Beyond the Game: Deepening Your Improv Scenes

This intermediate to advanced short course is about stepping beyond games and into strong, character-driven scenes. Through 7 unique sessions—each with its own theme—you’ll refine your ability to create compelling scenes, surprising characters, and emotionally grounded (or delightfully absurd) moments on stage.

Rather than focusing on short-form games, this course invites you to dive into open scenes and exercises that stretch your improv skills. You'll explore being present, embracing failure, and playing with genre, emotion, and absurdity. Gather tools that will make your scenes more engaging, layered, and fearless.

Who it's for:Improvisers with prior experience who want to explore advanced scene techniques, character work, and emotional depth. Not suitable for beginners.

1. Be the Extra and Steal the ShowLearn how to play supporting roles in scenes with multiple players, use stillness and subtlety to your advantage, and make bold choices—without grabbing the spotlight. 
2. Playing with GenresTake your scenes to new stylistic heights. From film noir to soap opera, from Shakespeare to sci-fi—learn how to recognize and play with genre tropes.
3. Learn to Feel: Collecting EmotionsThis session is all about receiving and responding—being affected, not just acting. Through games and open scenes, you’ll explore vulnerability, emotional listening, and how to use feelings to elevate your character and your scene partner.
4. How to Fail Like a ProLearn to let go of the need to be clever or “right” and instead embrace risk, spontaneity, and messiness. We’ll practice being present, getting out of our heads, and turning mistakes into gold.5. StereotypicalCharacters don’t always need to be realistic—sometimes they need to be recognizable. Using stock photos and archetypes as inspiration, you’ll create larger-than-life personas and learn how to play with stereotypes in a self-aware, creative way.6. AbsurdismLet go of logic and dive into the surreal. You’ll learn how to stay grounded in scenes even when the world around your character makes no sense at all.7. Drunk PlayThe art of playing “drunk” believably and playfully. A fun lesson, learned at a training acting class.

Teacher Matthijs Meulblok

Location ZIMIHC Wittevrouwen, Bouwstraat 55 Utrecht

Mondays 8 Sep – 20 Oct (we DO have a lesson in autumn holiday). 18:45-20:30

We need a minimum of 8 sign-ups to start this course.

Improv Utrecht offers 1 or 2 funded courses with 20% discount for people with less finances. Send a message to Marieke van Laar.