About Us
We are a Bangalore-based community-theatre troupe. We make up theatre on the spot, with no script and no second take, and we would like to rekindle the joy of being playful and whimsical.
Improv Lore has been around since 2022. When Underline Center opened in Indiranagar, we made it our home, and we have been the resident improv act there ever since. Our Wednesday jam is the longest-running night the venue has. We also play other rooms around the city, and now and then we take a show out of town.
Out of town has lately meant out of the country. Since 2024 we have been invited to improv festivals across Asia, in Singapore, Vietnam, Manila, and Hong Kong. See where we've played →
- Since '22 Weekly Wed jam
- 4 Countries abroad
- No two Shows the same
Who Started It
Improv Lore was started by Bala and Arjun, who run our jams, direct our shows, and built the formats we are known for. Both teach and perform improv around the world, and they have taken it to the TED stage too. What they pick up on the road comes back into the room here.
Watch their TED talk, or follow their work: Bala and Arjun →
Never Done This Before?
Most people who come to a jam have never been on a stage. That is the point. Here is the order we would walk a friend through it.
-
1
Come to a Whimsical Wednesday
Our jam. Leave your inhibitions at the door, play a few games, see what improv actually feels like. No experience needed.
-
2
Make friends with the stage
When you want to do more than watch, this is the open-stage jam built for it. Short scenes, we keep things moving, you step in and out as you like.
-
3
Take Improv 101
A proper first workshop, built around how not to panic on stage. By the end you are doing scenes and enjoying it.
-
4
Find your thing
Musical improv, our longer courses, and the formats that make up our shows. Go as deep as you want.
Shows We Are Known For
Built live from what the room gives us, so no two are the same. A few of the formats we keep coming back to.
-
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 open, beginner-friendly nights. This is where most people meet improv for the first time. No experience needed, just come play.
-
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
A deeper, more theoretical and hands-on take on improv, run over 9 to 12 hours. Learn by doing, at a pace that's kind to first-timers, in a guided room where it's safe to try.
-
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
Now and then we give improv a full day to itself. Our first, All Play No Work on 1 May 2026, was a 12-hour improv marathon: we kicked off with TheatreSports to set the tone, then ran jams, intros, and signature formats back to back into the night. It is the easiest day to wander into and stay longer than you planned.
A taste of it is on the festivals page, with the full lineup, and word on when we do it again, at marathon.improvlore.com →