my journey with improv began when I was 8 years old and joined the after school drama club - stage 2 academy of performing arts which focused on using comedic improvisation to build confidence in children. I performed with the academy for much of my childhood which led to a job teaching students there from the age of 15 and I taught there until I was 17.
My improv career largely picked up when I began performing with the comedy improv society at the University of Bristol - Bristol Improv. I performed in their regular fortnightly short form comedy night and larger long form shows. I became President of the society in my second year and went on to produce and direct many shows for the society including the organisation and direction of our trip to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2019.
I have also performed in shows away from the society which include formats I've devised myself - such as 'This is NOT My Life: the improvised late night chat show!' - I've also since taken on the format we took to the 2019 Edinburgh fringe 'Bristol Improv presents: Offscript!' which has developed from being the improvised 'making of' a film or play to 'Offscript! the improvised opening night!'
My improv has also crossed into non-comedic shows. in march 2018 I performed in a cast - directed by John McInnes - which explored the concept if an audience can empathise more with a tragic event if they are watching the 'true-to-life' emotions unfold. This led to the show 'The Impressionistic Horror' which was an improvised exploration into everyday tragedy. as performers, we were given a real news article detailing a tragic event and then improvised how the characters emotions were handled before and after the event using the long form format 'the Harold'.
Bristol Improv performing in Improv Cage Match at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2019.
Hosting Dynamite! Comedy Night! 30/09/18
Cast of 'Bristol Improv Presents: Story Slam' at the Edinburgh Fringe 2018
Cast of 'Bristol Improv Presents: Dynamite!' at the Edinburgh Fringe 2019
Performing in the Bristol Improv Festive show '18
Profile Picture for the Bristol Improv Festive Show '18
Cast of the Freshers Dynamite! Comedy Night! 2018
The new Improv Committee 2018/2019
Cast and Crew of 'Bristol Improv Presents: Offscript!'
on stage after our last show at the 2019 Ed Fringe Fest with previous Bristol Improv President Ben Vardy
Outside the theatre after our opening night at Ed Fringe '19 with Mischief Theatres Charlie Russell
Collecting the poster and T-Shirts for 2019 Edinburgh Fringe Festival
Cast of School'd: The Improvised High School Drama - 2018
School'd Profile Picture
On stage performing with Ted Milligan at the 2018 University of Bristol's Society Awards
Performing 'Late Night: The Improvised Late Night Chat Show' Performing in Improv Cage Match at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2019
The Poster for the Impressionistic Horror - an improvised exploration into everyday tragedy
Performing short form with Big Seagull Improv
Performing 'This is NOT My Life'
Past Improv Shows Include;
Bristol Improv Presents: Offscript!
Directed by Harry Allmark, Bristol Improv Presents: Offscript! is the improvised 'making-of' a play or film when you watch a show you only see half the action. Join Bristol Improv for the drama that unfolds both on and off the stage. Performed 3 shows in Bristol and from the 2nd - 17th August 2019 at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'The Derek Awards' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'Binge Fringe Mag'
Bristol Improv Presents: Dynamite!
Produced by Harry Allmark, Bristol Improv Presents: Dynamite! is Bristol Improv's regular comedy showcase in Bristol making is debut at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2019. Dynamite! Features a selection of short form improv games selected by the cast of talented improvisers.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'The Derek Awards' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 'Binge Fringe Mag'
This is NOT My Life: The Improvised Late Night Chat Show.
Harry Allmark and Ted Milligan are back with a further developed version of their show Tee Hee 2. Rather than a multi-rolling chat show an interviewer speaks to a celebrity about their life and how the ended up in the spotlight. Performed in Improv Cage Match at the Edinburgh Fringe.
Class in Comedy - Workshop and Discussion
Developed by Harry Allmark, Rosa Handscomb and Jacob Burley. Class in Comedy - Workshop and Discussion - was created for Bristol Improv and was one of three workshops that took place over the academic year, created to discuss the issues that surround contemporary comedy. Coming from lower-income households Rosa, Jacob and Myself developed a workshop to highlight was issues currently surround the comedy industry and stereotypical performances and how we might be able to solve these issues in a modern day.
Tee Hee 2: The Improvised Late Night Talk Show
Harry Allmark and Ted Milligan Perform their newly devised format of an improvised chat show during a theatre festival arranged by the theatre department society at the University of Bristol. The show saw Harry Allmark (Interviewer) get fake celebrities from the audience which Ted Milligan would then improvise as during an interview. We interviewed 3 different characters in front of a sold out audience and discovered a format we believed had a real future.
Improv and Magic Collaborations Workshop
Harry Allmark and George Hunt developed a new experimental workshop which attempted to blend comedic improvised scene structure with close-up/sight-of-hand magic tricks. The workshop was a success and resulted in the development of a few scenes which could include close-up magic that would take place during an improvised scene.
Hilarity: The Improvised Comedy Festival
Harry Allmark Produced and Performed in Hilarity: The Improvised Comedy Festival with for Bristol Improv. As President of the Society myself and the rest of the committee organised the second annual student ran improvised comedy festival. We had performances from visiting societies from other Universities and from professional improv troupes from across the South West of England.
Dynamite! Comedy Night!
Dynamite! Comedy Night! Is the fortnightly stand-up and improv comedy night ran by Bristol Improv. I regularly performed in this night as either a stand-up, compére or improviser. When I became President of the Society I would assist the Dynamite Representative - Jacob Burley - in Producing and ensuring the success of the evening.
Bristol Improv Presents: Storm Slam
Harry Allmark performed with Bristol Improv in their show Bristol Improv Presents: Story Slam through the 2018 Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Bristol Improv Presents: School'd! The Improvised High School Drama
Harry Allmark Performed in Bristol Improv's final Longford of the year - School'd! The Improvised High School Drama. We performed 2 shows we were met with a great response. The show would get an event we were leading up to (i.e. School Dance, Swimming Gala, Arts & Crafts Fair) and then improvise the story of a group of high-schoolers leadings up to this event.
The Impressionist Horror: An Improvised Exploration into Everyday Tragedy
The Impressionist Horror was Directed by John McInnes and feature a cast of improvisers using a Harold to explore the emotions that could unfold between real people after real-life tragedy.The performances were non-comedic.
Bristol Improv Presents: Festive Show
Harry Allmark's first Longform performance was Bristol Improv's Festive Show. Which was an comedic improvised family drama revolving around Christmas Dinner. The cast got a suggestion for a moral of the story they had to learn by the end of the show.
