Comedy REVIEW: Edinburgh International Improv Festival

Edinburgh International Improv Festival is a four-day celebration of long-form improv, with teams and performers from around the world converging on the Scottish Storytelling Centre for a long weekend of creativity, community and connection.

EIIF returns to SSC Thursday 20-Sunday 23 March 2025.

With shows, workshops and late night jams, join us for a weekend of one-of-a-kind, never-to-be-repeated shows, moments of surprise and delight, and unique opportunities to connect with some of the best improvisers in the world.

What we saw...

ImprompTwo presents Stories: Scenes from a Building. Kathy and Joe invite you to peek inside a New York apartment building and meet the tenants going about their lives in the busy, fast-moving and sometimes crazy city.

Nice Things are Steven and Charles, two longtime improvisers who call Edinburgh home. They're Edinburgh Fringe veterans who've performed at festivals as far afield as Reykjavik and Swindon. Join them as they build a heartfelt and hilarious show from scratch, filled with characters and situations that might just remind you that the world is filled with nice things for us all to enjoy.

Hog are Alison Thea-Skot and Naomi Petersen Alex Holland of improv supergroups Groundhog and SORRY, both regular teachers and performers at Free Association in London. With over a decade of experience performing together in teams, they are finally coming together as a twosome. It’s time. Get ready for the whole hog.

Sunday's small team show brings together Kolliflower, Stupid and Favourite Cousin to kick off the last day of the festival.

Inseperable since meeting in their first improv class, Holly and Kimi from Glasgow are Kolliflower (a portmanteau of Kimi, Holly and cauliflower the vegetable). They've been quickly gaining fans with their hilarious multi-character monoscenes at the Edinburgh Fringe, Das Improv Fest and now Ed Improv Fest.

Stupid are Al and Mike from Atom Theatre in Liverpool. They are two northern lads trying to recapture the anarchy of BBC's Bottom in improvisation. Stupid regularly sell out shows and just completed four hours of improv at a student event. This will be Stupid's first performance outside of Liverpool.

Favourite Cousin are the fun and energetic duo Monique and Myra. They met at a jam and have been playing together ever since, delighting crowds wherever they go. Ed Improv Fest are thrilled to have them visit Edinburgh all the way from Los Angeles.

Where?

Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh - 20th-23rd March 2025

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Stewart - ★★★★

"Another fantastic weekend of workshops and performances took place this March at the Storytelling Centre for the Edinburgh International Improv Festival. There's such a thrilling buzz around the place as some very talented comedians come together to have a bit of a play around and try things out whilst the rest of us, the paying public, get to enjoy some fine, often genius comedy. I only caught two late afternoon shows this weekend but there was some great stuff in there including Nice Things having a fun twist on man's best friend (as the dog wants to teach his human), Hog taking a wild trip to a call centre and Kolliflower's bonker twist on The Little Mermaid. It's always fun seeing where the comedy goes, of course not all of it always gold but there's plenty in there to make it a hearty hour of laughs. Great stuff, bring on next year!"