Performers

Natalie Bochenski (Artistic Director, President)

Natalie Bochenski has been improvising for over ten years, and is a regular at ImproMafia’s shows at the Brisbane Arts Theatre, the Albion Comedy Club and The Speakeasy. Natalie’s more memorable roles include the winsome Nurse Lottie Buble in Prognosis: Death! (2011, 2010, 2009) and icy Lady Augusta Wellesley in Agatha Holmes (2011, 2010, 2009). She has performed impro in Melbourne, Canberra, London and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Natalie is also an actor and director, mostly recently helming popular productions of He Died With a Felafel in His Hand (2009) and The Tasmanian Babes Fiasco (2010), based on books by John Birmingham. The final instalment in the trilogy, How To Be A Man, enjoyed a successful 2011 season.

By day, Natalie is a journalist. She’s currently the state political editor for 4BC/4BH, meaning she deals a lot with politicians. She thinks some of them would make admirable improvisers.

Favourite Game: Historical Replay

Michael Griffin

Michael Griffin kicked off his impro career in high school, taking part in the long-running Youth Theatresports competition frm 1997 to 1999. Over a decade later, he now judges the newest impro talent in the very same competition.

A core member of ImproMafia since day one, Michael has represented the group in impro competitions in Melbourne (2008) and performed in key ImproMafia projects like Prognosis: Death!, Agatha Holmes and Fists of Fury. He has directed a number of successful long form shows at the Brisbane Arts Theatre, including the musicals Worst Side Story (2010) and One Bride for Seven Brother (2009), as well as ImproMafia's Australian theatre pastiche, Dom's Party (2011). 

Michael is employed by multi-award winning production company Hoodlum as their in-house editor, where he has worked on projects such as Spooks, Home and Away, Primeval, SLiDE and Lost. Projects he contributed to have won two British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards for Spooks Interactive (2008), and two seperate Emmy awards for online content for Lost (2009) and Primeval (2010). Michael further exercises his film making skills as Brisbane sketch troupe The Sexy Detective's film director and editor.

Favourite Game: Later On The Moon

David Massingham (Secretary)

David Massingham has been a member of ImproMafia since its inception. He is a regular performer in ImproMafia's long form and short form shows, and also makes frequent appearances at the popular show Impro Gladiators at the Sit Down Comedy Club. On an interstate level, David has represented ImproMafia and Queensland twice at the Theatresports National Championships (2010, 2009), and has also performed at the Canberra Impro Theatre Challenge (2007).

David has taken part in many of ImproMafia’s key projects, including all four seasons of acclaimed serial long form Prognosis: Death!, in which he plays Dr. Burton Mangold. He devised and directed ImproMafia's popular murder mystery season, Agatha Holmes – in which he plays the detective's assistant, Alfred Wastings – as well as one-off long form shows Knights of the Round Table (2010) and Tales from the Wireless (2011, 2009).

Outside of ImproMafia, David is a core writer, actor and producer for The Sexy Detective sketch comedy troupe, and reached the Queensland state finals in Triple J's 2011 Raw Comedy competition.

Favourite Game: The Guide

Kris Anderson

Kris Anderson is ImproMafia’s long form specialist musician, performing regularly at the Brisbane Arts Theatre. Since joining ImproMafia in 2008, Kris has composed themes for and accompanied some of ImproMafia’s most successful shows, including Prognosis: Death!, Agatha Holmes and Fists of Fury, and acted as musical director for long form musicals such as One Bride For Seven Brothers (2009) and Worst Side Story (2010).

Kris started improvising in 1991 with the groundbreaking Brisbane improv troupe Out On A Limb. Since then, he has worked with the Theatresports-branded productions Lightning Doubles, Impro Gladiators, Burbrook Cup and the annual Youth Theatresports Festivals. Kris has performed with nearly every independent major impro group in Brisbane, including Interactive Theatre Australia, Scared Scriptless, New Improv City, Stickmen Presents, Illegal Acts and EDGE Improv. Kris also worked with Denver's Headgames ensemble from 1994 to 1995.

Kris writes and maintains Musical Hotspot, the most extensive resource on the internet for actors and musicians working in musical impro theatre.

Favourite Game: Play in the Style Of

Dan Beeston(Vice President)

Dan Beeston began performing impro in 1997 and he's not done yet. He's both warmed and broken hearts with the pitiful antics of Dr. Ludwig LeStrange in Prognosis: Death! and crushed them physically with outrageous superhero antics as The Fury in Fists of Fury. He directed the 2010 ImproMafia long form show Untopia, and has more recently represented Queensland in its second place run in the Theatresports National Championships at the Powerhouse (2011). Second comes right after first.

Dan is one half of the popular science podcast Smart Enough to Know Better and can be heard regularly on ABC radio 612Brisbane. He wrote the award winning webcomic Lilley Street and the critically acclaimed Sleep Dep.

Favourite Game: Mime

Matt Hadgraft

Matt Hadgraft is one of ImproMafia’s go-to musicians and the regular keyboardist at the On the Spot show at the Albion Comedy Club. He has performed at a number of ImproMafia long form shows, including Meet Cute (2011) and No Holds Bard (2010).

Matt has extensive performance experience, having studied classical piano from an early age and completed a Bachelor of Music at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music. For a number of years he was well-known for his portrayal of Benny in the celebrated ABBA tribute act ABBALIVE, and he has also taken major roles in a number of musicals, including the part of Cliff Bradshaw in Zen Zen Zo Physical Theatre's Cabaret (2011).

Matt joined ImproMafia in 2006, though he was first invited to play at an impro show in 2000. He declined, citing a lack of confidence. Those who have met Matt all agree that this explanation does not add up.

Favourite Game: Should Have Said

Alistair Crawford

Alistair Crawford is an experienced improviser and one of the original progenitors of ImproMafia. A regular at all three of ImproMafia’s core shows – On the Spot, The Speakeasy and the Brisbane Arts Theatre long forms – Alistair is also a valued long term committee member. In 2010, he directed his first long form show: The Professor, a slice of time travel escapism which may or may not have been heavily influenced by a British science fiction cult classic that will not be named.

Al has a strong background as a stand up comic, and enjoyed a lot of success in the Brisbane comedy scene. The winner of the 2001 Gold Coast Legends of Laughter Competition, he also reached the Queensland finals for Triple J's Raw Comedy competition not once but twice (2000, 1999), and performed regularly in paid support slots at the Sit Down Comedy Club, the Dockside Comedy Bar and a plethora of smaller venues. That is, until he realised he didn't respect the people who laughed at his jokes.

Favourite Game: Shakespearean Scene

Luke Allan

Luke Allan joined ImproMafia in 2004, and he quickly rose through the company to become a core member. His work with ImproMafia has taken him twice to the Burbrook Cup finals, as well as interstate representing Queensland at the Canberra Impro Theatre Challenge (2007). He has also appeared in some of the company's most popular and groundbreaking shows, notably Prognosis: Death! and Agatha Holmes. Somewhere along the line he shamelessly endowed himself with the nickname Big Sexy.

Outside of ImproMafia, Big Sexy is a core writer and performer in The Sexy Detective and has performed with the troupe both in Brisbane and in Perth at the Wild West Comedy Festival (2011). He has also appeared in a number of short films including Derek Meets a Ninja (2005) and Copy, the 2006 BIFF Fast Film winner. 

Favourite Game: The Guide

Michael Knott

Michael Knott started improvising in his high school years, but he only found his impro home when he joined ImproMafia. When at The Speakeasy, On the Spot and the Brisbane Arts Theatre, he still loves the fresh challenges each game and each new player brings to the stage. Put him alongside Michael Griffin and they form the formidable impro team A Fistful of Mike. Their special power is that they’re both called Mike.

Michael has studied as an actor and a filmmaker both in Australia and in his homeland of England. His recent television acting credits include Singapore 1942 (2012), The Digger (2011) and Sisters of War (2010).

Favourite Game: Understudy

Tristan Ham

Tristan Ham kicked off his impro career many years ago in his home country of Canada, performing with the Vancouver troupe C is for Comedy. Since then, he has worked with Rapid Fire in Edmonton, The Under Thirties in Mexico and finally with ImproMafia in Brisbane.

With a strong background in musical theatre, Tristan proved a natural fit for ImproMafia’s musical long forms One Bride for Seven Brothers (2009) and Worst Side Story (2010), as well as the more recent cabaret impro night, It’s Martini Time! (2011). His memorable turns in other Brisbane Arts Theatre shows – including Untopia (2010), Tales From the Wireless (2011) and Agatha Holmes (2011, 2010) – stand alongside performance credits at ImproMafia’s On the Spot show and in Sydney at the Theatresports National Championships (2010).

Tristan once appeared in an unreleased Tommy Chong film about weed and masturbating. No joke.

Favourite Game: Musical

Amy Currie

Amy Currie appears in ImproMafia favourites Prognosis: Death!, Agatha Holmes and Fists of Fury. She made her long form directorial debut with 2010's Shakespearean romp No Holds Bard, and went on to co-direct Uber|Belly in 2011. She has represented Queensland at the Theatresports National Championships (2011), and she has also performed impro abroad at the New Zealand Improv Festival (2011). Amy can be seen regularly at Albion Comedy Club's On The Spot and Sit Down Comedy Club's Impro Gladiators.

Amy is part of film and stage sketch comedy group The Sexy Detective and also fancies herself as an actor – she's a regular at the Brisbane Arts Theatre, where she most recently performed in two seasons of He Died With A Felafel In His Hand (2009) and took the role of Stacey in its sequel, The Tasmanian Babes Fiasco (2010). She has worked as a spooky, spooky guide on a ghost tour and as a roving character actor for promotional events.

Amy is currently a slothful university student who adores travel and is obsessed with pigs. Her adventures are chronicled at her somewhat self-indulgent blog.

Favourite Game: Pick Up Lines

Wade Robinson(Training Director)

Wade Robinson is one of ImproMafia’s founders, its training director and the current festival producer for ImproMafia’s Off the Cuff Festival. He was the artistic director of ImproMafia until the close of 2009.

Over the course of his time with ImproMafia, Wade has performed interstate at the Improvention (2011), Melbourne's Halloween Classic (2009, 2006) and the Canberra Impro Theatre Challenge (2007); he has appeared in festivals, including the Straight Out Of Brisbane Festival (2004); and he has directed a number of shows, most notably the 2011 Theatresports National Championships, The Wake (2008, 2004) and ImproMafia’s flagship short form competition Iron Improviser (2011). His ImproMafia producer credits include the Briz Improv Fest (2007) and the Off the Cuff Festival at the Powerhouse (2011, 2008). On the stage, he is well regarded for his roles in Prognosis: Death! as Rev. Jeremy Thistlewaite and in Agatha Holmes as Pickering, the acid-tongued butler.

For the past four years, Wade has overseen ImproMafia's training programme. With over a decade of experience as an improviser, Wade brings a wealth of knowledge to this role.

Favourite Game: Word at a Time Story

Tom Dunstan

Tom Dunstan lives by the motto, ”Not just a wit, but a cause of wit in others”. He joined ImproMafia in 2006 and has since become a regular performer at both the Brisbane Arts Theatre’s long form shows and at the On the Spot short form nights. In 2011, he started teaching new players at the ImproMafia workshops.

Tom first encountered impro at school in 1986, but he did not fully immerse himself in the form until 1990 when he joined Theatresports Queensland. Since then, highlights have included studying with Keith Johnstone at the Loose Moose Theatresports Summer School in Canada (1995), playing in two winning Cranston Cup teams (2003, 2002), representing Queensland at the Theatresports National Championships (2011 to 2007, 1996), and – treacherously – helped the New South Wales team win the competition in 2005. He also gained infamy when he invented and performed the game Nude Scene in front of a sell-out crowd at the Enmore Theatre.

Tom’s first love is impro, but he has been occasionally seen treading the boards in scripted productions including Catch 22 (2010) the Australian premiere of musical Urinetown (2004).

Favourite Game: Nude Scene

Liam Burrow(Treasurer)

Liam Burrow began improvising in 1996, and since that time he has performed with a number of Brisbane groups. He has appeared in impro shows as varied at the Burbrook Cup finals, Duck Season and the Straight Out of Brisbane Festival (2004).

As one of the founders of ImproMafia and the group’s current treasurer, Liam has stepped onto the stage at most of the company’s past and present short and long form venues, including Hotel LA, Hotel Melbourne, the Stagedoor Dinner Theatre, the Albion Comedy Club and the Brisbane Arts Theatre. When not improvising, Liam acts as a member of Queensland’s legal profession.

Favourite Game: Play in the Style Of

Alex Reichart

Alex Reichart first discovered impro in the mid-90s while living in New Zealand. After enjoying successes as an Auckland Theatresports performer and dabbling in the New Zealand University impro and comedy scene, Alex took off to travel around the world before ending up in Brisbane, where he quickly became an ImproMafia regular. He has since gone on to perform at many ImproMafia mainhouse shows, and he has also directed the long forms J. Doe (2011) and Tall Tales (2010) at the Brisbane Arts Theatre. He has performed on an interstate level in Melbourne at the 2007 Halloween Classic.

Alex’s creative resume also lists directing, sketch comedy, acting and co-writing the webcomic Irrelevations.

Favourite Game: Film Noir

Liam Connor

Liam Connor is one of ImproMafia’s newest recruits, having joined the company in 2009. He started off performing at The Speakeasy shows and now couples his Speakeasy appearances with On the Spot shows at the Albion Comedy Club. In 2011, Liam appeared in a number of mainhouse productions at the Brisbane Arts Theatre, including Agatha Holmes Ahoy!, Tales from the Wireless, Not So Pleasance, Fists of Fury and Iron Improviser.

Liam’s interest in comedy and performance has been strongly influenced by his formative diet of Spike Milligan and Shaun Micallef. He appeared in numerous amateur performances in his teenage years, and first discovered Theatresports while studying at Australian National University. There, he competed in University College Theatresports, placing first three out of four years. He's still beating himself up about that fourth year.

Favourite Game: Fairy Tale

Joel Gilmore

Joel Gilmore undertook ImproMafia’s training programme in 2007, and worked his way through the company to become regular performer at On the Spot. Joel has also performed in Brisbane Arts Theatre long forms including Tales from the Wireless (2009), Worst Side Story (2010), Agatha Holmes Ahoy! (2011) and Meet Cute (2011). In 2011, he made frequent appearances at the Sit Down Comedy Club’s popular Impro Gladiators show.

Joel has a wide and varied resume including swing dancing, television, busking and teaching. From 2005 to 2006 he took lead roles in Pirates of Penzance and Anything Goes for Queensland Musical Theatre. In 2007, he became known for his regular guest appearances on Channel Nine’s children show The Shak, where he put his PhD in physics to use running science demonstrations. His expertise also led to appearances on Scope, Catalyst, Extra and Insight, as well as stints travelling around Australia and Kenya running science shows at schools. He estimates he has taught over 10,000 students to date.

More importantly than any of that, Joel once pranked The Chaser boys.

Favourite Game: Pick Up Lines

Luke Rimmelzwaan

Luke Rimmelzwaan is a founding member of ImproMafia and a mainstay at the company’s long form venue, the Brisbane Arts Theatre. In addition to performing in popular long form serial Agatha Holmes as the pompous retired army man Oliver Redgrave and in Prognosis: Death!: Delirium as 25 Star General Thaddeus King (2011), Luke has acted as vocal director for musical long forms One Bride for Seven Brothers (2009) and Worst Side Story (2010), and directed the Rat Pack-themed show It’s Martini Time! (2011).

Luke holds a Bachelor of Arts (Drama) from Queensland University of Technology, and has directed plays (The Bald Prima Donna, New World Order), operas (Trial By Jury) and musicals (Sherwoodshock). He has also performed shows as diverse as Shakespeare’s King Lear and Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Christ Superstar. He has extensive experience performing with Tofulama as a clown and fire performer, and has co-directed a number of short films, including BIFF Fast Film finalist Le Machine (2004) and Short Crap Film Festival finalist Keith (2005).

Favourite Game: Opera