The Oxford Imps
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The Oxford Imps are an improvisational comedy troupe based in Oxford, England, where they perform every Monday during University term time at The Wheatsheaf pub. They also perform annually at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe at the Gilded Balloon.
They were reviewed as "the best improvised comedy show I have ever had the pleasure to witness" by Edinburgh Fringe festival magazine ThreeWeeks and as "astonishingly brilliant" by Cue 2016, the official paper of the Grahamstown National Arts Festival.
History
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/eb/Oxford_Imps_Wychwood_2011.jpg/220px-Oxford_Imps_Wychwood_2011.jpg)
The Oxford Imps were formed by final year student Hannah Madsen and first performed at the Wheatsheaf pub in Oxford High Street in January 2004.[1] Since 2004, the Imps have performed at the Edinburgh Fringe each year.[2] They have previously toured to Bosnia, France, Utrecht in the Netherlands, and Grahamstown South Africa. They have also toured numerous times to the US. to Chicago and Providence, and Nashville.
They have performed radio shows on Oxide Radio, BBC Radio Oxford, and Fest FM.[citation needed]
The Oxford Imps celebrated their tenth anniversary in February 2014, with their 32 members performing at Oxford's New Theatre.[1]
TV appearances
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/45/TheOxfordImpsonEggheads.jpg/220px-TheOxfordImpsonEggheads.jpg)
On 25 March 2009, the Oxford Imps' appearance on British daytime TV quiz Eggheads was broadcast on BBC2.
In January 2016 director Adam Mastroianni appeared in the Oxfordshire episode of Come Dine with Me,[3] the episode was dubbed the best ever Come Dine With Me after contestant 'Poisonous' Peter Marsh threw the other contestants out of his home.
Alumni
Other comedy and improvisation work from Imps alumni includes:
- Austentatious, Chortle Award-winning improvised Jane Austen comedy, which has transferred to the West End.[4]
- Racing Minds, cult long-form improv quartet.[5]
- Rachel Parris, BAFTA-nominated star of The Mash Report on BBC 2. [6]
- Andrew Hunter Murray, writer and performer. Member of Austentatious and No Such Thing As A Fish, and author of dystopian thriller The Last Day.
- Chris Turner, stand-up comedian and viral freestyle rapper.
- Ivo Graham, apologetic Etonian comic Winner of So You Think You're Funny 2009. Seen on Live at the Apollo and Mock The Week.
- Joseph Morpurgo,[7] triple Chortle award winner[8] and Edinburgh Comedy Awards nominee.[9]
- Sophie Duker, stand-up comedian and writer. Edinburgh Comedy Awards Best Newcomer nominee 2019, appeared on Mock The Week and 8 Out of 10 Cats.
See also
References
- ^ a b Katriona Ormiston (8 February 2014). "Improvising their way to national comic fame". Oxford Mail. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
- ^ Edinburgh Fringe Festival Listing Archived 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ Come Dine With Me: losing contestant throws massive tantrum, retrieved 9 July 2016
- ^ "Austentatious: An improvised Jane Austen novel". Austentatious. January 2012. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
- ^ "Home". Racing Minds. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
- ^ "Rachel Parris". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
- ^ Logan, Brian (12 August 2015). "Joseph Morpurgo at Edinburgh festival review – one of the best comedy shows in town". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
- ^ Solutions, Powder Blue Internet Business. "Triple Chortle Award winner Joseph Morpurgo : Videos 2016 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide". chortle.co.uk. Retrieved 9 July 2016.
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has generic name (help) - ^ "Joseph Morpurgo: Soothing Sounds for Baby". Retrieved 9 July 2016.
- Reviews
- Cherwell Newspaper Review February 2016
- The Oxford Student Review February 2016
- The Oxford Student November 2015
- The Tab Review February 2013
- Cherwell Newspaper Review February 2013
- ThreeWeeks Review August 2012
- Broadway Baby Review August 2012
- Oxford Theatre Review August 2011
- Cherwell Newspaper Review March 2009
- OTR Review February 2008[permanent dead link]
- OTR Review May 2006
- Daily Information Review May 2006
- Cherwell Newspaper Review June 2005
- BBC article on an Oxford Imps production June 2005
- Cherwell Newspaper Review January 2005
- The Scotsman Newspaper Review August 2004