Improv Leeds
Friendly, all-ability improv classes in Leeds for beginners and enthusiasts alike. This is open play for improvising comedy, drama and theatre - with regular improvisation workshops in Leeds, Bingley, Harrogate and Ilkley
Welcome to gentle, reflective improv classes & workshops in Yorkshire
With easy, short-form games and playful exercises - you’re invited to explore the playful art of improvisation in a small group with our friendly improv community in Leeds. New classes launch in autumn 2025 in Bingley, Harrogate and Ilkley.
Hosted by a professional facilitator, these improv classes are purposefully gentle with a more reflective and mindful approach to improvisation. That means extra care, clarity and support through every activity, with opportunities to learn, discuss and reflect - as well as laugh.
[If there are no improv events listed check Humanitix or please send a message]
Why people come to our Improv classes in Leeds, Bingley, Harrogate & Ilkley
Our members are a mix of newcomers to improv, keen amateurs, and passionate improvisation enthusiasts of all ages. You're welcome to join whatever your level of improvisation or experience. People come for reasons like these:
- To gain confidence in groups or public.
- You loved drama at school or make-believe with friends.
- To compliment therapy & heal social anxiety.
- Just for laughs (escape your day-to-day).
- It's on your bucket-list (like stand-up).
- You’re new to the area or making new friends.
- To learn and deepen your improv skills.
Feel nervous or unsure?
Yet drawn to try improv...
Book a free, friendly chat to explore your curiosity, hope or nerves about improvisation, and what to expect from your first experience of improv.
Your telephone call will be with Chris - your host and founder of this event.
Bring your questions and hesitations about improv - it’s all welcome.
Sign up to email notifications of new improv events, workshops and classes in Leeds, Bingley, Harrogate & Ilkley
What to expect at an improv class
You can expect carefully-led games, exercises and scenes played at your own pace, in pairs and as a private group. No audience. No show.
Every activity is an invitation - you’re trusted to choose and follow what feels comfortable for you.
Expect fun & laughter
Expect silliness, kindness, make-believe, and profound moments of feeling moved.
There’s gentle challenge too, if you’re open to learning.
Expect to learn
You’ll also gain powerful, fundamental principles to help you get the most out of improv - principles that continue to help me navigate life’s challenges, as well as improv.
Expect reflection
There’ll be plenty of reflection - opportunities to discuss and explore what’s coming up as you play and learn. And kind, experienced support from your host.
About your host: Chris Kenworthy
Improviser, Facilitator & Embodiment coach
Hello, I made this improv event for people like us
I want a more playful life. A more open-hearted, messy human experience of being alive in the here-and-now.
So I lead experiences and events for people to get curious, let go of judgement, and find more room to be fully human together.
Professionally, I’m a certified embodiment coach and a trauma-informed relational facilitator. I’m also trained in Level 3 Authentic Relating leadership.
I travel the world exploring retreats, festivals, improv workshops and intensives, then return with discoveries for you to play with. I’ve trained with The Maydays, Maria Peters, Jennifer Jordan, Jen Hardy and Chris Mead.
Regular, in-person improv classes in Leeds, Bingley, Harrogate & Ilkley
As your facilitator, I often frame our improv workshops around different themes - usually in service of play, expression and human connection, to motivate and inspire you. Here are some recent examples:
The joy of listening
Exploring distinct qualities of listening through the head, heart and body - to really tune-in.
Acts of kindness
Making generous choices and offers that create possibility and help people feel valued.
slow down
Staying present and connected to yourself and other improvisers through centering your body.
honour self & other
Respecting your needs and the needs of other individuals when we improvise, so we become more caring, loving and empathic improvisers.
welcome everything
Being more open-hearted in the way we accept, agree and build with what unfolds in the moment - what that feels like and how to embody that in our improv.
other themes
As a certified professional facilitator and coach, I also facilitate improv-inspired day workshops and experiences for teams and progressive workplaces in Leeds. These explore themes of communication, cooperation, leadership, emotional intelligence, embodied intelligence, and relationships.
Hear what to expect
Listen to this episode of my improvised podcast: Beyond the Basement, that unravels myths about improv, and describes what it's really like at one of my workshops, and how much care goes into every improv class.
What is improv (and why do it)?
Improvisation is the art of accepting ‘what is’ with playful, heartfelt curiosity in the here-and-now. It’s about making things up as you go along, collaboratively. It can involve movement, games, stories, dialogue, reactions, characters and plot.
Benefits of improv
Improv helps me navigate life’s struggles with overthinking, judgement, perfectionism, isolation, failure and mistakes - taking life too seriously.
If you need to let go, feel more alive, laugh more, or rediscover your inner child then improvisation is for you too.
Here’s what a typical two-hour improv workshop looks like
- Welcome & check-ins - to help you land, relax and feel comfortable.
- Gentle warm-up exercises - to ease you into play, loosen-up, and feel part of a safe, friendly group.
- Improv games - we play and perform together as a group or pairs.
- Reflection - we circle-up to share what you loved & learned, and how that might help in life.
- Close & complete - to lead you out of our improv bubble and back into the world.
Please send me a message if you have any questions about improv
Especially if you feel nervous or unsure, yet called to try it - I want to speak to you.
Or you can also book a call.