Blog | The Free Association

8 October 2026

For Improv Nerds

How To Practice Without A Coach

Practising improv without a coach or a teacher is a great way to loosen up, get to know other people, and get your reps in. But, how do you run a practice session?

18 September 2026

For Improv Nerds

When To Analyse & When To Play

Taking inspiration from ten rules for artists, let’s talk about when it’s good to analyse and when it’s good to play!

11 September 2026

For Improv Nerds

How To Learn Improv By Watching

Watch shows, watch your teammates, watch TV, watch yourself... And then copy it all to make yourself better.

4 Quick Ways To “And” At The Top Of Your Scene

4 September 2026

For Improv Nerds

4 Quick Ways To “And” At The Top Of Your Scene

Here are four different ways to think about how you can “and” your scene partner at the start of a scene.

20 August 2026

For Improv Nerds

Easy Ways To Heighten Game

Here are three simple levers you can pull to heighten the Game within your improv scene.

What To Do When Your Improv Scene Loses Momentum

13 August 2026

For Improv Nerds

What To Do When Your Improv Scene Loses Momentum

Sticky scenes are inevitable. Here are a few practical tips that might help you notice when things need to change, and unstick your scenes...

Is Improv Really About Thinking Quickly?

7 August 2026

For Improv Nerds

Is Improv Really About Thinking Quickly?

When something hilarious happens, it’s less that the improviser has thought of something at lightning speed, than they’ve tapped into a little bit of honesty or trusted their own idiosyncrasy.

Why “Yes, And” Matters So Much In Improv (And In Life)

6 August 2026

Discovering Improv

Why “Yes, And” Matters So Much In Improv (And In Life)

“Yes, and” is a practice in generosity: to your scene partners, to yourself, and to the audience.

Your First Line Shouldn’t Be The Funniest

17 July 2026

For Improv Nerds

Your First Line Shouldn’t Be The Funniest

Getting a huge laugh at the top then limping your way to an edit does not make for a great scene.

Is There A Better Way To Say “Game Of The Scene”?

10 July 2026

For Improv Nerds

Is There A Better Way To Say “Game Of The Scene”?

In class, I find that the students who were frowning very hard when I asked them “what’s the Game of your scene?” could talk at length about what they found “fun”.