A whole weekend of comedy improv comes to the city this Friday with a host of familiar names and acts performing comedy, musicals, sketches, puppets and even costume dramas at the burgeoning cultural hotspot of the Jewellery Quarter’s Blue Orange Theatre. Highlight for us is the Saturday homecoming of Old Hill’s queen of improv, Josie Lawrence. A regular on Channel 4’s ‘Whose Line Is It Anyway?’ during its nineties heyday, her incomparable knack of composing songs on the spot was always a delight.  Josie is appearing as part of The Glenda J Collective, four women whose capacity for instant inprov japery is unparalleled. Sunday’s highlight is eight times sell out veterans of the Edinburgh Fringe, Noise Next Door. A quartet of quick witted gentlemen with an ability to turn audience suggestions, no matter how outrageous, into scenes and songs instantly. Also on the bill, award winning West End improvised musical Showstopper but we’re particularly looking forward to the improvised sci-fi of Project 2 and the jolly ditties performed by Peablossom Cabaret. Workshops are available for you to flex your own improv muscles too.

Fri 21 Oct to Sun 23 Oct at Blue Orange Theatre, 118 Great Hampton St. Jewellery Quarter Birmingham B18 6AD birminghamimprovfestival.com/