If you ever thought about becoming an Imp...


This could be you

This could be you

The Oxford Imps are holding their annual auditions this week, on Thursday the 15th of October at 7pm, at the University Club on Mansfield Road. Here's a story. A 14-year-old boy sees the Imps as a birthday present, gets a place at Oxford years later, and in his second week of university comes to our auditions. He gets in, he gets trained up, he goes to Fringe himself to perform, and is now assistant director of our troupe. He even makes it into his local paper. He's famous now.

This is the second Jamie-related post in a row, but from next week we could be talking about you. If you go along. You'll never know if you don't try, and you should try because:

- We audition on your potential, not your background. You don't need to have any comedy or theatre experience. You don't need to be an Oxford student, or a student at all in fact. - You don't need to be super-confident (we'll train you to be). - The audition itself is tremendous fun, and designed to be relaxed and unthreatening. - It could change your life.

So come to the auditions, on Thursday, the 15th of October. at 7pm at the University Club on Mansfield Road.

See you there, Imps-to-be.

Fringe fallout

Sometimes you get a Christmas card at an old address, or your parents' house; and it gets sent to you weeks later in January, reminding you of Christmas all over again. So it was with a lovely review we only spotted after we left Edinburgh, from EdFestMag.

An imp tidying the flat – a rare photograph 

An imp tidying the flat – a rare photograph 


Young Scottish imp Jamie circulated it round, perhaps because he got special mention as the 'charmingly camp' compere. Here's a quote:

"It was a hostile, challenging audience, yet the Imps, with their bravura and eccentricity, seemed ready for anything [...] It was 'Whose Line Is It Anyway' without the wrinkles; 'Have I Got News For You' without old-school, strangulated chortles [...] So go, again and again; I want to see what they can come up with next."

Another four stars- full review here. It makes the enormous logistical challenge of organizing next year's Fringe show that bit more palatable...

Producer Rhys: An eerie resemblance?

Producer Rhys: An eerie resemblance?


Reviews that make us feel good

Our Edinburgh Fringe show has garnered two lovely four-star reviews. “From the first second of the first minute”, says Three Weeks, “the Oxford Imps commanded the rapt attention of their audience.”  We like the sound of “Tidal waves of humour” and while we’re not in a position to speak about our “collective genius” (you’ll have to be the judge – 3pm daily at the Gilded Balloon, tickets from £8.50 if you can get them) it’s great that improv is being recognised as a team sport.

Every team must have a captain, however. Fest Magazine says that “Director and compère Joseph Morpurgo holds the show together”.  They don’t know the half of it. Joseph is currently asleep after partying until dawn on Saturday/Sunday, but when he gets up we can tell him that, according to Fest, “the Oxford Imps' speedy wit and their excellent rapport with one another make it a safe bet that they'll be just as much of a hit this year as they were in 2008.”

Don’t believe any performer who tells you that they don’t read reviews; the Imps certainly do, and today they’re delighted. They’ll be out in their hoodies on the Royal Mile tomorrow, with a great big smile on their face.

Full reviews here (Three Weeks) and here (Fest).

The Fringe begins

First few days of the Festival... so far so good. Nothing cheers up  a bunch of imps on a Saturday more than finding out that they've already sold out the night before. Thanks to all of you who've come so far. For those who haven't come yet - book now! We're on at 3pm every day at the Gilded Balloon,  here.  Just make sure you come and say hello afterwards!

Director Joseph works out setlists

Director Joseph works out setlists

Our first Wychwood Festival

Image may have been photoshopped. Apologies to buses with vulnerable self-esteem

Image may have been photoshopped. Apologies to buses with vulnerable self-esteem

The Imps have just played the Big Top at the Wychwood music festival (and an impromptu encore, finding an audience and an abandoned PA later in the day).  The imps drove home with hoarse voices, terrible sunburn and new musical crushes, as well as a sense of satisfaction at our first ever music festival.