Anything Can Happen - NZ Improv Festival Returns This October
by NZ Improv Festival · SCOOPWhat if the best night of theatre you’ll see this year has never been written?
The New Zealand Improv Festival (NZIF) returns to Wellington this October, bringing together some of the sharpest theatrical minds from across Aotearoa and overseas for over a week of unforgettable performances, workshops and spontaneous theatrical magic.
Every show is created live, in front of the audience. No scripts. No safety net. No two performances are ever the same.
“Every night at NZIF is a world premiere,” says Austin Harrison, NZIF Creative Director. “The audience gives us the spark, and the performers have to build something from it in real time. You’re not watching a performance that was perfected in a rehearsal room - you’re watching a group of people take a creative risk together. That’s pretty special.”
Now in its eighteenth year, NZIF has become the country's premier festival of improvisation, attracting performers from across New Zealand and around the world while welcoming audiences ranging from first-time theatre-goers to devoted comedy fans.
This year’s programme showcases just how broad improvised performance can be, with comedy, theatre, music, storytelling and experimental formats featuring performers from across Aotearoa and overseas. Alongside the festival’s home at BATS Theatre, NZIF is also expanding beyond central Wellington for the first time, presenting Kōrero Paki in the Hutt Valley and bringing improvised theatre to a new audience.
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“We’ve put together a programme that really shows how broad improv can be,” says Harrison. “There’s huge comedy, beautiful storytelling, music, theatre and some wonderfully weird experiments. You can see performers from Aotearoa alongside international artists, and every show offers a completely different take on what can happen when you throw away the script.”
The festival’s first Hutt Valley performance is a particular highlight, with Kōrero Paki bringing improvised storytelling to the region. The performance is part of NZIF’s ongoing commitment to growing the art form and connecting with audiences beyond its traditional Wellington home.
“We’ve always wanted NZIF to feel like a festival for the whole region, not just something that happens in a few rooms in central Wellington,” says Harrison. “Taking Kōrero Paki into the Hutt is a really exciting first step. It gives us a chance to introduce improv to people who might not otherwise come across it, while also celebrating the incredible Māori and Pasifika voices within our improvising community.”
With Wellington renowned as New Zealand's creative capital, NZIF continues to strengthen the city's reputation as a destination for world-class live performance while providing a platform for local artists to collaborate with international talent.
Whether you're a lifelong improv fan or simply looking for a great night out, the New Zealand Improv Festival promises bold ideas, brilliant performers and the joy of watching stories unfold before your eyes.
The only thing that's guaranteed is that it will never happen again.
The New Zealand Improv Festival
2 - 10 October 2026
BATS Theatre
The full programme is available at https://my.improvfest.nz/shows. Tickets for shows can be purchased at bats.co.nz.
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