The Oxford Imps
The Oxford Imps are an improvisational comedy troupe based in Oxford, England, where they perform every Monday during University term time at The Wheatsheaf pub. They also perform annually at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival at the Gilded Balloon.
They were reviewed as "the best improvised comedy show I have ever had the pleasure to witness" by Edinburgh Fringe festival magazine ThreeWeeks and as "astonishingly brilliant" by Cue 2016, the official paper of the Grahamstown National Arts Festival.
History
The Oxford Imps were formed by final year student Hannah Madsen and first performed at the Wheatsheaf pub in Oxford High Street in January 2004.[1] Since 2004, the Imps have performed at the Edinburgh Fringe each year.[2] They have previously toured to Bosnia, France, Utrecht in the Netherlands, and Grahamstown South Africa. They have also toured numerous times to the US. to Chicago and Providence, and Nashville.
They have performed radio shows on Oxide Radio, BBC Radio Oxford, and Fest FM.
The Oxford Imps celebrated their tenth anniversary in February 2014, with their 32 members performing at Oxford's New Theatre.[1]
TV appearances
On 25 March 2009, the Oxford Imps' appearance on British daytime TV quiz Eggheads was broadcast on BBC2.
In January 2016 director Adam Mastroianni appeared in the Oxfordshire episode of Come Dine with Me,[3] the episode was dubbed the best ever Come Dine With Me after contestant 'Poisonous' Peter Marsh threw the other contestants out of his home.
Alumni
Imps alumni have continued their passion for comedy and improvisation, including:
- Swords, founded by Bradford Jordan, based in New York.[4]
- Impulse Factory, founded by Steve Kimmens, based in Sydney.
- The Milk Monitors, performers of Chortle Award-winning Austentatious! An Improvised Jane Austen Novel, based in London.[5]
- Racing Minds, Improvised comedy adventures from critically acclaimed UK based long-form quintet[6]
- Rachel Parris, Time Out Critic's Choice,[7] host of the Game of Thrones fanshow, Thronecast, on Sky Atlantic. Appeared in The IT Crowd and Murder in Successville.[8]
- Chris Turner, Amused Moose People's Choice award 2014
- Ivo Graham, Apologetic etonian comic Winner of So You Think You're Funny 2009
- Joseph Morpurgo,[9] Triple Chortle award winner[10] and Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee[11]
See also
References
- 1 2 Katriona Ormiston (8 February 2014). "Improvising their way to national comic fame". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
- ↑ Edinburgh Fringe Festival Listing.
- ↑ Come Dine With Me: losing contestant throws massive tantrum, retrieved 9 July 2016
- ↑ Swords Website
- ↑ "Austentatious: An improvised Jane Austen novel". Austentatious. January 2012. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
- ↑ "Home". Racing Minds. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
- ↑ "Rachel Parris – The Commission". Retrieved 9 July 2016.
- ↑ "Rachel Parris". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
- ↑ Logan, Brian (12 August 2015). "Joseph Morpurgo at Edinburgh festival review – one of the best comedy shows in town". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
- ↑ Solutions, Powder Blue Internet Business. "Triple Chortle Award winner Joseph Morpurgo : Videos 2016 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide". chortle.co.uk. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
- ↑ "Joseph Morpurgo: Soothing Sounds for Baby". Retrieved 9 July 2016.
- Reviews
- Cherwell Newspaper Review February 2016
- The Oxford Student Review February 2016
- The Oxford Student November 2015
- The Tab Review February 2013
- Cherwell Newspaper Review February 2013
- ThreeWeeks Review August 2012
- Broadway Baby Review August 2012
- Oxford Theatre Review August 2011
- Cherwell Newspaper Review March 2009
- OTR Review February 2008
- OTR Review May 2006
- Daily Information Review May 2006
- Cherwell Newspaper Review June 2005
- BBC article on an Oxford Imps production June 2005
- Cherwell Newspaper Review January 2005
- The Scotsman Newspaper Review August 2004