Podcasts about The Comedy Store Players

Ruth Bratt became a permanent member of the world famous Comedy Store Players in 2024, the first new permanent member for nearly 30 years. She played the recurring character of Roche in the comedy show People Just Do Nothing. Ruth is a founder member of Showstopper: The Improvised Musical. The show had its own series for Radio 4 and can be seen live in the West End and touring the UK throughout 2025. Ruth was a regular in Touch Me I'm Karen Taylor on BBC3 as Well as Rob Brydon's Annually Retentive for BBC3. She was in Ricky Gervais' Derek and Vic Reeves on The Ministry of Curious Stuff. Ruth voiced several characters in both series of the BBC comedy Mongrels. She also plays Marion in Sarah Millican's hit series for BBC Radio 4, Sarah Millican's Support Group.Ruth Bratt is our guest in episode 471 of My Time Capsule and chats to Michael Fenton Stevens about the five things she'd like to put in a time capsule; four she'd like to preserve and one she'd like to bury and never have to think about again .For tickets for Showstopper: The Improvised Musical, visit - https://showstopperthemusical.comFor tickets for The London 50-hour Improvathon, visit - https://www.improvathon.co.ukFollow Ruth Bratt on Instagram: @brattbomb & Twitter/X: @ruthbrattFollow My Time Capsule on Instagram: @mytimecapsulepodcast & Twitter/X & Facebook: @MyTCpod .Follow Michael Fenton Stevens on Twitter/X: @fentonstevens & Instagram @mikefentonstevens .Produced and edited by John Fenton-Stevens for Cast Off Productions .Music by Pass The Peas Music .Artwork by matthewboxall.com .This podcast is proud to be associated with the charity Viva! Providing theatrical opportunities for hundreds of young people . Get bonus episodes and ad-free listening by becoming a team member with Acast+! Your support will help us to keep making My Time Capsule. Join our team now! https://plus.acast.com/s/mytimecapsule. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Richard Vranch is maybe best known for improvising the music in the Channel 4 series Whose Line Is It Anyway?, famously introduced as “Richard Vranch at the piano”. He's also a member of The Comedy Store Players and improvises comedy live on stage every Sunday at The Comedy Store in London, which he has done regularly for the past 39 years. He's also part of the Improv All-Stars and Paul Merton and Suki Webster's Improv Show. The Comedy Store Players have played the Olivier stage at the National Theatre and performed annually at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre. They toured India in 2004 and in 2010 they achieved the Guinness World Record for the longest running comedy show with the same cast. They've also appeared at the Globe Theatre annually since the millennium and will be performing there again on the 17th of December 2024. He formed a comedy double-act with Tony Slattery in 1981. The duo hosted the Channel 4 quiz The Music Game and over 100 episodes of Cue The Music on ITV. Richard won the 2004 Sony Radio Award for Comedy for the BBC Radio 2 series Jammin .Richard Vranch is our guest in episode 452 of My Time Capsule and chats to Michael Fenton Stevens about the five things he'd like to put in a time capsule; four he'd like to preserve and one he'd like to bury and never have to think about again .Tickets for The Comedy Store Players at The Globe are available here - https://www.shakespearesglobe.com/whats-on/the-comedy-store-players .Tickets for The Comedy Store Players at The Comedy Store are available here - https://comedystoreplayers.com .Follow Richard Vranch on Instagram .Follow My Time Capsule on Instagram: @mytimecapsulepodcast & Twitter & Facebook: @MyTCpod .Follow Michael Fenton Stevens on Twitter: @fentonstevens & Instagram @mikefentonstevens .Produced and edited by John Fenton-Stevens for Cast Off Productions .Music by Pass The Peas Music .Artwork by matthewboxall.com .This podcast is proud to be associated with the charity Viva! Providing theatrical opportunities for hundreds of young people . Get bonus episodes and ad-free listening by becoming a team member with Acast+! Your support will help us to keep making My Time Capsule. Join our team now! https://plus.acast.com/s/mytimecapsule. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stand Up is a daily podcast that I book,host,edit, post and promote new episodes with brilliant guests every day. Please subscribe now for as little as 5$ and gain access to a community of over 700 awesome, curious, kind, funny, brilliant, generous souls Check out StandUpwithPete.com to learn more Greg Proops at 31:20 minutes News and Clips at 12:39 I open with the Good Stuff! Here is Greg Proops Bio "Sharp dressed and even sharper witted." -LA Times "Proops has a fun, ranty, self-deprecating, flamboyant, quick comedy style with depth, range, and most importantly, great jokes." -SF Weekly Greg Proops is a stand up comic from San Francisco. He lives in Hollywood. And likes it. Mr. P has a spanking new stand up comedy CD called Proops Digs In. Available on iTunes and at http://www.aspecialthing.com Greg is shooting his second season on the hit Nickelodeon comedy series True Jackson VP. Starring Keke Palmer, NAACP Image Award winner, as True. Weekly on Nickelodeon. Mr. Proops is a frequent guest on The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson, Chelsea Lately on E! and on Red Eye with Greg Gutfeld on Fox News. Greg joins long time cohorts Ryan Stiles, Jeff Davis and Chip Esten in the live improv show Whose Live Anyway? They are constantly touring the US and Canada. Proop pod has appeared on such notable comedy podcasts as WTF with Marc Maron, Doug Benson's I Love Movies and Kevin Pollak's Chat Show. Gregela is happy to be in the Streamy-winning of Easy to Assemble starring Illeana Douglass, as the shallow agent Ben. Seen on easytoassemble.tv. The Proopdog is best known for his unpredictable appearances on Whose Line is it Anyway? The hit, improvised comedy show on ABC hosted by Drew Carey. Greg is also a regular on the long running British version of WLIIA? Whose Line is currently seen on ABC Family Channel. Proops has been a guest on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon,The View and The Bonnie Hunt Show. Proopworld provides the announcer voice Hank "Buckshot" Holmes for the forthcoming game Mad World for SEGA. Darth Greg is heard as the bad guy Tal Merrick in the animated TV series Clone Wars on Cartoon Network. Greg can also be heard as the voice of Bob the Builder on the popular children's series seen on PBS. The HBO series Flight of Conchords features Greg as Martin Clarke an advertising executive and weasel. Greg joined long time cohort Ryan Stiles in a two-man improvised show, Unplanned. They performed for sell out crowds at the Just For laughs Festival in Montreal and taped a gala for the CBC. Mr. Proops cares like Bono and has performed and hosted at many events for the ACLU including the 2008 membership conference and a rally to stop torture with Rep. Dennis Kucinich, Senator Patrick Leahy and Larry Cox, Director of Amnesty International USA. Mr. Proopwell aided and abetted Joan and Melissa Rivers on the red carpet at the 2007 Oscars, Emmys, SAG and Grammy awards as a wag and celebrity traffic cop on TV Guide Channel. Mr. Prooples regularly hosts his own live comedy chat show at the ridiculously hip Hollywood rock joint Largo. Guests have included Flight of the Conchords, Jason Schwartzman, Russell Brand, Jack Black, Dave Grohl, Patton Oswalt, Sarah Silverman, Joe Walsh, Janeane Garofalo, David Cross, Margaret Cho, Dave Eggers, Joan Rivers, Aidan Quinn, Jeff Goldblum, Kathy Griffin, Lewis Black, Eddie Izzard and John C. Reilly. Providing musical magic is genius and imp Jon Brion. Mr. Proops has also performed his chat show in Aspen at the HBO Comedy Arts Festival, The Edinburgh Fringe Festival and Montreal at the Just For Laughs Festival. He also accompanied Drew Carey to the 2006 World Cup and produced and starred in Drew Carey's Sporting Adventures on the Travel Channel. Mr. Proops other television sightings include, Last Comic Standing, Ugly Betty, The Bigger Picture with Graham Norton on BBC, Mock the Week on BBC2 and The Drew Carey Show. Mr. P is very pleased to improvise with Drew Carey, Ryan Styles, Kathy Kinney, Colin Mochrie and many talented others as part of the Improv All Stars. They had the honor of performing for the troops in Bosnia, Kosovo and the Persian Gulf as part of the USO. The All-Stars can be seen on a fabulous Showtime comedy special. When over the pond in London, Greg sits in with the renowned Comedy Store Players. Darth Proops was so excited to portray Fode, one half of the pod race announcer in the hit motion picture Star Wars: The Phantom Menace and all the subsequent video games. As well as many voices in Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas. Greg went medieval as Cryptograf in the animated feature Asterix and the Vikings based on the popular French comic book. Greg may be heard as Gommi, the Articulate Worm in Kaena: The Prophecy a full length animated feature starring Kirsten Dunst. He was also Bernard, a mad scientist on Pam Anderson's animated series Stripperella. Mr. Greg was spotted hosting his own syndicated, national dating show Rendez View. He also hosted the now cult classic game show Comedy Central's VS. Senor Proops threw down an original half-hour of stand up on Comedy Central Presents. Which is repeated ad infinitum. Across the wide Atlantic in the United Kingdom Greg had his own chat show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival broadcast live on BBC Radio Scotland. Groovy guests like Candace Bushnell, Rich Hall, Geraldine Chaplin, Steven Berkoff and Garrison Keillor have snuggled his sofa. Mr. Proops performed stand up at How to Cook a benefit with Michael Palin and Terry Jones for the Peter Cook Foundation a BBC Christmas special. Greg was honored to be invited to rock the mike at Prince Charles' 50th Royal Birthday Gala seen on ITV in Britain. He performed a stand up half-hour on Comedy Store Five for Channel Five and has bantered on All Talk with Clive Anderson. The Proopkitty is a total smartyboots: he won The Weakest Link, Ben Stein's Money and Rock n' Roll Jeopardy. He also asked Dick Clark what his plans were for New Years Eve while guest hosting The Other Half. Proopmonkey rocks his stand up comedy all over the world and can be found most frequently performing in his beloved hometown of San Francisco. Mr. P. has toured the UK four times, sold out the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 28 years running and has kicked it live in Paris, Turkey, Milan, Aspen, Montreal, Scotland, Ireland, Norway, New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates. Below the Equator in New Zealand the Proopshobbit hosted the Oddfellows Comedy Gala for TVNZ and headlined the New Zealand International Comedy Festival. In Australia Speccy Spice jammed at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and hosted, Hey, Hey it's Saturday! A national TV institution. Mr. Proops is married to a woman, Jennifer. He doesn't deserve her. They reside in Lower California with their pet ocelot, Lady Gaga. The Stand Up Community Chat is always active with other Stand Up Subscribers on the Discord Platform.   Join us Monday and Thursday at 8EST for our Weekly Happy Hour Hangout!  Pete on Threads Pete on Tik Tok Pete on YouTube  Pete on Twitter Pete On Instagram Pete Personal FB page Stand Up with Pete FB page All things Jon Carroll  Follow and Support Pete Coe Buy Ava's Art  Hire DJ Monzyk to build your website or help you with Marketing

In this episode, our host Iain Luke Jones sits down with UK improv pioneer Neil Mullarkey for an in-depth chat about his incredible journey through the world of improv comedy and beyond. We dive into how he first discovered improv, the origins of his long-standing friendship with Austin Powers star Mike Myers, and how the iconic Comedy Store Players came to be. Neil also shares fascinating stories from the early days of Whose Line is it Anyway?, and we explore his transition into using improv techniques to revolutionise the corporate world. Join us for an inspiring conversation filled with laughter, insight, and a peek behind the scenes of both the comedy stage and the boardroom. This is definitely an episode you don't want to miss—so sit back, relax, and enjoy Neil's true story of making stuff up!

That's what she said!The US Office is, arguably, one of the greatest comedy shows of all time with countless great moments. We are joined by actress and expert improviser (no guns!) Ruth Bratt!We try and put together a Top 10 of The US Office's greatest moments!Enjoy!You can get tickets for The Comedy Store Players show at the world famous Globe Theatre in London here - https://www.shakespearesglobe.com/whats-on/the-comedy-store-players/SOCIAL MEDIAwww.twitter.com/toptenpodswww.instagram.com/toptenpodswww.facebook.com/toptenpodsEMAILGet in touch with us right here:toptenpods@hotmail.comPATREONCome and support the podcast at Patreon for some great rewards including video playlists that accompany the podcast episodes - www.patreon.com/toptenpodsEPISODE LINKSApple: apple.co/3ica0FySpotify: spoti.fi/3BRhkypYouTube: https://bit.ly/3jQETisMERCH https://www.podcastmerch.co.uk/170026-top-10-of-anythingLINKTREEhttps://linktr.ee/toptenpodsBUY US A COFFEEhttps://ko-fi.com/toptenpodsSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-top-ten-of-anything-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Episode 96, The Occupational Philosophers chat with a returning guest, Neil Mullarkey! Neil who embodies the ethos of this shows and plays at the intersection of curiosity, creativity, and serendipity! His last conversation with the show was way back in 2021 when the world was still reeling from the pandemic, the Tories were still in power, and Jeff Bezos was launching himself into space into a strangely shaped spacecraft…. He co-founded the world-famous improvisation group The Comedy Store Players here in the UK with Mike Myers, later appearing with him in the fabulous Austin Powers movies….who can forget “This sort of thing is my bag baby”...and more recently with Mike Myers in the Pentaverate sporting a lovely moustache. He is also highly accomplished in the field of management training, running many workshops and conferences for private and public organisations, using the techniques of theatre improvisation to inspire business people to embrace their creativity and enhance their communication skills.  He is a published author of Seven Steps to Improve Your People Skills, and the more recent, In the Moment - both great books and highly recommended It's a real delight to welcome back, the man both ‘In the moment' and man of the moment....Neil Mullarkey!!!! In this episode, the Occupational Philosophers explore: The different ways you can organise your bookshelves What is a moment? How you can build a Cathedral if everyone brings a brick! What is adaptive leadership? Why you need to trust the process of collaborative creativity, saying ‘Yes to the mess' When you need to be prepared and when you need to let go Could AI replace Neil? The experience of writing his book ‘In the Moment' Why don't people say ‘ancillary' or ‘flan' anymore? When is a LAGER a LASER? And what does that have to do with Improv? The wave-particle duality of light…..quantum facilitation anyone? Why is curiosity the yin to serendipity's yang? The story of the ‘lucky butcher'... And as ever, enjoy the Thought Experiment …this time it's: In the What? Learn more about Neil https://neilmullarkey.com https://neilmullarkey.com/inthemomentbook (Discount code available!) https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilmullarkey https://comedystoreplayers.com https://www.improvyourbiz.com https://acknowledgements.substack.com References https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-67871679.amp https://news.sky.com/story/hotel-looking-to-hire-banter-merchant-to-entertain-guests-during-edinburgh-festival-fringe-13175451 https://www.michaelconnelly.com https://www.waterstones.com/book/my-family/david-baddiel/9780008487607 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambozola    

Actor, writer and business coach Neil Mullarkey is a founding member of London's Comedy Store Players improv group. We'll hear about his friendship with Mike Myers, his involvement with Saturday morning kid's television, and his work in teaching businesses to embrace creativity in the workplace. David and Justin look at whether board games can be adapted to make good TV formats, and how to stop viewers changing channel. Plus, there's a special version of 'Four Minute Format' and all the usual news.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/tv-show-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Neil Mullarkey, comedian, actor, and author of In the Moment: Build your confidence, creativity, and communication at work, shares his journey into comedy and writing and how he recognized the power of comedy at an early age. He's toured the world, working with well-known comedians like Mike Myers, with whom he founded the Comedy Store Players in London. Mullarckey found that the skills he learned in his improv classes translated well into leadership and management.

The great Carl Reiner once said “Improvisation is just writing in front of an audience”.  So we figured if we could brush up on our improv skills it's bound to make us better writers... right? This week improv extraordinaire, and official Comedy Store Player, Ruth Bratt talks to us about her life, her craft and the eating habits of her cat... before putting us to the test with our own improvised play. What could possibly go wrong? Go and see Ruth with the legendary Comedy Store Players here: https://comedystoreplayers.com Get your ticket for Showstopper! The Improvised Musical here: https://showstopperthemusical.com

Delighted to welcome fellow Comedy Improvisation Performer, Writer, Actress & regular "Comedy Store Player", Ruth Bratt to The Good Listening To Show 'Clearing'.Ruth is the 1st 'new recruit' of "The Comedy Store Players" in the last 30 years of their close to 40 year history.  Ruth was 'Passed the Golden Baton' to be in the show by Comedy Store Player Co-Founder Neil Mullarkey, who recorded a "Good Listening To Show" LIVE with me at the Bath Theatre Royal a few months ago.You can also Watch/Listen to Neil's LIVE episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5Ye4tXFI4kJust before doing this interview, Ruth Bratt had very recently completed a mammoth 50 hour Improv Marathon (which she does at least once a year - which we talk about) followed by a glass or three afterwards to celebrate! She is also, rather profoundly,  a survivor of having had the extraordinary experience (last Summer) of an unexpected brain haemorrhage, whilst performing live on stage, with "Showstopper: The Musical", in Edinburgh.  This obviously took her months from which to recover - and delighted to say that Ruth is here in the Clearing , very much restored & the 'right way up', made of Sterling stuff indeed! She is a real trooper. A proven performer, who admits to being addicted to improv. A successful co-writer of TV comedy. An amateur potter, an occasional painter, a reliable person who prefers to push herself rather than feel cosy in any normal comfort zone. You can now find Ruth Bratt most Sundays at the Comedy Store, where as a recently signed up member, she is happy to be live and vulnerable. Ruth is proud to be a collaborator, who is inspired by the twinkle in another actor's eyes. And to think, at Nottingham University she thought she fancied becoming a Human Rights Lawyer - until a drama tutor in a small college in North America almost randomly repositioned her career prospects!Ruth would like to remembered simply as being both ‘fun and kind.'On the basis of this interview, that is an odds-on certainty!Tune in next week for more stories of 'Distinction & Genius' from The Good Listening To Show 'Clearing'. If you would like to be my Guest too then you can find out HOW via the different 'series strands' at 'The Good Listening To Show' website. Show Website: https://www.thegoodlisteningtoshow.com You can email me about the Show: chris@secondcurve.uk Twitter thatchrisgrimes LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-grimes-actor-broadcaster-facilitator-coach/ FaceBook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/842056403204860 Don't forget to SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW wherever you get your Podcasts :) Thanks for listening!

How do you rate your communication skills?Being able to communicate with creativity and conviction is something leaders need to encourage their teams to contribute more and give meaningful ideas. In this episode I am joined by Neil Mullarkey, comedian, actor and coach to senior executives. He is also a co-founder of the world-famous Comedy Store players in London, and he believes that improv is a key ingredient to being a great communicator.He shares his mindset practices before, during and after a performance, and the best ways you can use improv in a work environment. He discusses whether business and humour can go hand in hand as well as the barriers that are in the way to make this happen. We also talk about how to listen to others, building on what they say, and then bringing more of yourself into the conversation.“Improv is the humour that works in organisations, working with what's in the moment” – Neil MullarkeyYou'll hear about:·      Neil's mindset before a performance·      Neil's observations from working with leaders·      The best examples of using improv at work·      How to make sure your contribution is really good·      Can business and humour go together?·      Barriers and obstacles in the way·      Managing the good times and the bad·      What impact does Neil want to have on the world?About Neil Mullarkey:Neil is an actor, comedian, coach, and author. He co-founded the world famous improvisation group The Comedy Store Players with Mike Myers. He's appeared on the likes of Have I Got News For You, Smith and Jones, Whose Line Is It Anyway, Austin Powers (International Man of Mystery and Goldmember), I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue, Lovejoy, Saturday Live, Carrott Confidential, Paul Merton The Series, Spiceworld The Movie and QI.He now also inspires people and businesses to embrace their creativity and enhance their communication skills, working with corporate clients to develop innovation and agility in the workplace.His resources:•          Profile: https://shorturl.at/cijOT•          Book ‘In the moment': https://shorturl.at/zAV03 •          Services: Learn or Laugh - https://neilmullarkey.com/My resources:Take my new Becoming a Strategic Leader course (https://bit.ly/3KJYDTj).Sign up to my Strategic Leader newsletter (http://bit.ly/36WRpri) for stimuli, ideas, guidance and tips on how to lead your team, organisation or self more effectively, delivered straight to your inbox:Subscribe to my YouTube channel (http://bit.ly/3cFGk1k) where you can watch the conversation.Take the Extraordinary Essentials test (https://bit.ly/3EhSKY5) to identify your strengths and development areas as a strategic leader:For more details about me:●      Services (https://bit.ly/373jctk) to CEOs, entrepreneurs and professionals●      About me (https://bit.ly/3LFsfiO) - my background, experience and philosophy●      Examples of my writing (https://bit.ly/3O7jkc7)●      Follow me and engage with me on LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2Z2PexP)●      Follow me and engage with me on Twitter (https://bit.ly/36XavNI)

Dave Cohen is a comedy writer who has written on shows including Not Going Out, Have I Got News For You, Spitting Image, My Family and Life of Riley. On Radio he's written for shows including, The News Quiz, Dead Ringers, Sunday Format and 50 episodes of the Radio 4 show 15 Minute Musical with Richie Webb and David Quantick, which won the Writers Guild Best Comedy 2009. Dave wrote the lyrics for around 100 songs for CBBC show Horrible Histories – winning eight BAFTAs and a Rose d'Or. Dave started his career performing stand up and was nominated for the Edinburgh Fringe Perrier Award in 1984. In 1985 he Started the Comedy Store Players with Mike Myers, Paul Merton, Neil Mullarkey & Kit Hollerbach and, he also started world's first Jewish heavy metal band “Guns'n'Moses” with Al Murray, Jim Tavare and Mike Cosgrave .Dave Cohen is guest number 341 on My Time Capsule and chats to Michael Fenton Stevens about the five things he'd like to put in a time capsule; four he'd like to preserve and one he'd like to bury and never have to think about again .For everything Dave Cohen including his books, visit - davecohen.org.uk .Follow Dave Cohen on Twitter @DaveCohencomedy .Follow My Time Capsule on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook: @MyTCpod .Follow Michael Fenton Stevens on Twitter: @fentonstevens & Instagram @mikefentonstevens .Produced and edited by John Fenton-Stevens for Cast Off Productions .Music by Pass The Peas Music .Artwork by matthewboxall.com .This podcast is proud to be associated with the charity Viva! Providing theatrical opportunities for hundreds of young people. Get bonus episodes and ad-free listening by becoming a team member with Acast+! Your support will help us to keep making My Time Capsule. Join our team now! https://plus.acast.com/s/mytimecapsule. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The King of Improv Neil Mullarkey from ‘The Comedy Store Players', talking about his new Good Book, ‘In The Moment' LIVE from Bath Theatre Royal - Part 2 (of 2) Disclaimer: Please note that all information and content on the UK Health Radio Network, all its radio broadcasts and podcasts are provided by the authors, producers, presenters and companies themselves and is only intended as additional information to your general knowledge. As a service to our listeners/readers our programs/content are for general information and entertainment only.  The UK Health Radio Network does not recommend, endorse, or object to the views, products or topics expressed or discussed by show hosts or their guests, authors and interviewees.  We suggest you always consult with your own professional – personal, medical, financial or legal advisor. So please do not delay or disregard any professional – personal, medical, financial or legal advice received due to something you have heard or read on the UK Health Radio Network.

Neil Mullarkey is an actor, writer and comedian. He is a founder member of world famous comedy improv group, The Comedy Store Players and still appears with them regularly at London's Comedy Store. In the mid-1980s, Neil teamed up with Mike Myers as 'Mullarkey and Myers'. They toured the UK and had a sell out run at the Edinburgh Festival. The two appeared as 'The Sound Asleep Club' on TV-am's 'Wide Awake Club' and Neil would later appear in Mike Myers' films Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery and Austin Powers: Goldmember. He starred with Edie Izard in the sell out West End show One Word Improv and has been on TV in Whose Line Is It Anyway, Lovejoy, Smith and Jones, Saturday Live, QI, Have I got News For You and Absolutely. Neil has been heard on Radio4 on Just a minute, The News Quiz, Quote Unquote, I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue, Loose Ends and The Unbelievable truth. Neil trains people online and in person on communication skills and has brought the innovation of improvisation to some of the world's biggest corporations. He's written a number of books on the subject, his latest being In The Moment about how to build your confidence, communication and creativity at work .Neil Mullarkey is guest number 312 on My Time Capsule and chats to Michael Fenton Stevens about the five things he'd like to put in a time capsule; four he'd like to preserve and one he'd like to bury and never have to think about again .To buy Neil's books and for more info, visit - neilmullarkey.com .Follow Neil Mullarkey on Twitter & Instagram @NeilMullarkey .Follow My Time Capsule on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook: @MyTCpod .Follow Michael Fenton Stevens on Twitter: @fentonstevens & Instagram @mikefentonstevens .Produced and edited by John Fenton-Stevens for Cast Off Productions .Music by Pass The Peas Music .Artwork by matthewboxall.com .This podcast is proud to be associated with the charity Viva! Providing theatrical opportunities for hundreds of young people. Get this podcast ad-free by becoming a team member with Acast+! Your support will help us to keep making My Time Capsule. Join our team now! https://plus.acast.com/s/mytimecapsule. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kelly connects across the pond with Neil Mullarkey, who began his comedy career in a duo with Mike Myers, improvised with London’s legendary Comedy Store Players, and applied his knowledge of improvisation to the world of business management training. He has a new book, “In the Moment: Build Your Confidence, Communication and Creativity at Work.”  You can find […]

"It's not thinking on your feet, it's listening on your feet. Yes and, what are you saying? How can I build on that? How can I move in the direction that we are going to go together?" If the thought of trying to be funny at work brings you out in a rash, don't panic: I have it on good authority from Neil Mullarkey that there's no need to dress up as a chicken or do karaoke. And he should know. Co-founder of Europe's top improv troupe, the Comedy Store Players, Neil has spent many years sharing the principles of improv with business leaders to improve their confidence, communication, and creativity. Neil's new book In the Moment is a call to embrace the importance of listening and co-creating in the moment, a key principle of improv. It's not about being funny per se, but rather about fostering collaboration, navigating ambiguity, and embracing vulnerability. In this context, humour enhances human connections, builds rapport, and fosters creativity - the elements, in fact, that we need most in our workplaces today. 

Neil Mullarkey is a comedian, author, co-founder of The Comedy Store Players with Mike Myers (Wayne's World, Austin Powers & Shrek) a regular on Whose Line Is It Anyway and member of the iconic Cambridge Footlights. This episode will make you smile and laugh out loud, something we could all do with more of.  Neil shares some incredible stories with me from the days of the Cambridge Footlights, home to so many famous comedians such as Monty Python, The Goodies, John Cleese, Fry & Laurie and many more. He explains how he met Mike Myers by accident and asked him to paint the set and sell tickets for him which led to them becoming a double act which in turn become a way of life full of laughter, improvisation and stand up comedy. The power and applicability of improvisation in a business context is clear and Neil now helps leaders focus on their ability to listen, co-create, build psychological safety and teamwork and step into uncertainty with a feeling of hope. You become a good improvisor when you let go of the fear of being seen as mad, bad or wrong. Don't try to do things by yourself 'bring a brick and build a cathedral.'Warwick University did a study that happy workers are 12% more productive, humour will help any leader and humour utterances tend to see people succeed more than those who don't.Neil outlines his acronym L.A.G.E.R. as a simple process that any of us can follow. Neil also explains how he met and worked with Eddie Izzard and outlines how different styles and rhythms of delivery connect with audiences. The pandemic also forced Neil to focus on his skills in a virtual and remote format. His advice for leaders is to keep communicating with people using all the various mediums but ensuring you are 'checking in' not 'checking up'. and use the 20:20:20 rule. The office remains a place to focus people on 'connection, celebration and education.' Kentucky Fried Duck will help you remember to focus on your what you want your audience to KNOW, FEEL and DO to avoid the spiral of disaster and enter the bubble of opportunity. This episode is packed full of fun, laughter and wisdom from years of entertaining people all over the world as some of the greatest comedians of our time. We also touch on storytelling for leaders. Keep it simple as Neil outlines three simple categories of. how we got here, where we are now and where are we going next. Neil has also promised me that his alter ego L Vaughan Spencer will come onto the show in the New Year.......what could possibly go wrong!www.neilmullarkey.comNeil's new book 'In The Moment' is available on Amazon.   

Neil Mullarkey is a renowned comedian and an expert in communication. He began his career as President of Cambridge Footlights and then he teamed up with Mike Myers. Neil has also shared the stage with household names from Eddie Izzard, Dawn French, Paul Merton, Josie Lawrence, Eric Sykes and Christopher Biggins. He has participated in the Radio 4 shows I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue, Just A Minute and appeared in Whose Line Is It Anyway, QI and two Austin Powers movies. In 1985 he and Mike Myers founded the Comedy Store Players and Neil can often be found improvising at the venue on Sundays. He now teaches improv and other theatre skills, helping people to gain confidence and to work together more creatively and effectively. Above all, he encourages people to have fun in the workplace – teaching them to listen to one another more carefully and to laugh at themselves. Neil gives workshops and online coaching worldwide, has worked with leading companies and with prominent names in the world of sport. Andy and Neil discuss the power of being in the moment and the positive effect this can have on relationships in business. Creativity and innovation can result by being prepared to listen and move away from your agenda when that moment occurs. His forthcoming book, In The Moment: Build your Confidence, Communication and Creativity at Work, uses a range of case studies to illustrate his ideas and is a witty, engaging and inspiring guide to achieving success in the workplace.   Neil is talking about the new book on 7th June 2023 in London. You can attend in person or remotely.   https://www.eventbrite.com/e/phls-2023-neil-mullarkey-on-laughter-at-work-tickets-617662022737?aff=odcleoeventsincollection&keep_tld=1&fbclid=IwAR06WtpcBRDdktbLXxo0nUes1EPoCkYvS1FmPomN-HBb4hjrxFtKctPKxcM

Sally Hodgkiss is an award-winning actor, writer and comedian. Sally performs regularly on the comedy circuit, most recently as a guest with the legendary Comedy Store Players. She's performed with Whose Line is it Anyway - Live and The Stephen Frost Impro Allstars. Her acting career has taken her to many theatres around the UK including the Manchester Royal Exchange, Sheffield Crucible, Octagon Theatre Bolton, HOME, and Theatre Royal Plymouth among others. She has extensive screen experience including several short films and features, such as It Could Happen To You which was selected for the New York Short Film Festival 2021. She was recently in the BBC's Casualty improv episode which has been nominated for an RTS Royal Television Society award .Sally Hodgkiss is guest number 271 on My Time Capsule and chats to Michael Fenton Stevens about the five things she'd like to put in a time capsule; four she'd like to preserve and one she'd like to bury and never have to think about again .For lives show and all things Sally visit: sallyhodgkiss.comFollow Sally Hodgkiss on Twitter @sallyhodgkiss .Follow My Time Capsule on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook: @MyTCpod .Follow Michael Fenton Stevens on Twitter: @fentonstevens and Instagram @mikefentonstevens .Produced and edited by John Fenton-Stevens for Cast Off Productions .Music by Pass The Peas Music .Artwork by matthewboxall.com .This podcast is proud to be associated with the charity Viva! Providing theatrical opportunities for hundreds of young people. Get this podcast ad-free by becoming a team member with Acast+! Your support will help us to keep making My Time Capsule. Join our team now! https://plus.acast.com/s/mytimecapsule. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Steve Steen is a comedian and actor best known for his appearances on Whose Line Is It Anyway and as a member of the world famous improvisational comedy group, The Comedy Store Players. He, for many years, worked with another of our guests, Jim Sweeney. They joined Oval House Theatre Club in 1972 where they first started doing improv together. By the 1980's they were performing on TV in the ITV children's show CBTV, in Little Armadillos, one of Channel 4's first comedies and played Byron and Coleridge in Blackadder the Third. Steve also worked on Ben Elton's comedy Happy Families and was the voice of the children's cartoon gerbil, El Nombre. In the theatre, Steve has done three one man tours with adaptations of the works of Bill Bryson, a one man show about the American comedian, John Belushi. He played Charles Dickens at the National Theatre in Theatre of Blood and regularly performs improvisation Paul Merton's Improv Chums and Stephen Frost's Improvisors All Stars.Steve Steen is guest number 265 on My Time Capsule and chats to Michael Fenton Stevens about the five things he'd like to put in a time capsule; four he'd like to preserve and one he'd like to bury and never have to think about again .Follow Steve Steen on Twitter: @sirsteen .Follow My Time Capsule on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook: @MyTCpod .Follow Michael Fenton Stevens on Twitter: @fentonstevens & Instagram @mikefentonstevens .Produced and edited by John Fenton-Stevens for Cast Off Productions .Music by Pass The Peas Music .Artwork by matthewboxall.com .This podcast is proud to be associated with the charity Viva! Providing theatrical opportunities for hundreds of young people. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jim Sweeney is a member of the world famous improvisational group the Comedy Store Players, with other members including Paul Merton, Josie Lawrence, Neil Mullarkey, Richard Vranch, Sandi Toksvig and Jeremy Hardy with many celebrity guests such as Eddie Izzard, Caroline Quentin, Phil Jupitus, Greg Proops and Mike Myers. He's been in Who's Line Is It Anyway?, Blackadder, One Foot In the Grave, Kiss Me Kate, and on radio was in Just a Minute, All the Young Dudes and the improvised comedy, The Masterson Inheritance. In 1985, Jim was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a progressive disease which disrupts the ability of parts of the nervous system to transmit signals. He now lives in a home with 24 hour care, which is where Mike spoke to him.Jim Sweeney is guest number 254 on My Time Capsule and chats to Michael Fenton Stevens about the five things he'd like to put in a time capsule; four he'd like to preserve and one he'd like to bury and never have to think about again .Follow Jim Sweeney on Twitter: @ajimsweeney .Follow My Time Capsule on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook: @MyTCpod .Follow Michael Fenton Stevens on Twitter: @fentonstevens & Instagram @mikefentonstevens .Produced and edited by John Fenton-Stevens for Cast Off Productions .Music by Pass The Peas Music .Artwork by matthewboxall.com .This podcast is proud to be associated with the charity Viva! Providing theatrical opportunities for hundreds of young people. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Delaney's guest is storied comedian Andy Smart, a fixture not only on the comedy circuit but also the legendary Sunday night Comedy Store Players show in London's West End (highly recommended). He is also an authority on numerous sports including football; he has followed Farnborough FC all his life and spent his university years watching Liverpool from the Kop before setting off on a solo hitchhiking odyssey documented in his excellent book 'A Hitch In Time'. Among his scorers are David Fairclough, Zlatan Ibrahimović and... himself!@AndyCSP@LifeGoalsTD @theodelaneyhttps://comedystoreplayers.comhttps://www.theodelaney.com/life-goalshttps://www.11-29media.com/life-goals

Natalie and Darren discuss a plethora of theatre we've seen in September and recommendations of whst's on in October. Productions reviewed include: Horse-Play, The Tempest, Pretty Woman, Book of Mormon, The Crucible, The Committments, A Different Stage - Gary Barlow, Diva Live From Hell, Jack Absolute Flies Again, Life of Pi, Walking with Ghosts - Gabriel Byrne, Cages, The Drought, Eureka Day, Upstart Crow and  Comedy Store Players at new Soho Place Theatre.

Andy Lopata continues to explore why humour is important in business. This week his guests on The Connected Leadership Podcast are John Cremer from the USA, a specialist in improvisation and Neil Mullarkey who started the Comedy Store Players and like John teaches improv in workshops. Both John and Neil teach using humour in building relationships and getting on in business. Improv is steeped in tradition and it is a high risk occupation depending on some audience participation. The bottom line is creating structure from chaos by working together. 'Being able to work in a new way with something you may have worked with before is a challenge'. It requires collaboration and communication. In leaders it means accepting the need for vulnerability; to listen, accept and commit, making the other person look good. This then leads to negotiation, collaboration and co-creativity. Andy carries on with this theme in next week's podcast with Jeremy Nicholas and Tim Guard.

In this episode, I talk to the great comic improviser, actor, comedian, and writer Andy Smart about his career in comedy.  Having performed as a permanent member of the infamous Comedy Store Players for many years, Smart is incredible at creating characters and improvising scenes based on audience suggestions.  Before the Comedy Store Players, he was one half of The Vicious Boys with Angelo Abela. I have seen Smart perform as part of Paul Merton's Impro Chums in 2005, and as a guest for Phill Jupitus Quartet: Made Up in 2011 both at the Edinburgh Fringe as well as The Comedy Store Players 30th Birthday Shows at The Comedy Store in London in 2015. Thank you so much for listening to my podcast, if you like what you hear, please subscribe and I hope you enjoy the interview. Please read Andy Smart's blog at: www.arichcomiclife.blog/2021/06/05/andy-smart/ Andy Smart's Links: Facebook: www.facebook.com/andy.smart1 Twitter: www.twitter.com/AndyCSP Website: www.comedystoreplayers.com  

Movies That Made Me… Episode 2: Creative Artists Luke Sorba wrote and directed his first movie on Super 8 when he was 18 years old. "The Mirror Within" won in the Novice Category at Streatham and Norwood Amateur Film Club's Annual Awards. He only made one more (apart from some YouTube sketches) but he has since watched 6000 movies made by other people and owns 1600 on DVD. He spent more teenage hours at the National Film Theatre and the Electric Cinema than anywhere else, and is currently on first name terms with staff at Peckhamplex. Over two hundred books on cinema fill his shelves and he has a complete collection of Monthly Film Bulletin magazines (incorporated in Sight and Sound since 1990) going back to 1964. As an actor and writer, as well as a teacher of story telling Luke brings professional experience to his observations but it his status as a super-fan that sets him apart. He is rare among enthusiasts in that there is no period nor genre nor country whose movies he is not curious about. From Intolerance to Inception, The St Valentine's Day Massacre to The Belles of St Trinian's, Do the Right Thing to Dr Dolittle, Zombieland to Nomadland, Superfly to Superman, Tod Browning to Todd Haynes, Federico Fellini to The Fast and Furious, Monika Treut to Monica Bellucci, there is a place for everyone in The Movies That Made Me. Luke Sorba and Andrew Paine previously collaborated on the online improvised comedy show "Unmute". Together they make up Picard Productions. Episode 2  features… Tai Campbell is a writer, director, comedian, celebrity impressionist and life long film fan. A founding member of the UK's first all Black improv team Do The Right Scene, he has credits include BBC One, BBC Three and Vice. He enjoys pretty much anything that can make him laugh and is a real sucker for a great story Suki Webster most recently starred in “Motorhoming with Merton and Webster” a six part travel show on Channel 5. Suki is a founder member of the critically acclaimed “Paul Merton's Impro Chums”. She is a regular guest with The Comedy Store Players and appeared in the West End run of One Word Improv co-starring with Eddie Izzard and ‘Whose Line is It Anyway Live'. She also has her own Improv show ‘Suki Webster's Guest Speaker.' In 2018/19 Suki wrote and starred in a Radio 4 sitcom ‘My Obsession.' Film & TV work includes: Comic Act (Gemini Films). The New Adventures of Robin Hood (Warner Brothers, US TV), Giles Wemmbley-Hogg Goes To Glastonbury (BBC2) and Baby Father (BBC2). Radio: Just A Minute (R4) The Impro Musical (R2). Theatre Work: Court In The Act and Passport to Danger (Watford Palace Theatre & Chichester) A Visit From Miss Prothero, Mon Droit and Making News. (Edinburgh Festival.) Our Creative Artists come from… MY FAVOURITE YEAR 1982 (Richard Benjamin) Set in the 1950's heyday of live television with a tour de force from Peter O'Toole and based on the memories of Mel Brooks and the shock he got when he met his screen idol, Errol Flynn in real life. Contrast: Last Action Hero (1993) THE JACKSONS – AN AMERICAN DREAM 1992 (Karen Arthur) Five hour epic biopic of one of the most talented and famous musical families in history and a look at the pain offstage as well as the genius on it. Contrast: The Sound of Music (1965) SUNSET BLVD 1950 (Billy Wilder) The most famous street in cinema houses a fallen silent movie star from a bygone era and a hack Hollywood screenwriter feeding off each other to survive in an industry that consumes everyone. Contrast: Singing in The Rain (1952) THE SHINING 1980 (Stanley Kubrick) Wannabe great American novelist Jack Nicholson gets writer's block holed up off season in creepy Overlook Hotel and his family suffer the consequences. Contrast: The Haunting (1963) A MIGHTY WIND 2003 (Christopher Guest) Affectionate parody of the 60's US Folk Revival scene in particular and Band Reunions in general. Featuring the late, legendary Fred Willard who once said to Luke “you are very funny” and he has treasured this ever since. Contrast: Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)

In Episode 16, The Occupational Philosophers chat with the very talented and very funny, Neil Mullarkey. Neil co-founded the world-famous improvisation group The Comedy Store Players in the UK with Mike Myers, later appearing with him in the fabulous Austin Powers movies. He has appeared on TV over many years, including Have I Got News For You, Whose Line Is It Anyway, Saturday Live and QI. He has also won awards for his alter ego - L. Vaughan Spencer, (L-Vo for short), A Life Coach, Self-Help Guru and Gangsta Motivator. Neil has become highly accomplished in the field of management training, running many workshops and hosting conferences for a wealth of private and public organisations where he uses the techniques of theatre improvisation to inspire business people to embrace their creativity and enhance their communication skills. In this episode, they explore: How Improv comedy can teach us how to work more effectively in teams and organisations Why listening is the critical skill we all need to master Why constraints and restrictions can liberate our creativity What leaders need to do to provide the extraordinary leadership required in today's VUCA world Who in your business needs to take responsibility for ensuring meetings have impact And what to do when faced with an electric drill and a wombat As always, there are some great thought experiments such as: What's in the box? Listeners Dilemmas Links https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilmullarkey   Learn more about Neil: http://neilmullarkey.com/ http://www.improvyourbiz.com/ http://succeeedy.com/ https://neilmullarkey.com/sevensteps   References http://www.provocativetherapy.com/ https://almosthappy.com/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Rogers https://www.seenandheard.org/ https://gestaltcentre.org.uk/what-is-gestalt/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg_Wilhelm_Friedrich_Hegel https://chimpmanagement.com/ https://hbr.org/2015/02/how-to-revive-a-tired-network https://www.leadershipcentre.org.uk/artofchangemaking/theory/complexity/ https://comedystoreplayers.com/  

Are you a speaker who creates a customised presentation for every client or do you have a signature talk, a speech that you can recite from memory, that's perfected? There is no right or wrong answer. Here are my thoughts: If you've found this useful you might find this week's podcast interview Improv your Speaking Business with Neil Mullarkey, very helpful too - https://mfl.global/2021/10/19/neil-mullarkey/. Neil is a unique communication expert. With Mike Myers he co-founded the Comedy Store Players, and still performs every Sunday with them in London. Neil was in a couple of Austin Powers movies. Nowadays he travels the world teaching improv and more to leaders and groups, as well as presentation skills. His book, 'Seven Steps to Improve your People Skills' was published in 2017. And, yes, Mullarkey is his real name. Neil shares with us what improv is, how improv it can help us in life and business, why some people are scared of it and there's even some on air improv!

In this episode of #SpeakingBusinessPodcast, I talk to Neil Mullarkey.    Neil is a unique communication expert. With Mike Myers he co-founded the Comedy Store Players, and still performs every Sunday with them in London. Neil was in a couple of Austin Powers movies. Nowadays he travels the world teaching improv and more to leaders and groups, as well as presentation skills.  His book, 'Seven Steps to Improve your People Skills' was published in 2017. And, yes, Mullarkey is his real name. Links: More about Neil Mullarkey Comedy Store Players More about Maria Franzoni Ltd Connect with Maria on LinkedIn Connect with Maria on Facebook Listen here: Podfollow Libsyn  Itunes  Stitcher Spotify This podcast was created using Alitu.  Powerfully simple recording and editing tools for podcasters.  Record your show, edit it in minutes, and publish directly to your host.  Find out more and join here.

Nick Hancock and Chris England discuss Jimmy Greaves, FIFA and of course Oldham's continuing descent into the depths of unhappiness. Nick and Chris are also joined by comedian, Andy Smart to chat about Farnborough, and following the Iran national team.  If you have any thoughts, feelings or queries, please feel free to contact us on slopingpitch@gmail.com Andy will be performing at the Globe with The Comedy Store Players. Tickets are available here  https://www.shakespearesglobe.com/whats-on/the-comedy-store-players-2021/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Neil Mullarkey, co-founder of the Comedy Store Players with Mike Myers joins us on the workplace podcast joins us to discuss improv and his book  “Seven steps to improve your people skills”. Neil has appeared on television shows Have I Got News For You, Whose Line Is It Anyway, Saturday Live and QI as well as the Austin Powers movies. Neil an executive coach and facilitator has been teaching improv and leadership for over 20 years,.   Neil provides our listeners with the origins of improv, how it developed and it's application in the world of work. What is improv How improv enhances your presence We expose the myth that improv is winging it How improve improves communication Networking tips Improv allows is to be flexible and improve our interpersonal skills through seven steps Learn Look Listen Link Let Lighten Leave   Neil has become synonymous with bringing the agility and innovation of improvisation to the boardrooms and sales teams of the world's biggest corporations; transforming businesses from the inside by encouraging communication, collaboration, engagement and creativity, and simplifying some of the most complex of problems into the most compelling of solutions. Be it designing bespoke workshops through to immersing himself in individual executive coaching on communication skills, Neil is now helping businesses across the globe communicate better, build high performing teams and deliver genuine, tangible results. For more information: https://neilmullarkey.com

Colin Sell has been the piano player on I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue on BBC Radio 4 since 1975, often being the butt of the hosts jokes. He has toured with his fellow Clue co-stars Willie Rushton and Barrie Cryer, works with the Comedy Store Players and also tours his own show. Colin Sell is guest number 127 on My Time Capsule and chats to Michael Fenton Stevens about the five things he'd like to put in a time capsule; four he'd like to preserve and one he'd like to bury and never have to think about again .Follow My Time Capsule on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook: @MyTCpod .Follow Michael Fenton Stevens on Twitter: @fentonstevens & Instagram @mikefentonstevens .Produced and edited by John Fenton-Stevens for Cast Off Productions .Music by Pass The Peas Music .Artwork by Matthew Boxall .Social media support by Harriet Stevens .This podcast is proud to be associated with the charity Viva! Providing theatrical opportunities for hundreds of young people. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Neil Mullarkey is a unique communication expert. With Mike Myers, he co-founded the Comedy Store Players, and still performs every Sunday with them in London. Neil was in a couple of Austin Powers movies. Nowadays he travels the world teaching improv and more to leaders and groups, as well as presentation skills His book, ‘Seven Steps to Improve your People Skills' was published in 2017. And, yes, Mullarkey is his real name. Questions: • What is improv? • How can it help us in life and business? • Why are some people scared of the idea of improv? • What's your favorite part of teaching the applications of improv? https://speakersu.com/improv-your-speaking-business-125    

Greg Proops is a stand-up comic from San Francisco. He lives in Hollywood. It's not that bad. Really. The Proopdog is best known for his unpredictable appearances on "Whose Line is it Anyway?" both US and UK. He is recurring as the art teacher Mr. Granger on ABC's "Schooled" and gives voice to Garma and pod race announcer Jak Sirvak on the Disney Channel‘s "Star Wars Resistance." Greg has lent his voice to "Hell and Back," "Star Wars the Phantom Menace," "The Nightmare Before Christmas," and he really was "Bob the Builder."Greg has a new political comedy album out called "The Resistance," which was recorded live in his beloved San Francisco and is available on iTunes and from aspecialthing records. He has a hit podcast and subsequent book called "The Smartest Man in the World" and had the honor of performing with Danny Elfman singing in a live-to-film version of "The Nightmare Before Christmas."Greg is in an improv group with Ryan Stiles, Joel Murray, Jeff B Davis, Dave Foley, Drew Carey, and Charles Esten called Whose Live Anyway? He toured Australia and New Zealand with Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood where they taped a TV Gala for JFL at The Sydney Opera House. He also is a frequent guest of the Comedy Store Players in London and improvised with them at Shakespeare's Globe.Follow us:@gregproops@heliumpresents@centerstage_liveAbout the podcast: Center Stage pulls back the curtain to share an inside view of life in comedy clubs. Join General Manager of Helium Comedy Club in Portland and Host Nick Harris as he hangs out with comedian friends to discuss their loves and hates of the world that is comedy… and the clubs that cultivate it.This episode was recorded back in May 2021. Some of the information about the status of our clubs might be out of date. For the most up-to-date info on our club locations, visit heliumcomedy.com.

Josie Lawrence is a comedian and actor best known for her regular appearances in Who’s Line Is It Anyway and her work with improvisational comedy group, The Comedy Store Players. As an actor she was Manda Best in Eastenders, she was in Outside Edge with Timothy Spall and Brenda Blethyn, Jonathan Creek, Humans, Good Omens and much more. On stage she appeared in Victoria Wood’s Acorn Antiques: The Musical and has been a member of the RSC. Josie Lawrence is guest number 91 on My Time Capsule and chats to Michael Fenton Stevens about the five things she'd like to put in a time capsule; four she’d like to preserve and one she’d like to bury and never have to think about again .Follow Josie Lawrence on Twitter: @josielawrence1 .Follow My Time Capsule on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook: @MyTCpod .Follow Michael Fenton Stevens on Twitter: @fentonstevens and Instagram @mikefentonstevens .Produced and edited by John Fenton-Stevens for Cast Off Productions .Music by Pass The Peas Music .Artwork by Matthew Boxall .Social media support by Harriet Stevens .This podcast is proud to be associated with the charity Viva! Providing theatrical opportunities for hundreds of young people. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What exactly does improv give to the corporate world and how is it benefitting workplaces, even during (or especially during) the pandemic! This episode we explore the ways improv is helping the business world become more effective and more human, and how not knowing what is to come can be an advantage.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-improv-chronicle-podcastThis episode features:Richard Bradford, head of facilitation at The Maydays:https://www.themaydays.co.uk/business-improv/ Hear the new Maydays podcast at:www.podfollow.com/maydaysAih Mendoza from Third World Improv:https://thirdworldimprov.comwww.facebook.com/thirdworldimprovand check out Third World Improv's house team who are performing weekly shows here: www.facebook.com/housekeepingimprovNeil Mullarkey from The Comedy Store Players:https://neilmullarkey.comJoin Josie Lawrence and Neil for a live family friendly virtual show on 27th May at 6pm UK time live from the Comedy Store:https://www.thecomedystorelive.co.uk/shows/neil-mullarkeys-crowdsauceThe Improv Chronicle Podcast is produced and hosted by Nottingham improviser Lloydie James LloydTheme music - Sam PlummerLogo design - Hélène DollieSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-improv-chronicle-podcast. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Steve Bluestein is a stand up comedian, playwright, TV writer, and author. His talent has been honed from years of pounding the boards in countless comedy clubs across the nation. Born in Boston, his heart was always in New York, where he moved directly after graduating from Emerson College. Moving to Los Angeles, he immediately became one of the Comedy Store regulars and was a member of the Comedy Store Players as well as a founding member of The Groundlings Theater. It was there, at The Groundlings, he learned the improvisational skills he uses in his stand up act. After writing for Normal Lear and Playboy, he joined the sit-com staff of THIRTEEN EAST for NBC, then went on to write TOTALLY HIDDEN VIDEO for Fox TV and THE NEW CANDID CAMERA for Universal. Steve has also written the plays “Rest, in Pieces” which has had several success theater productions around the country. He then went on to pen five more stage plays “Gary's Gold”, “Why Wendy” and “The Vegetable”, being three. Steve is also an author of several books, including his latest "POINT OF PINES: A horrible childhood in a happy place." Thank you for listening! Please subscribe, leave a review, and tell your mom! Send questions: acomedyadvicepodcast@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acomedyadvicepodcast Follow Steve! https://stevebluestein.biz/ Buy Steve's Books! https://stevebluestein.biz/books --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/hyperbrole-podcast/message

The Fancounters Celebrity Podcast Steve Bluestein is our guest. Steve has written for The Brady Bunch Variety Hour & Candid Camera as well as his own play Rest In Pieces. He is the author of several books including Point of Pines, Memoir of a Nobody, and Take My Prostate...Please! While doing stand up, he moved to Los Angeles and became one of the Comedy Store regulars and was a member of the Comedy Store Players as well as a founding member of The Groundlings Theater. This is our third video podcast so go over to Youtube to watch the show and SUBSCRIBE! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC42t8h1VPs_1bq_IJ4CHSsA Don't forget to leave Fancounters a 5 star review on Apple Podcasts! Follow us on Instagram @fancounterslive https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fancounters-podcast/id1278636568 https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-fancounters-podcast-29037863/ https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/fancounters https://tunein.com/podcasts/Television/Fancounters-Podcast-p1033633/ https://overcast.fm/itunes1278636568/fancounters-podcast

It's Episode One Hundred and Thirty of the podcast all about life in football's National League, brought to you by two Torquay United fans - comedian Charlie Baker and talkSPORT's John Cadigan. This week features Andy Smart from the Comedy Store Players joining in with some improv, Ivor Dewdney's new parachute business, and groupies for referees...

Join Neil Mullarkey, an improvisation pioneer who started the Comedy Store Players with Mike Myers and Adam Kingl, author, global speaker and former theatre director as we joyously chat about how improvisation can help our leadership capabilities blossom. Improvisation is a technology with a set of processes, habits, behaviours, paradigms and ways of working that replicate working in any organisation. Oh, and Neil shares his beer mat mnemonic of L.A.G.E.R. Don't miss this episode.  

Neil Mullarkey is one of the founding members of the Comedy Store Players, the world's longest running comedy group with the same members.Neil shares his journey into comedy as writing partner with Mike Myers (Austin Powers, Wayne's World), and early improv shows in Edinburgh Festival together. From which Neil is now recognised as one of the world's leading experts in improv comedy - performing twice a week at the Comedy Store, London.Neil shares some of the secrets of improv, and we explore why audiences laugh. We take a look back on Whose Line is it Anyway, and discuss its long lasting relevance. And we also contrast Neil's expertise in comedy with my own personal introduction into the world of improv - which makes for a fun listen.It is a generous and playful episode full of joy, that is guaranteed to lift your spirits!More info on the Comedy Store Players here - www.comedystoreplayers.com And you can find Neil at www.neilmullarkey.comIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate, review and subscribe. You can get in touch and follow us below, Instagram - instagram.com/makers_of_the_universe/ Twitter - twitter.com/paul_davies Email - makersoftheuniverse@outlook.com

Neil shares his insights from years of comedy and draws parallels between the board room and the boards of the improv stage.ABOUT THE EPISODEHumour encourages humanity. In this week's episode Neil Mullarkey, Founder of The Comedy Store Players improv group, joins Paul Boross for a chat about when laughter is appropriate as a leader. Neil draws on years of improv experience to talk about how the best creative teams use humour to feel more human. “If a team is laughing together, they're going to be more creative, they're going to be more resilient.”Whether in comedy or business, when creative teams feel comfortable and safe to take the stage, try new material, and possibly fail, the results can be brilliant. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join Jewish Comedians Rachel Creeger and Philip Simon for Episode 16 of their comedy podcast, a chat show about all things Jewish, produced by Russell Balkind. This week's guests are comedy writer Dave Cohen and stand up comedian Adam Bloom.Follow them on social media, follow US on social media and don't forget to let us know what you think about the show.Facebook: @JewTalkinTwitter: @JewTalkinInstagram: @JewTalkinLots more fantastic episodes waiting to be released every Friday morning, so don't forget to subscribe and leave us a 5* review - it really helps other people find the show. Go on...it's what your mother would want!--------------------------------------------------------------------- Adam Bloom: Twitter @adambloomie2 Website: http://www.adam-bloom.com/Multi award winning stand up comic Adam Bloom is one of Britain's most inventive comedians. He has performed sell-out solo shows at 7 Edinburgh Festivals as well as performing a sell-out tour of Britain. He has also sold out theatres at festivals in Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland, Wellington & Cape Town. He's made an incredible 5 appearances at ‘Just For Laughs' in Montreal, including being part of the 'Just For Laughs Comedy Tour', playing to 42,000 people in 17 cities across Canada. He has also written three series of ‘The Problem with Adam Bloom' for BBC Radio 4. Other TV credits include ‘The Young Person's Guide to Becoming a Rock Star' and ‘Comedy Lab' (Channel 4), ‘Never Mind The Buzzcocks', ‘Mock The Week', ‘The Stand-up Show' and ‘Edinburgh Nights' (BBC2), ‘Head On Comedy' (BBC1), and ‘Comedy World Tour', ‘The World Stands Up' and ‘The Comedy Store' (Comedy Central).Dave Cohen:Twitter @DaveCohenComedy Insta @completecomedywriterWebsite: https://www.davecohen.org.uk/ Writer, comedian, Edinburgh Festival Perrier Award nominee, founder member of the Comedy Store Players, Dave Cohen has written for some of the most successful TV shows including ‘Have I Got News For You', ‘Spitting Image', ‘Not Going Out' and ‘My Family', and dozens of radio shows including ‘News Quiz', ‘Dead Ringers' and the award-winning ‘15 Minute Musical', which he co-created. Dave was lead singer with the world's first Jewish heavy metal band Guns'n'Moses and in 2000 made the series ‘Travels With My Anti-Semitism' for BBC Radio 4. He's written nearly 100 songs for the multi-BAFTA winning BBC hit Horrible Histories and has been script editing and teaching comedy writing to everyone from beginners to hit sitcom writers. Dave has written two books, How To Be Averagely Successful At Comedy and The Complete Comedy Writer. He also has a podcast with James Cary called Sitcom Geeks, and you can find all episodes here.--------------------------------------------------------------------- *This episode was recorded under lockdown conditions. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

From Footlights to The Comedy Store Players to the Corporate world, Neil has used his Improv skills in a variety of ways in his career. But how does he use those skills to maintain good mental health?

Neil Mullarkey is a founding member of the famous Comedy Store Players.He’s also a renowned speaker on leadership and student of Frank Farrelly, creator of Provocative Therapy, which challenges negative behaviours.In the mid-1980s, Neil teamed up with Mike Myers to form 'Mullarkey & Myers'.Tweet us @SnipperNixonInstagram @SnipperNixonMore about Neil Mullarkey here > @NeilMullarkeyFollow our host > @DrKaplan_UKsnippernixon.com© Snipper Nixon 2020 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As one half of the renowned Sitcom Geeks, Dave knows more than a little about what it takes to be a successful comedy writer. From his early association with Rik Mayall and co, through award-winning sitcoms and sketch shows, right through to his latest novel, Dave's offcuts cover the various trends of comedy from the past 40 years. Clips performed by: Chris Pavlo, Emma Clarke, Keith Wickham and Rachel Atkins. Dave Cohen was a stand-up comedian and founder member of the Comedy Store Players with Mike Myers and Paul Merton and now works as a writer, script editor and tutor (or as he describes himself on his Huffington Post page: "comedian, writer, typist". ) On TV his many writing credits include panel shows, sketch shows and sitcoms with programmes like multi-award-winning CBBC series Horrible Histories (for which he's written over 100 songs), Have I Got News For You, and Lee Mack's Not Going Out. On radio he co-created Radio 4's 15 Minute Musical, and performed in his own series Travels With My Anti Semitism as well as writing for many flagship comedy shows such as The News Quiz and The Treatment. He's published 2 books about how to write comedy: The Complete Comedy Writer and How To Be Averagely Succesful At Comedy, with a third book, a novel, out shortly. As well as teaching comedy and script editing for other writers Dave has also co-hosted the Sitcom Geeks podcast with James Cary for the past 5 years, which now has nearly 150 episodes and is still going strong. Episode show notes and more details:  https://offcutsdrawer.com/dave-cohen Listen to us on whichever podcast app you prefer:  https://offcutsdrawer.com/insta-links/ or if you don't usually listen to podcasts you can hear all the episodes here: offcutsdrawer.com/episodes/

From co-founding the world famous improvisation group The Comedy Store Players with Mike Myers, through to appearing on the likes of Have I Got News For You, Whose Line Is It Anyway, Austin Powers movies, Saturday Live and QI, Neil Mullarkey has worked with some of the most talented names in comedy, film and television.With a string of prestigious clients including Barclays Capital, Google, Deloitte, GlaxoSmithKline, Microsoft, Vodafone, the NHS, Saatchi & Saatchi and WPP, and regular appearances across the national broadsheets writing articles and reviews, Neil has become synonymous with bringing the agility and innovation of improvisation to the boardrooms and sales teams of the world's biggest corporations; transforming businesses from the inside by encouraging communication, collaboration, engagement and creativity, and simplifying some of the most complex of problems into the most compelling of solutions.Buy tickets now for the latest Comedy Store Players online here.... https://www.thecomedystorelive.co.uk/shows/the-comedy-store-players-2020-07-08Neil discusses how improvisation can help drive productivity

Alice Fraser (@aliterative, Tea With Alice, The Last Post) sits in as guest co-host for this chat with Comedy Store Players veteran and Whose Line Is It Anyway cast member Richard Vranch (@richardvranch), who more importantly for us is Dr. Richard Vranch, former physicist, for talk about the early days of UK comedy, and his experiments with silicon chips and radiation.

In Episode 6, Season 1, Whit chats with Neil Mullarkey of the Comedy Store Players in London. Neil shares the story of starting what has become the longest running comedy show with the same cast along with Mike Myers and others. Since 1985, their team has performed with a remarkably consistent team of six improvisers at the same location with pretty much the same lineup of short-form games. In addition, Neil and Whit discuss corporate training and using improv to improve interpersonal communication, and the importance of listening and affiliative humor. You can learn about all that Neil does at www.neilmullarkey.com, and find him on FaceBook and Twitter. To learn more about his book, Seven Steps to Improving Your People Skills, click here. Lastly, if you are reading this right after the episode drops and can get to London, look for the Comedy Store’s annual show at the Globe Theatre.

I was grateful and inspired to spend 40 minutes with Neil Mullarkey during this podcast. I have watched Neil in action in the past, however back then 5-6 years ago, I was not myself 'awake' to the importance of our deepest, innate humanity. Neil uses his expertise in Improv to help organisations step back into their innate creative and innovative selves, whilst having some fun along the way. We discussed a range of topics including vulnerability, leadership, listening, body language, presence, thinking, learning and so much more. Neil can be contacted via the following means: Website - https://www.improvyourbiz.com/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/NeilMullarkey LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/neilmullarkey/ Seven Steps Book - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Seven-Steps-Improve-People-Skills/dp/0993501125/ref=sr_1_2?qid=1569759968&refinements=p_27%3ANeil+Mullarkey&s=books&sr=1-2 Bio: International keynote speaker, coach and author. Creativity, Collaboration, Communication. Please find my Interpersonal Catalyst brochure here in case I can support you at all -> https://my.visme.co/projects/rxyz4jpo-garry-turner-interpersonal-catalyst --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/valuevulnerability/message

Nick and Carey are joined by Kirsty Newton to talk about Boris Johnson, the frontrunner in the Tory leadership race and, therefore, the most likely next British Prime Minister.Recently, police were called to the flat of Johnson's girlfriend, Carrie Symonds, following a domestic disturbance. They were alerted by a neighbour, who also recorded the audio of the incident and then sent the recording the the Guardian newspaper. Nick and Carey discuss the rights and wrongs of all this, and the subsequent fallout - predictably split along tribal lines - with their guest, the brilliant Kirsty Newton.Kirsty is a musician, improviser, musical director and comedy performer (as in, a comedian but not a stand-up comic). She's performed with Rich Hall, Phil Nichol, Arthur Smith, Mitch Benn, the Comedy Store Players, and most recently toured the UK and Ireland with Paul Merton's Impro Chums. In her spare time, she's married to Nick.Along the way, they slightly despair of how someone so unsuited to power is about to get as much as they could ever want, and discuss the effects of private schooling on privilege and inequality.Oh, and there's a very silly bit where Kirsty tries to make a theme tune with a big roll of cardboard.

'Improv is always, "Let's just start something now. We don't know where it's going to go, but we'll start now. Whatever tools, whatever cast we have." That's what writing should be as well.' Neil Mullarkey, founder of the Comedy Store Players and long-time sketch buddy of Mike Myers, is on a mission to bring the joy, playfulness and co-creativity of improv into organisations around the world.  We talk about his astonishing career, the power of improv in a VUCA world, and how the principles that allow improv performers to create something from nothing apply to facing down the blank page.  Quite simply, this is top-quality listening. 

This episode's guest is Richard Vranch. Richard improvises comedy with the Comedy Store Players and Paul Merton's Impro Chums. He does voiceovers, stand up comedy and bits of acting and writing. He has a PhD in Radiation Physics and is half of the science/hula-hoop act Dr Hula. His Erdos-Bacon-Sabbath number is 9. Recorded in the garden of House of St Barnabus, London.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/stevexoh)

# 8 MK3D Live! 3. Rami Malek on Bohemian Rhapsody, Steve McQueen on Widows, Josie Lawrence reveals her guilty pleasure, Tim Wardle talks about Three Identical Strangers and Simon Brew about Jason Statham and Film StoriesHere is the running order with timings:1. 01'36" Steve McQueen talks about working as a director, and as a visual artist. He discusses Widows, Shame and 12 Years A Slave as well as his work as a war artist in the Iraq war and his project Queen and Country which is available to see at the Imperial War Museum. He talks about the brilliance of Billy Wilder’s 1959 Some Like It Hot with Marilyn Monroe. 2. 18'40" Simon Brew launched Film Stories magazine and podcast.Follow @simonbrew and @filmstoriespodTo subscribe to the magazine click here: https://www.webscribe.co.uk/magazine/filmstoriesAnd here’s an information page: http://www.filmstories.co.uk/news/film-stories-magazine-how-to-get-your-copy. 3. 26'56" Josie Lawrence talks about being inspired to become an actress by the work of Glenda Jackson in Women in Love and Beryl Reid in Entertaining Mr Sloane and The Killing of Sister George Josie’s choice for The Film That Changed My Life is Vittorio de Sica’s 1951 Miracle in Milan – which is available to view on Netflix.Her Guilty Pleasure is This Is Spinal Tap! – which is also available online and to buy on DVDTo see Josie Lawrence and The Comedy Store Players, book tickets here: https://www.comedystoreplayers.com/Follow @josielawrence1 4. 38'43" Ask The Audience: Mark takes questions from the audience 5. 41'28" Rami Malek is in Bohemian Rhapsody which is in cinemas now. Rami talks about playing Freddie Mercury and preparing for the role.Follow @ItsRamiMalek 6. 56'17" Tim Wardle is a BAFTA-nominated documentary director, and Executive Producer at award-winning production company Raw. His documentary Three Identical Strangers is nominated for a BAFTA.Follow @ttwardle Thank you for listening! Want to come to a recording of a live show at the BFI Southbank in London? You can book tickets to next month’s MK3D here:https://whatson.bfi.org.uk/Online/default.asp?doWork::WScontent::loadArticle=Load&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::article_id=9FD162DC-3C10-43AB-ADCC-31364C1822AE&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::context_id=9F31E26A-0485-48B9-B9CB-4BA957BE7942 If it says it's sold out - don’t despair, there are often returns so check again nearer the time.If you are not in London, Mark is doing his one-man show "How Does It Feel?” In Birmingham on 21 January 2019:https://www.birmingham-rep.co.uk/whats-on/mark-kermode-how-does-it-feel.htmlNewcastle... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This episode's guest is Neil Mullarkey. Neil is an actor, writer and comedian and a founding member of the legendary improvisation troupe, the Comedy Store Players. He's appeared on numerous TV shows such as Whose line is it anyway?, Have I Got News for You and QI and films such as Austin Powers, Leon the Pig Farmer and Spice World. He is a much sought after speaker and trainer of improvisation techniques and recently released his new book "7 steps to improve your people skills." Recorded in Regent's Park, London. Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/stevexoh)

Comedy performer, writer, improviser and multi-award winning podcaster Cariad Lloyd (Griefcast, Austentatious, Murder In Successville, Comedy Store Players) talks to Jason Hazeley and Joel Morris about her love for TV's groundbreaking improvised comedy show Whose Line Is It Anyway? as well as discussing how comedy can help cope with personal tragedy, and how the hell improvisation works. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week we're joined by a true UK comedy legend. Richard Vranch chucked a budding career as a Physicist in favour of the stage and has never looked back. He joined the Footlights in Cambridge in 1981 as a contemporary of Stephen Fry, Hugh Laurie, Tony Slattery and Emma Thompson. In 1986 he began performing improv with The Comedy Store Players together with the likes of Paul Merton, Josie Lawrence and Mike Myers. The stage show eventually morphed into the wildly successful Whose Line Is It Anyway? and many of the original cast continue to perform every Sunday and Wednesday at The Comedy Store, making it the world's longest running comedy show with the same cast. Richard is also a writer and standup comedian (and he occasionally likes to play the piano). Links: https://richardvranch.com/ Paul Merton's Impro Chums play Edinburgh this year: http://paulmerton.com/ Book to see The Comedy Store Players at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre for the 21st Year in a row: http://www.shakespearesglobe.com/whats-on-2018/comedy-store-players A Pint With Seaniebee Audible Feast's list of Best Podcast Series of 2017: https://tinyurl.com/ya5yj9vs Top 12 Best New Podcast Series of 2016: http://tinyurl.com/gps9tn5 50 Best Podcast Episodes list 2017: https://tinyurl.com/y7ryajat 50 Best Podcast Episodes list 2016: http://tinyurl.com/hp83rnw Release date: June 30th 2018 Runtime: 43m Recorded: A VW Campervan

This week Maria’s guest on the show is Caspar Berry. After studying Economics at Cambridge, Caspar decided to put what he had learnt there into practice in a rather unique way. He moved to Las Vegas and became a professional poker player. He played poker for much of the next three years before finding himself as the poker adviser on the James Bond movie Casino Royale. Recorded on: 1st March 2018 Show Notes: In this week’s show, Caspar talks about some of the lessons that you can apply from poker to business.  How embracing uncertainty can help decision making. He tells us about working with Ant and Dec, getting Robert Webb and David Mitchell together and breaking the rules with Daniel Craig in Casino Royale. And much much more … Significant quotes: “The essence of poker is the essence of decision-making theory, investment theory and risk-reward analysis.”  Links: More about Caspar Berry More about Maria Franzoni Ltd Connect with Maria on Linkedin Connect with Maria on FaceBook Next Week: Join us next week when Maria’s guest will be Comedian, Improviser, Creativity & Communication Coach and Founder of Comedy Store Players, Neil Mullarkey.

It’s our season finale with the legendary Comedy Store Players! Join four of the country’s leading improvisers and one very star-struck host to discuss the glamour of peeing in sinks, the secrets of improv longevity, and the power of Doctor Theatre!

Comedy Store Players co-founder Dave Cohen and singer songwriter Phoebe Katis join regulars James Shakeshaft, Brian Luff and Georgina Sowerby for another chuckle-packed chinwag at the Crypt. Don't mention the snow.

At always possible, we help people make brilliant decisions - in business, culture, community and education. These podcasts let you eavesdrop in on informal conversations taking place on the phone or in the coffeeshop, In every chat, we are exploring the motivations and behaviours behind key decisions - with curious people who have trusted their instinct to make change in the world. In this podcast Richard Freeman has a conversation with Neil Mullarkey about improvisation, what stand-up comedy can teach us about human interaction and the performative elements of effective leadership. Richard asks Neil about his career as both a comedian and a business coach and trainer, and what qualities underpin the skills of being persuasive, in-tune with an audience and charismatic. What are the rules of improvisation - and how can using our imagination to create stories on the spot actually make us better listeners? Richard Freeman is Chief Executive of always possible. Neil Mullarkey has been a leading name in British comedy since his days as President of the Cambridge University Footlights and his double-act shows with Nick Hancock, Mike Myers and Tony Hawks. Neil's writing and acting credits include children's TV show The Wide-Awake Club and the Austin Powers films as well as appearances on many popular panel shows such as Whose Line Is It Anyway, QI and Have I Got News For You. In 1985, Neil co-founded The Comedy Store Players, now one of the world's longest running and most successful improvised comedy troupes. His fellow players for over 30 years include Paul Merton and Josie Lawrence, with the likes of Eddie Izzard, Jeremy Hardy and Sandi Toksvig having been past members or guest performers. To many, Neil is also known as a successful business coach and keynote speaker, working with organisations all over the world on communication and leadership behaviours. Neil's most recent book, published in September 2017, is called ‘Seven Steps To Improve Your People Skills'. Useful links: www.neilmullarkey.com www.allthatmullarkey.com www.amazon.co.uk/Seven-Steps-Improve-People-Skills/dp/0993501125 www.emmanuelgobillot.com/ https://herminiaibarra.com/ --- If you enjoyed the conversation, please like, subscribe and review - and share with colleagues. always possible supports business, community, cultural and education leaders to make better decisions, test ideas, improve strategy and engage with customers on a new level. To join in, visit alwayspossible.co.uk

Neil Mullarkey is known as one of the Comedy Store Players – the famous long-running improv troupe with their own theatre in central London. He also works with brands and businesses, helping the corporate environment to benefit from the agility of improvisational thought. In this fun chat we discuss (among other things) Neil's creative background, a comedy career that started as President of the Cambridge Footlights, his old double act with Mike Myers, the benefits of improv, and the careful systems put in place to make improv work in a theatre – and on TV. http://neilmullarkey.com/  http://twitter.com/neilmullarkey  

Improv London - Episode 44 - Paul Z Jackson Weekly podcast documenting and developing the London improv scene. Paul Z Jackson @paulzj Solution-focused, author & improviser. I design and deliver training, workshops and keynotes. United Kingdom impro.org.uk AINetwork @AINNetwork The Applied Improvisation Network (AIN) is a community of practitioners and clients who value the use of improvisation skills in organizations. Appliedimprov.com ImprovisationAcademy @ImprovAcad Improvisation Courses for Life & at Work. Founded by The Comedy Store Players & Paul Z Jackson London improvisationacademy.co.uk Jim Sweeney @aJimSweeney I am up on the 11th floor. jimsweeney.co.uk steve steen @sirsteen Improviser,actor,writer,man of at least 11 voices,still getting away with it. at home Paul Merton @PaulMerton Finally progressing to machines with buttons as buttons go out of fashion. Pondering the cosmos. paulmerton.com Josie Lawrence @josielawrence1 Acting. Improvising. Singing. Plus other stuff. Agent Stuart Piper at Cole Kitchen. london Neil Mullarkey @NeilMullarkey Sharing #improv insights with leaders and businesses globally. Still in #ComedyStorePlayers. In two Austin Powers films. Instagram @neilmullarkey London and beyond neilmullarkey.com Rob Brydon @RobBrydon Chap. London robbrydon.com Ruth Jones @RuthJonesFans For Ruth Jones Fans. I am not Ruth Jones. Ruth is not on Twitter. Follow her best friend and partner in crime @JKCorden Wales en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruth_Jones iain morris @iainkevanmorris inbetweeners co-creator, some conchords, former sidekick, peep show hanger-on, all low quality work considered

We chat to Lee Simpson and Phelim McDermott from Improbable and the Comedy Store Players about his latest venture, teaching improv to elderly actors.

The comedian, writer and presenter Paul Merton joins Aasmah Mir and Richard Coles. A regular fixture on our radios and TVs - from Just a Minute to Have I Got News For You? But it's pure improvisation that he loves - starting with the Comedy Store Players back in 1985, a gig that he still does every Sunday. And he's about to start a UK tour improvising with a group of friends. Vanessa Mann on deltiology with a difference - why she buys sets of postcards, with the aim to trace living relatives of the people who wrote and received them. JP Devlin meets Pete Waterman to talk model railways. The sailor and broadcaster Paul Heiney on his voyage from Falmouth to Cape Horn and back, to rediscover his son's voice through the medium of sailing and the poem -'The Silence at the Song's End'. The i-magician Jamie Allan on how he who fuses sleight of hand with modern technology by bringing i-pads to his performance. And Anita Dobson shares her "Inheritance Tracks". She chooses: No One But You, by Billy Eckstine and Young at Heart by Frank Sinatra. Paul Merton's Impro Chums on a UK Tour from 24 April to 17 June 2015. One Wild Song: A Voyage in a lost son's wake' by Paul Heiney, published by Bloomsbury. Jamie Allan is currently on a UK tour until 31st May. On 28 April Anita Dobson will be appearing in a special production of Follies, at the Royal Albert Hall, to mark Stephen Sondheim's 85th birthday.

Guy Parker, Chief Executive at the Advertising Standards Authority, and writer Neil Mullarkey, founding member of the Comedy Store Players, join Paul Blanchard to discuss the latest media headlines. This edition: will the BBC push local papers out of business as it expands regional coverage? Do advertising laws need to be updated for the digital age? And how much should news organisations show of graphic terrorism videos?

Libby Purves meets trumpeter Alison Balsom; Louise Cordingly, daugther of a POW chaplain in Singapore; comedian Paul Merton and cartogragher Jethro Lennox. Alison Balsom is a solo trumpeter. Three-time Classical Brit award winner and Gramophone Artist of the Year, her big break came when she was a concerto finalist in the BBC Young Musician competition in 1998. Last year she appeared at the Globe Theatre, in Gabriel, showcasing the valveless trumpet and featuring the works of Purcell. She is embarking on a UK tour - The Trumpet Sings Tour - and releases a new album, Paris, on Warner Classics. Louise Cordingly is the daughter of Eric Cordingly MBE who as a young chaplain was held as a prisoner of war in the Far East during World War Two. During his years of captivity he wrote a diary which he kept hidden from his captors. When he returned from the Far East in 1945 he worked as rector of Stevenage and chaplain to the Queen. In 1963 he was consecrated Bishop of Thetford. He died in 1976 but it was not until his wife's death 35 years later that his children discovered his papers and published the book, Down to Bedrock, which features his writings and drawings by fellow prisoners. Down to Bedrock is published by Art Angels. Paul Merton is a comedian, actor and presenter. After making his stand-up debut at London's Comedy Store in 1982, he became a regular with the Comedy Store Players, an improvised comedy group, team captain on Have I Got News For You and a regular on BBC Radio 4's Just A Minute. He has also made several documentaries about early cinema, including Paul Merton's Birth of Hollywood. His autobiography, Only When I Laugh, is published by Ebury Press. Jethro Lennox is a cartographer and editor of the new edition of The Times Comprehensive Atlas of the World. The atlas contains 320 pages of maps and illustrations and depicts how the world has changed since the previous 2011 edition with 5000 place name changes. The Times Comprehensive Atlas of the World is published by HarperCollins. Producer: Paula McGinley.

Not quite autumn; Warren Evans; Comedy Store Players; Kate Bush; The Russian Space Agency; Four more rhetorical devices; Can you give us a few words?; So what do you like?; An interview with Otmar Kastner; Music from Geoff Gibbons

It's Episode 3, and Stu interviews Dan Antopolski in his writing-cellar.   Dan explores how to wrong-foot an audience's assumptions, and argues comedy is an art not simply a craft. Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Purple Turtle, Jigsaw, The Dinks, Lenny Henry, Ben Elton, Harry Enfield, Friday Night Live, Saturday Night Live, Fry and Laurie, We Are Klang, Rich Hall, Stewart Lee, Harry Hill, Eddie Izzard, Sean Lock, Simon Munnery, David “Kid” Jensen, Tom Craine, Nat Luurtsema, Craig Campbell, Tony Law, The Mighty Boosh, Tom Basden, Rob Deering, The Comedy Store Players, Alexei Sayle, Micky Flanagan, Mark Watson, Ross Noble, Louis CK, Christopher Hitchens See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Hints and tips for media appearances, speaking and social media. This week; Comedy Store Players; New Book; South Africa; Supermarket Satnav; Alberta or not; Mind your Language; Telephone Interviews; What's the Point; An Interview with Gary Bailey; Music from Tiger Lilly