A Canadian improv player by the name of Lee White moves to Berlin. He loves the city, but some things are and remain mysterious and unfathomable. A German improv player by the name of Christoph Jungmann was born in Berlin and wonders why some things are mysterious and unfathomable for Lee. The two talk about this city, and the conversation spawns scenes from Berlin’s past, present and future. Spätis, citizens registration office, rail replacement buses – the whole glory of this unique metropolis.

In English.

"Life in contemporary forms of capitalism is becoming unbearable, and one survival strategy is to develop and protect at all costs small communities that offer us different relations. With art, we cannot and do not aim at causing great social change but we can make room for collective creation, a space where it is possible to survive and even have a good time. Every moment is worth asking the very important human question of »How do we actually want to live together?«. And by doing so, we are finding answers along the way. Exquisite and daring performers from different cultural, economic and political environments dive into the topic of community."
Maja Dekleva Lapajne, Artistic Director of the EU-project Our Lives and the format »Community«

In English.

It’s THE evergreen of the IMPRO, because this show is simply wonderful. Naturally, the audience will determine the songs of the »Improvision Song Contest«, but also which country garners the most points for their improvised song. Six singers from six countries are competing for votes, with songs spanning Hip-Hop and Blues, arias and Hard Rock, Chansons and songs in the style of Abba. Who sings the most beautifully? Whose lyrics are the snappiest? Who touches our hearts? And our twelve points go to…

In English.

A daring performance where theatre, discussion and personal confessions of the three artists from three different continents interact: Felipe Ortiz (Bogotá), Maja Dekleva Lapajne (Ljubljana) and Rama Nicholas (Melbourne). Each of them being a director and a performer within independent arts and each of them being passionate about improvisation, they have a lot in common. All three of them are also members of an international theatre collective Orcas Island Project. Coming from different countries, cultures and artistic backgrounds, they offer different points of view on improvisation. Their curiosity and the respect for each other result in a powerful inspiring performance. Meta Impro is a show about shows, an improvisation about improvisation, a gentle journey into artists’ deepest thoughts about their work and life while they are trying to improvise themselves.

In English.

The concise manner of speaking and the quiet humour of Aki Kaurismäki is the model for the improvisations. And we‘re getting back to basics.

In English.

It goes without saying that we won’t be able to improvise a play which matches the works of the British genius. But we can let ourselves be inspired by William Shakespeare and use the rhythm of his language as well as the structure of his dramas, comedies and tragedies as a template. A Shakespeare’s play on gentrification, digitalisation or factory farming – that could be pretty cool.

In English.

As always, the last evening belongs to the audience. Because you have the chance to improvise with some colleagues from all over the world – take it!

In English.

Wie schon vor einigen Jahren, wird auch die IMPRO 2019 wieder an drei Orten gleichzeitig eröffnet: im English Theatre Berlin | IPAC sowie im Bühnenrausch (jeweils auf englisch) und selbstverständlich in der Heimstätte der Gorillas - im Ratibor (auf deutsch). Es wird ein Vorgeschmack werden auf das, was uns in der Festival-Woche erwarten wird: packende Szenen in verschiedenen Film- und Theatergenres, bewegende Songs aller Couleur, charakteristische Geschichten aus Berlin, ein Hörspiel und und und. Ein fulminanter Reigen voller Spielfreude, der Lust machen wird aufs Festival.

In German.

BühnenRausch has been a festival location for some years now, and this year, it will host shows on three nights for the first time. IMPRO meets the players of the Berlin improv scene: Anne Autenrieb, Torben Titze, Nika Weckler, Editha Kötter, Thorsten Less, Boris Bornemann, Yael Rozanes, Dominik Wirth, Simona Theoharova, Knut Flechtenmacher; Music provided by Andrés Atala-Quezada for all evenings. In »Playground«, intimate little scenes are interwoven with collages on subjects chosen by the audience. Three intense, energetic encounters full of suspense.

In English.

This is a particularly sophisticated form of improvisation, as the events unfold purely virtually in front of the actors’ and the audience’s eyes and ears. Foley artist Peter Sandmann and DJ Hunnicut from Winnipeg, who accompanied the Crumbs live for many years, will be particularly important for the development of the story...

In English.

Festival performers bring an artist of their country to us on stage, and introduce them to us – be it a painter or a lyricist or a folk band. The players choose how they want to do that – whether they play us a tape of a concert recording or recite a poem or show us a painting in a book or read from a novel – the only prerequisite is that the artist has a special, very personal significance for them. At last year’s Our Lives Festival, it was an incredibly gripping, moving event, so it’s on the program again this year.
And these Role Models are presented to you:
15.00: Juš Milčinski (Slovenia) - Frane Milčinski – Ježek
15.30: Beatrix Brunschko (Austria) - Stephanie Sargnagel
16.00: Maja Dekleva Lapajne (Slovenia) - Kajetan Kovič
16.30: Mia Moeller (Denmark) - Kim Larsen
17.00: Olga Seehafer (Germany) - Mariage Amado
17.30: Gilly Alfeo (Germany) - Ahmad Jamal
18.00: Björn Harras (Germany) - ?
18.30: Felipe Ortiz (Columbia) - Buster Keaton
19.00: Rama Nicholas (Australia) - Pushka
19.30: Randy Dixon (USA) - Del Close.

Admission is every half and full hour.
Admission is free, you can pay whatever you want when you leave the theater.

In English.

Sometimes it’s nice to go back to the roots. Many of those looking for new improv formats today started with this popular form of improvising back in the day. Several teams compete for the best scenes and songs, for the audience doesn’t just make suggestions, it also decides the champion of the night. It’s no coincidence this show format succeeded all over the world: it’s improv full of fun, imagination, suspense, speed and passion…

In English.

These are the first words of the possibly most famous work in theater history. We asked the authors Alex Schmidt and Sönke Andresen to write the beginning of plays – first dialogues, first stage directions. The players will bring the material on stage in a kind of scenic reading, and the written beginning is the seed for an improvised play. It’s a wonderful way of developing ideas with improvisation.
This night is inspired by the format "ScripTease", developed by our wonderful colleagues from The National Theatre of The World in Toronto.
In English.