About Improv Lore
Candid moments from our jams, shows, and workshops.
We make up stories on the spot in Bangalore. Every show starts with suggestions from the room, and nobody, including us on stage, knows what's about to happen next. Mostly, we're here to give people a room to be completely silly, shake off the workday, and remember how much fun it is to just play.
Improv Lore started in 2022. When Underline Center opened in Indiranagar, we moved in and never really left — our Wednesday jam is the longest-running weekly night the venue has. On any given week, you'll find us running jams for total beginners, squeezing extra plastic chairs into the room for sold-out weekend shows, or grabbing food together after the lights go down.
Out of town has lately meant out of the country. Since 2024, we've been invited to take our shows to improv festivals across Asia, playing in Singapore, Vietnam, Manila, and Hong Kong. See where we've travelled →
- Since '22 Weekly jams
- 4 Countries toured
- No two Shows the same
Who Started It
Improv Lore was started by Bala and Arjun. Between the two of them, they've taught and performed improv across the globe, taken unscripted theatre to the TED stage, and directed the formats our regulars love. What they pick up on festival stages abroad always finds its way right back into our Indiranagar rehearsal room.
Never Done This Before?
Most people who walk into our room have never set foot on a stage in their lives. Honestly, that's exactly who these nights are for. No theater background, no witty comebacks needed. If you're wondering how to start, here's the path we'd nudge a friend down:
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1
Drop into Whimsical Wednesday
Our weekly flagship jam. You don't have to perform. You just show up after work, play low-stakes group circle games, laugh at absurd imaginary gifts, and see what improv actually feels like in a room where nobody is judging you.
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2
Make friends with the stage
When you're ready to do a little more than watch from the sidelines. Quick, supported two-person scenes with zero pressure — we keep things moving fast, and you can step onto the stage or take a seat whenever you feel like it.
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3
Take Improv 101: How Not to Panic on Stage
A weekend crash course designed specifically around stage fright. We build up in tiny, manageable steps — learning how to trust your instincts, silence the inner critic, and discover the genuine joy of messing up.
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4
Go down the rabbit hole
Once you're hooked: try musical improv (making up songs from scratch even if you think you can't sing), join our multi-week storytelling intensives, or dive into competitive formats like TheatreSports™ and PowerPoint Roulette.
Shows We Are Known For
Every show is completely unscripted, fueled by whatever wild suggestions the audience throws at us. Some nights that means an improvised Broadway-style musical, other nights it's cut-throat competitive comedy, a D&D adventure, or two brokers in SG Palya arguing over an apartment. Here are a few formats we keep coming back to:
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show Every FridayBest first step The Silliest Show Tonight A classic good ol' improv show packed with riddles, tongue twisters, and some nostalgia. -
show World Music Day Musical Improv Show A regular improv show, but with a lot more singing. Scenes, characters, and songs, all made up on the spot from your suggestions. -
show Yes, And Dragons An improvised adventure where the audience steers the quest. Dungeons, dragons, and a lot of yes-and.
Weekly Jams
Our weekly open playground. If your brain is fried after a long workday, this is where you come to shake off the screen fatigue, tune into the present, and laugh with strangers. No experience needed, total noobs welcome.
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jam off-stageNo experience needed Whimsical Wednesday Dive into the whimsical world of improvisation at our Wednesday Jams. Whether you are new to theatre or a maverick on stage, this jam is designed for everyone. -
jam Beginner friendly Make Friends with the Stage The next step, on-stage. Short scenes in a supportive room, designed to help you take the leap into performing. -
jam No musical experience neededoff-stage Make an Improv Song: Musical Improv Jam Ease into singing, rhythm, and making things up with a bit of melody. Even if you think you can't sing, especially then.
Workshops We Offer
For when you want to dig deeper into the craft. Our weekend intensives unpack narrative storytelling, character work, active listening, and musicality. Hands-on, kind to beginners, and run in a space where making mistakes is celebrated.
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workshop Beginner friendlyMulti-day course Improv 101: How Not to Panic on Stage A hands-on intro workshop for first-timers. Learn the basics and shake off the stage fright. -
workshop Musical Improv: An Introduction Think you're not musical enough for musical improv? This one's for you. Listening, storytelling, and play. -
workshop Marathon exclusive What is Yes, And: An Introduction to Improv A gentle, structured two hours on how improv actually works. The best place to start if you've been curious but didn't know where to begin.
The Improvathon
Every now and then, we give improv a full day to itself. During our 12-hour marathon, we kick things off with TheatreSports, roll through back-to-back jams and beginner intros, and power straight through into late-night shows. It's the kind of day where people drop in for an hour to watch or play, and end up hanging out until midnight.
A taste of it is on the festivals page. We're running our next 12-hour marathon on 2nd October 2026 (2 PM to 2 AM) — see marathon details & passes →