn’t gone to plan. And two lighthouse keepers are stuck with each other for the season.
The Lighthouse is a bonus show and is free for any ticket holder that night!
Thursday 4th September
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Presented by PROTEA Impro
Our Place is a narrative format which explores the concept of place through the creation of such a town. Using scene painting and suggestions from the audience a map of the Place is created. We then see characters from this town tell their stories and gradually over the duration of the show, these stories build a sense of the personality of this newly minted town, and what it means to the people that live there. Links appear between sometimes disparate scenes and characters as we slowly build the theatrical equivalent of a watercolour painting of a town and its people.
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Presented by Matt Armstrong and Michael Fletcher
The show The Last Day is a very dynamic long form show based on the premise of audience suggestions on "the last day of..." and we work with the audience to provide suggestions that range from grounded (""capitalism"") to esoteric (""silence""). Scenes can be short or long, with a different characters and styles based on the suggestion. The Last Day show format deliberately encourages the audience to reveal what is top of mind at the start of each scene, and the performers often encourage more deeper exploration with the audience through the scene itself.
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Presented by PROTEA Impro
Usually the lighthouse is manned by one keeper at a time. This year however, the changeover hasn’t gone to plan. And two lighthouse keepers are stuck with each other for the season.
The Lighthouse is a bonus show and is free for any ticket holder that night!
Show | 7:00pm - 9:45pm
Friday 5th September
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With Jim Fishwick
When we improvise, we’re trying to get on the same page as our scene partner and the audience about what’s going on. But if we just stuff that bare information into our dialogue, we stop sounding like real people. (“Look, we’ve been brothers for twenty years.” “Hi, I’m the window cleaner you asked to come over to clean the windows of your house.”)
This workshop looks at the art of exposition: ways of hiding this information more smoothly in our dialogue and detecting the things that our scene partners may have hidden in theirs.
WORKSHOP #1 | 4:00pm - 7:00pm
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Presented by PROTEA Impro
Everyone loves pears! Pairs will perform a seven minute story for your delight! The catch is: they won’t know who their pair is until the pear is picked from the fruit bowl.
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Presented by Jim Fishwick
Welcome, new students! We understand it can be nerve-wracking to walk the corridors of a hallowed institution such as St. Evangeline’s, but just remember that all our esteemed alumni once felt the same way. Like you, they would forget their Latin textbooks, or fall hopelessly in love with someone in the year above them or uncover a dark ritual taking place after hours on the lacrosse pitch. Simply keep your wits about you, your overcoat on during winter, your mouth shut, and you’ll feel at home in no time. Sapere aude!
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Presented by PROTEA Impro
Usually the lighthouse is manned by one keeper at a time. This year however, the changeover hasn’t gone to plan. And two lighthouse keepers are stuck with each other for the season.
The Lighthouse is a bonus show and is free for any ticket holder that night!
SHOW | 7:30pm - 10:00pm
Saturday 6th September
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With Matt Armstrong
Game of Life is new structured long form duo show that follows the major life milestones of 3-5 couples: preparing for their first date; the first date; the honeymoon; the 20th wedding anniversary; and finally "where are they now?". Game of Life is heavily character driven and uses key elements from UCB’s ‘The Documentary’ improv show format, and is more suitable for performers with a medium to high level of experience.
Game of Life has a workshop to introduce players to the main elements of the show:
the 'presentational' interview and endowing sideways, strong maintainable characters as the relationships evolve through the show, and use of emotional heightening in character/relationship game over the course of five separate scenes per couple.
Because we’re following the couples through to their 20th anniversary the show format reminds the players to remain positive throughout, helping players more quickly find and play the relationship game rather than defaulting to conflict.
WORKSHOP #1 | 9:00am - 12:00pm
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Presented Malcom Morrison
Wizards at the Supermarket is a comedic short story anthology exploring Fantasy/Sci-Fi Normalism (or the Mundane Fantastic) - the interesting practical questions often swept under the rug by the epic adventures. How did Dr. Destruction manage to hire an extensive workforce of minions? What do Cthulhu cultists do on dates? How do vampire's afford their castles - and do they pay rates?
The show has a host setting up interesting scenarios which raise interesting questions in the audience's mind. Scenarios like ""A wizard converts to Christianity"" or ""A discussion panel for Monster Attack Specialists"". Then we see a scene play out exploring this concept.
The audience enjoys the concept, then gets captivated by the short story through the cast's clever worldbuilding and grounded, deeply human approach to the scene. The show relishes in finding the humour in the shared experience that we can have even with horror-monsters from The Void. Heartfelt and funny.
Participants will expect to get two main things out of the workshop: how to world-build effectively, as well as how to normalize the fantastic and fantasticize the normal. We will explore how accepting offers differently has radically different results and how to superimpose human values onto the unknown.
WORKSHOP #2 | 1:00pm - 4:00pm
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Presented by Matt Armstrong
Game of Life is new structured long form duo show that follows the major life milestones of 3-5 couples: preparing for their first date; the first date; the honeymoon; the 20th wedding anniversary; and finally "where are they now?". Game of Life is heavily character driven and uses key elements from UCB’s ‘The Documentary’ improv show format, and is more suitable for performers with a medium to high level of experience.
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Presented by Malcom Morrison
Wizards at the Supermarket is a comedic short story anthology exploring Fantasy/Sci-Fi Normalism (or the Mundane Fantastic) - the interesting practical questions often swept under the rug by the epic adventures. How did Dr. Destruction manage to hire an extensive workforce of minions? What do Cthulhu cultists do on dates? How do vampire's afford their castles - and do they pay rates? The show relishes in finding the humour in the shared experience that we can have even with horror-monsters from The Void. Heartfelt and funny.
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Presented by PROTEA Impro
Usually the lighthouse is manned by one keeper at a time. This year however, the changeover hasn’t gone to plan. And two lighthouse keepers are stuck with each other for the season.
The Lighthouse is a bonus show and is free for any ticket holder that night!