The word Improvathon is a portmanteau of the words improvisation and marathon and is used to describe and extended performance by a team of improvising performers. The format establishes a group of characters early on, who become part of a continuous plotline. Commonly, as well as scenes which progress the story, performers may participate in musical numbers and other challenges or games. The action is directed for both performers and audience by writers who develop the plot in response. Whilst some performers may take a break at some point during the event, traditionally some core cast members will participate for the entire duration, going one or two nights without sleep. The sleep deprivation reduces performers to their "lizard brain" state, where they become too tired to censor themselves, resulting in a unique and euphoric form of theatre. Many audience members stay for the full duration, sharing the sleeplessness with the actors. In Edmonton, Canada, where the concept was originally devised, it is known as a Soap-A-Thon.
Soap-A-Thon
The Soap-a-thon has most notably been made popular by Canadian improv company Die-Nasty who completed their first 50 hour Soap-A-Thon in 1993 at the Varscona Theatre. They have produced further Soap-A-Thons every year since.
Improvathons, UK
London
2005
In 2005, Die-Nasty's director at the time Dana Anderson exported the format to the UK, working with British director and theatrical innovator Ken Campbell. The 36-hour Improvathon began at 10 am, 17 December 2005 at Ladbroke Grove's Inn on the Green. Following this experiment, Sticking Place Artistic Director Adam Meggido developed the event into the London Annual 50 Hour Improvathon, involving performers from all over the world.
2008
Name: Casino Oui Oui Producer: The Sticking Place Duration: 50 hours Dates: Friday 17 January – Sunday 19 January Set: A casino in Monaco in the mid-1960s Venue: At The People Show Studios, Pollard Row, Bethnal Green
2009
Name: Pack Up Your Troubles Producer: The Sticking Place Duration: 50 hours Dates: Friday 6 February – Sunday 8 February Set: 1944, a Kent village Venue: At The People Show Studios, Pollard Row, Bethnal Green
2010
Name: We Are Not Amused Producer: The Sticking Place Duration: 50 hours Dates: Friday 22 January – Sunday 24 January Set: Victorian era, England Venue: Hoxton Hall
2011
Name: Studio 50 Duration: 50 hours Dates: Friday 21 January – Sunday 23 January Set: Studio 50, 1977 Venue: Hoxton Hall
2012
Name: Tales from the Greek Games Duration: 50 hours Dates: Friday 11 May – Sunday 13 May Set: Ancient Greece, the first Olympic Games Venue: Hoxton Hall
2013
Name: Cairo 1926 Duration: 50 hours Dates: Friday 11 – Sunday 13 January Set: Cairo 1926 Venue: Hoxton Hall
2014
Name: Xanadu Duration: 50 hours Dates: Friday 24 – Sunday 26 January Set: The Starship Xanadu, a pleasure cruiser travelling from planet to planet Venue: Hoxton Hall
2015
Name: Tinseltown Duration: 50 hours Dates: Friday 29 – Sunday 31 May Set: Sleepless Studios, A B-movie production house in Hollywood's Golden Age Venue: The Lost Theatre, Stockwell
2016
Name: The Orient Express Duration: 50 hours Dates: Friday 29 April – Sunday 1 May Set: Sleepless Studios, A B-movie production house in Hollywood's Golden Age Venue: The Lost Theatre, Stockwell
2017
Name: Lord of Thrones Duration: 50 hours Dates: Friday 20 – Sunday 22 January Set: All the literary fantasy worlds combined - Tolkien, George R R Martin, etc. Venue: Wilton's Music Hall
Liverpool
2008
The first Liverpool Improvathon took place in 2008 as part of Ken Campbell Metafex Festival at the Kazimier, Wolstenholme Square. Oh Wait! lasted 30 hours and was directed by Dana Anderson of Die-Nasty. The action took place on the RMS Pedantic as it made its way from Liverpool to New York. Some of the participants of this event went on to form Liverpool-based, improvisation comedy troupe Impropriety
2010
Name: The Last Resort Producer: Impropriety Duration: 33.5 hours Dates: Saturday 10 April – Sunday 11 April Set: 1950s, a holiday camp somewhere in the north of England Venue: The Kazimier
2011
Name: Dearly Beloved Producer: Impropriety Duration: 33.5 hours Dates: Saturday 14 May - Sunday 15 May Set: The Fools Rush Inn, at a wedding, which brought together and posh family and a rather less high-class family. It took place two weeksafter the wedding of Prince William to Kate Middleton. Venue: The Kazimier
2012
Name: Back to The Studio Producer: Impropriety Duration: 33.5 hours Set: Behind the scenes at Channel 33.5 Venue:
Bristol
2010
In 2010, The Sticking Place, in association with Die-Nasty, presented the 30-hour Bristol Jam Improvathon. The events ran from 6pm on Friday 5th until Saturday 6 November at midnight, with performers from Impropriety also taking part. The action took place at the Easyspeak Speakeasy in 1920s America.
2015
In 2015 the Bristol Improv Theatre re-launched the Bristol Improvathon with the Closer Each Day Company and support from various other improv groups from around the South-West. It was titled "Time Busters" and was set in the town of Glastonbury where a team of archeologists were searching for the body of King Arthur. The event was advertised as a 26 hour, 385 second improvathon and ran from 6pm on Friday 13 March to 10pm Saturday 14 March.
2016
The newly named Bristol Improv Marathon was hosted for the second year running at the Bristol Improv Theatre, once again in association with Closer Each Day Company and various improv groups from around the South-West. The title was "Ride on Time" and the plot was centred around the re-opening of the fictional theme park "Fantastic Planet of Fun".
2017
The 2017 Bristol Improv Marathon was hosted for its third year, March 24–25 and was the first marathon hosted by the Bristol Improv Theatre following the refurbishment and relaunch of their main venue. Once again the event was produced by the Bristol Improv Theatre in association with Closer Each Day Company and various improv groups from around the South-West. The title was "Check-Out Time at the Grand Hotel" and the plot was centred around the closing of a fictional remote hotel.
2018
The 2018 Bristol Improv Marathon took place on March 17-18 and was titled "Pirates of the Severn Seas". Once again it was staged at the Bristol Improv Theatre and produced in conjunction with Closer Each Day and other local improv companies. The story focused on pirates, citizens of 'Port Royal', and various plotters who sought to destroy their way of life.
2019
In 2019 the Bristol Improv Marathon took place on March 15-16 and was titled "Channel 26 ". It continued to be hosted at the Bristol Improv Theatre whilst being produced by Closer Each Day, with the rest of the cast of 30 being sourced from the local improv community, either via invitation or open auditions. The story focused on the lives of the people working at local news station Channel 26, and their various misadventures.
2020
In 2020 the Bristol Improv Marathon took place on March 13th-14th and was titled "When In Rome: XXVI Hours BC". It was hosted at the Bristol Improv Theatre in collaboration with Closer Each Day Company and The Wardrobe Theatre. The other performers were from Degrees of Error or the local improv community via auditions. It focused on the events of a selection of characters in a generic ancient imperial Rome setting. It was the last show with a live audience at the Bristol Improv Theatre before it shut its doors due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
YT Improvathons
The performance format discussed above is not to be confused with the annual event held by the Christian Youth Theatre in the United States. Each year, teams of young people come together to compete in playing improvisational games over two-days.
