Alex Keen and Rachel E Thorn: Improving tonight’s performance of Lying Together at Theatre@41, Monkgate, York
TUCK into a black comedy of sex and deception, improvised completely by award-winning comedians Alex Keen and Rachel E Thorn at Theatre@41 on St Valentine’s night.
“Each performance is inspired by a lie told or a secret kept in a real romantic relationship, submitted by members of the public like you,” say Alex and Rachel, who then explore an anonymous confession chosen by the audience.
“You can submit a secret you’ve kept, a lie someone has told you or something you’ve heard about from a friend, but weren’t personally involved in. All we ask is that you only submit genuine secrets and lies between a couple.”
Previous inspirations include:
- Rachel sat in a shepherd’s pie and pretended the dog ate it;
- Alex told Rachel he’d been in a car accident;
- Rachel hid the fact that the wedding she went to was her ex’s;
- Alex told Rachel his mum was dead when she wasn’t.
“Let’s find out why we lie to the people we love,” say Alex and Rachel, who invite submissions via lyingtogether.co.uk. Hurry, hurry!
They first worked together when they co-created Scriptless In Seattle, nominated for Best Improv Show at Leicester Comedy Festival.
They then formed the two-hander improv Between Us, winner of Act of the Year in the Phoenix Remix awards, next made Sex, Lies & Improvisation and now perform Lying Together.
They also co-created and tour the award-winning show MATES: The Improvised ’90s Sitcom with Hugh Clark.
Alex and Rachel have taught improvisation at home and abroad for: Equity UK; Chicago Dramatic Improv Festival; British Improv Project; The Cambridge Impronauts; Nottingham Student Improv Festival; Liverpool Comedy Improv; Sheffield Improv Jam; Making Room at Sheffield Theatres; The Same Faces; The Shrimps and Wayward Souls.
The tour poster image for Lying Together
Alex Keen: the back story
CO-CREATED, coaches and performs with Sturike Comedy, who have made the shows Teen High: An Improvised High School Movie, Story Time and Fan Friction.
Alex co-founded and co-runs the Sheffield Improv Jam, a bi-monthly improv event in Sheffield. He is a welfare officer and teacher at the British Improv Project, a biannual residential retreat in the Midlands. He has performed with The Shrimps, Cambridge Impronauts, The Same Faces, Stealing the Show and Tiny Stories. More information at www.alexrkeen.com.
Rachel E Thorn: the back story
CO-CREATED CSI: Crime Scene Improvisation and performed with Cambridge Impronauts, Upstairs Downton and The Shrimps.
Rachel’s scripted work has been long-listed by the Kenneth Branagh Award, the Female Pilot Club, the Painkiller Prize and Pentabus. She has written for Dead Ringers, The Now Show, DMs Are Open, Newsjack andBreaking The News.
Her sketch comedy has been aired on BBC Radio and she has collaborated with impressionists Alistair McGowan, Charlie Hopkinson and Darren Altman. She trained at Drama Studio London. More information at www.rachelethorn.com.
For tickets for tonight’s improv performance, make a Valentine’s Day date at tickets.41monkgate.co.uk.