With Ali James
"How does the small fish get into the boardroom with the shark, as the old metaphor goes..."

In this episode, John Blackburn chats to Ali James - improviser, comedian, producer and director from the improv and musical theatre world.

Ali is the movement director and a cast member with Showstopper! The Improvised Musical, co-director of the London 50 Hour Improvathon and the Southend 48 Hour Improvathon, and co-director of the Pretend Company.

We talk about what it takes to create new shows from scratch, what really happens during a 50-hour Improvathon, and why community, values and “Yes, And” matter so much in her work.

Ali shares what she’s learned about fear, exhaustion, collaboration, and what happens creatively when self-doubt gets quiet. We also explore the challenges of getting new work made, supporting “small fish with a good story”, and why care structures matter in intense creative environments like Edinburgh.

Connect with Ali

Instagram:

@ali_james22

@thepretendcompany

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And thanks, as always, for whatever you do to make live entertainment happen.