NZIF 2024: Programme Announcement

We're so flipping excited to reveal the programme for the 2024 New Zealand Improv Festival!

It's all happening in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington this October, with 35 workshops, 14 shows, and a bustling conference and social calendar, all preluded by a five-day Youth Programme and a two-night showcase of local acts.

Whether you're looking to expand your improv horizons, keep your skills sharp, nerd out to your heart's content or make some new friends from around the country, you'll find it at this year's Festival.

Workshop programme (5–12 October)

We have a piping hot collection of 35 improv workshops with some of the most exciting teachers from across Aotearoa, Australia and the World. Discover new approaches to core skills, explore advanced techniques, deep dive into genres and styles with full-day sessions, learn a new show or format, and get to grips with improv-adjacent artforms.

Preferential registrations are open until 1 September. Last year almost all workshops booked out during the first phase, so if you’d like to be part of the festival we highly encourage you get in quick! Find out more about our workshop registration process in our FAQ page.

Performance programme (8–12 October)

You can catch 14 shows over 5 action-packed days. It’s a week full of mischief and magic, opening with the nautical All Aboard!, carrying on with festival fisticuffs through The Made-up Smackdown, and culminating in 100 things and This might get weird.

Genre fan? We’ve got you covered from Bollywood to the Bard with Improv Masala and The royal Fakespeare company, nostalgic nonsense in That 90s sitcom or a musical monster mash-up in Songs from a spellbound city.

We’ve also invited some friends from across the ditch, including Chronically ill-prepared (Adelaide/Tandanya), Bodyworks (Melbourne/Naarm) and Meet the Filipinos (who are, as the name suggests, from the Philippines but all currently live in Australia). And from even further afield, Péruvian improviser Andrea Ferpo will be presenting her solo show Pulsíon, and Bianca Casusol (USA) will direct the apocalyptic It’s us, in the end.

We’re proud to be partnering with Pōneke-based company Locomotive to present Kōrero paki, a brand-new show that will be devised and performed by a cast of Māori and Pasifika improvisers, storytellers and comedians.

You can find out more and book show tickets at the BATS website:

Youth Programme (30 September–4 October)

Before the main festival programme kicks off, we’ll be helping grow the next generation of improv talent with a five-day workshop for teens. They’ll be taught by world-class expert improvisers, and get to show off their work during two shows as part of the Local Showcase.

For more information email Youth Director Guanny Liu-Prosee at youth@improvfest.nz.

LOCAL SHOWCASE (4–5 October)

While so many new people are in town, we want to highlight some of the leading ensembles and shows in Pōneke’s vibrant improv community. Catch eight shows across our two-night Local Showcase. Find out more and book tickets here!

Conference and Social calendar (4–13 OCtober)

On the afternoons of Monday 7 and Tuesday 8 October, you can nerd out in panels and talks as part of our conference sessions.

And as if all this wasn’t enough, in between everything we’ll be hosting a number of social events, starting with a mihi whakatau on the afternoon of Friday 3 October, festival staples like karaoke, the jam session, and the farewell brunch (this time with an awards ceremony mixed in)

We can’t wait!

We’re so excited to be sharing the line-up, and we can’t wait to see you there. If you have any questions, email us anytime at hello@improvfest.nz.