New Zealand IMprov Festival 2023

A 5 by 9 grid of headshots of the people involved in the festival.

After a year’s hiatus, the New Zealand Improv Festival makes its triumphant return this October.

This year’s NZIF will take place from 6–14 October 2023, at the beautiful BATS Theatre in Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington). Improvisers from all over Aotearoa, Australia, and the World will be presenting more than 30 workshops, over 25 shows, a dozen conference sessions, and a tasty selection of social events (yes, there will be karaoke).

It all kicks off on Friday 6 October, with a two-night Local Showcase of some of Pōneke’s leading improv shows, including Tiny Dog, WIT, Late Night Knife Fight, Next Door Improv, and Making Up Grades, which features the finest young improv talent in the city!

Workshops will be held every day from Saturday 7 October, on topics as far-flung as stage fighting, clowning, empathy and horror. Check out the full workshop programme here.

And then from Tuesday 10 October, we begin our biggest programme of shows ever, featuring magical ensembles like Mo and Ralph, Queen and Friend, Dream Team, NO SLEEP and La Catrina, brand new shows like Love, We’ll Still Be Friends After This, The Mechanical, The Solarpunk Archives, and What Would The Gods, a spooky Friday The 13th lineup with It Came From Beyond The Script and Farce Onion: A Spoons Out Mystery, and many more shows besides! Festival favourites Here’s A Thing, Grab Bag and NZ vs the World all return, alongside a new nightly all-in competition The Made-Up Smackdown. Check out the full show programme here.

Earlybird registrations to get involved are open until 1 September, with regular registrations on sale shortly afterwards. Show tickets will be on sale through the BATS Theatre website from mid-August.

If you have any questions, check our our Frequently Asked Questions page, or email us at hello@improvfest.nz.