I recently started listening to this podcast, wanting to both support a show that came out of Liverpool and something that discusses a hobby I've had for many years, improv.
I am sad to say that this was a very rough listen. The show is not so much about improv as it is about the host stroking his own ego and talking about moments from improv classes that very few people will have witnessed. The amount of self-referencing is staggering. I thought this was going to be an improv podcast, which is already quite niche but then they take it to another level and make it all about Liverpool Comedy Improv, limiting their audience to just friends and family of the guests (and the guests themselves, those who will actually listen back to what they said). It makes it quite culty, a reputation improv is already struggling enough with as it is. The host also does most of the talking, going into great detail about quite mundane stories from his life rather than asking engaging questions and getting some more interesting discussions going about improv and comedy beyond Liverpool Comedy Improv.
While the show does not feature any improv elements it does give some hints at how bad the host must be at improv. Iain Luke Jones has admitted that in scenes he will wait for an opportunity to use his puns, meaning he is not listening and is not present in the scenes. He has lists of puns memorised to bring into scenes, so he is bringing in pre-written material to an artform that prides itself on being spontaneous and in the moment. If he is going to be in a troupe and perform on stage he will need to be able to master the basics, e.g. listening and collaborating, not making it about him being ’funny’ by bringing in puns. (Judging by the amount of references to, and guests coming out of his troupe 'The Oykers (spelling?) it sounds like they're quite excited about getting on stage.)
As for Iain Luke Jones as an interviewer, it really is not a good interview technique to start so many questions in a row with the word 'so' or 'and'. The 'yeah' and ’ah, okay’ interjections are also quite irksome. I would expect more from a teacher. Some lessons in editing may also be needed. There are a lot of silences as people try to think of an answer. This could be edited out, as could long-winded rants that have nothing to do with the questions asked. It is better to make the interviews longer and edit them down to 45 minutes than to leave it all in.
There is a lot of talk about the founder of Liverpool Comedy Improv in each episode but she has yet to make an appearance on the podcast. It would also be interesting to hear from guests who have only a very loose (if any) connection to Liverpool Comedy Improv, to really get some good conversations going about improv. Lastly, do we really need yet another white male doing a podcast? Just putting it out there.
