Improv & comedy training courses
The Free Association's training is formulated around the FA syllabus - a huge (ever growing) book, meticulously written and structured in order to help you learn everything from the fundamentals of long-form improv through to advanced moves, forms and techniques… all while staying true to the FA’s unique style. Whilst all our trainers bring unique experience and expertise to their lessons, they all know our style and syllabus inside out, so your improv education will be the same regardless of who is running your class.
Whether you're joining us to build confidence, or hone your comedy writing or improv performance skills - you've found the right place. We provide the next generation of performers with the tools and knowledge to establish their own teams and create their own exciting comedy work.
No experience is neccessary to start at Intro to Long-form. If you have trained elsewhere, please contact us at Hello@thefreeassociation.co.uk with your experience and our team will help to place you in the right level.
Need a little extra convincing? Why not try a taster class first?
We have diversity scholarships available for all of our levels (in person and online), so money or distance will never be a barrier for training with The Free Association.
Improv Taster Class
An Optional 1.5hr Introduction
FA Taster Classes are a great way to discover improv in a fun, supportive, one-off class. This class is an optional start point for those who want to try it out before deciding whether to take part in a full course.If you already know improv is for you then jump straight in with Intro to Longform!
✗ Diversity Scholarships Available
✔ Socially Distanced Classes
✔ Weekly Classes
✗ 4 day intensive
✔ Online Option
✗ Public Performance
✗ Pass / Fail - Not applicable for this class
1) Intro to Long-form Improv
Welcome to our entry-level improv course!
★ FUN ★ creativity ★ Confidence ★ community ★
Some students join this class for confidence, some join for the community, and some join to hone their performance skills. Whatever your reason for joining, you'll take it all away - alongside the fundamental principles to the FA style of long-form improvisation.There is no pre-requisite for this course; anyone can join regardless of previous experience. If you have done a little improv before but not much long-form, it is recommended to start here.
✔ Diversity Scholarships Available
✔ Socially Distanced Classes
✔ Weekly Classes
✔ 4 day intensive
✔ Online Option
✗ Public Performance
✗ Pass / Fail - Attend 6 out of 8 classes to pass
2) scenework & intro to game
how to sustain improvised scenes!
★ Supportive ★ freedom ★ development ★
In this Scene work class we teach you more core elements to creating fun and watchable scenes. We’ll help to grow your confidence on stage, improve your acting in improv, encourage your commitment to characters and start to look at the ‘game of the scene’, the way we find and keep playing comedy at the FA.The Free Association's Intro to Improv is a pre-requisite for this course. However if you have significant other long-form improv experience, you may be able to take this course. Please email us to obtain permission.
✔ Diversity Scholarships Available
✔ Socially Distanced Classes
✔ Weekly Classes
✔ 4 day intensive
✔ Online Option
✗ Public Performance
✗ Pass / Fail - Attend 6 out of 8 classes to pass
3) Advanced Game
Now We're Getting Serious! (In a fun way!)
★ Comedy Theory ★ live Show ★ new challenges ★
This is the course that covers all the fundamental theory behind how we create and play comedy in improv at the FA. A continuation of Scene Work and Intro to Game - We’ll dig further into the game of the scene, teach you how to initiate with premise and how to keep your characters interesting, funny and playable. This course culminates in a public class show!The Free Association's Scenework is a pre-requisite for this course. However if you have completed a full training programme at another recognised long-form institution, you may be able to take this course. Please email us to obtain permission.
✔ Diversity Scholarships Available
✔ Socially Distanced Classes
✔ Weekly Classes
✔ 4 day intensive
✔ Online Option
✔ Public Performance
✔ Pass / Fail - Pass on displaying adequate understanding of the principles of Game.
4) The Harold
It All Comes Together in the end
★ Improv forms ★ comfort zones ★ applying skills ★
This course teaches students how to apply all the skills and techniques so far to learn how we perform The Harold format at the FA. The Harold, first created by improv Pioneer Del Close, and made famous by UCB in America, is a satisfying and hilarious 3 beat structure. We'll tackle group games, beats and initiating with hard and soft premise. You’ll be creating a unified, cohesive, hilarious and satisfying long-form improv show and ending the course with a public performance!After completing this course you will eligable to attend our annual audition to join a house team.
The Free Association's Advanced Game pre-requisite for this course.
✔ Diversity Scholarships Available
✔ Socially Distanced Classes
✔ Weekly Classes
✔ 4 day intensive
✗ Online Option
✔ Public Performance
✔ Pass / Fail - Pass on displaying adequate understanding of the FA's Harold Format
5) ADVANCED SHOW WORK: BLOW THE DOORS OFF
The last class is just the beginning
TAKING THINGS BEYOND ONE SINGLE FORM
★ EXPLORING FORMS ★ CREATING GREAT SHOWS ★ PUSHING BOUNDARIES ★
This course focuses on creating great shows no matter what form you’re doing. It looks at ‘why’ particular elements, openings, and structures are satisfying to watch and how you can incorporate those principles into your performance as a whole. On top of that we’ll be pushing your performance, breaking habits and expectations to genuinely try and surprise in what you do on stage, all whilst holding on to our principles on Game. The goal at the end of this course is to be able to listen to a form as a whole and make moves that don’t just make the scene funnier, but make the show one your audience will remember.The Free Association's HAROLD is a prerequisite for this course.
✔ Diversity Scholarships Available
✔ Socially Distanced Classes
✔ Weekly Classes
✗ 4 day intensive
✗ Online Option
✔ Public Performance
✗ Pass / Fail
Narrative Improv
Using Your Skills for something completely different!
★ Story Structure ★ POV and Grounding ★ Narrative Platforms ★
Everyone loves stories. Whatever the medium, there is nothing quite as satisfying to an audience as a well-told story. In this course you will learn how to apply the core FA principles of Game, Grounding and Point of View to tell spontaneous stories that are exciting, moving and hilarious. The course will focus on story structure, narrative platforms, protagonists and genre.By the end, you will have experience constructing improvised narratives of all different styles, from 10 minutes to 60 minutes.
The Free Association's Harold is a pre-requisite for this course.
✔ Diversity Scholarships Available
✔ Socially Distanced Classes
✔ Weekly Classes
✔ 4 day intensive
✗ Online Option
✗ Public Performance
✗ Pass / Fail
sketch writing
Sometimes you couldn't have written it better... or could you?
★ comedy theory ★ Applying Game ★ Writing ★
The class will use improv exercises to better understand how to write great sketches! We’ll use improv techniques to generate ideas, and apply the basic principles that make a good improv scene to the process of writing.Upon leaving the course you will have four complete sketches. But you will have generated so many more ideas! By generating too much material you will learn how to develop your ideas, and how to mine for gold. As a writer, you want to be getting to a stage where you are cutting good stuff, and only leaving excellent material behind.
There is no pre-requisite for this course.
✔ Diversity Scholarships Available
✔ Socially Distanced Classes
✔ Weekly Classes
✗ 4 day intensive
✔ Online Option
✗ Public Performance
✗ Pass / Fail
The Syllabus
We run 5 core Levels in total, in a structured path. With additional elective short courses, drop-in classes and an exciting new 'Improv to Sketch' programme. Our students work their way through the levels, adding to their skill-set as they go.
Our class entry requirement and course structure enable us to consistently graduate more 'complete' performers, who are fully adept in the FA's unique long-form style. Each student possesses a shared improv language, while being entirely flexible in their approach to performance.
Our main 8 week training terms start in January, March, June, August, September and November. We also run monthly 4-day intensive workshops throughout the year. You're never far away from a class!
We Can't Wait To Get Started...
Student Opportunities
As students progress they get the opportunity to perform in our weekly Teacher Jam and eventually audition to be part of a house team. These teams play every week on a well attended nights at our home theatre. The graduated players often begin the training process to become our coaches and teaching staff.
Students are encouraged to make teams and perform in our weekly commuunity shows.
The community
By joining The Free Association you are joining a burgeoning community of performers, comedians and like minded people. They spend time in the venues and the bar, make friends, collaborate and create teams together - which we are often able to offer stage time to.