Impro en Seine has established itself as one of the major Parisian events for theatrical improvisation. Every year, the festival brings together hundreds of actors from all over France and abroad to celebrate spontaneous creativity, collective listening and the pleasure of stage acting. For its 12th edition, the Théâtre du Gymnase Marie-Bell will welcome no fewer than 400 improvisers on three stages from May 15 to 18, 2025: the Grande Salle (750 seats), the Petit Gymnase (160 seats) and the Studio Marie-Bell (90 seats). On the program: one hundred one-hour shows, all unique, often conceived in direct interaction with the audience.
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This year's program would feature a mosaic of formats ranging from comedy and drama to cabaret, music, interactive storytelling and experimental performance. Each performance would be a unique creation, with no pre-written text, where the artists would react live to the audience's suggestions. Shows such as Moi! mais à 4 ! or Impro sous hypnose, which would combine hypnosis and theater, would set the tone for an eclectic and daring program.
Some shows would draw on strong narrative structures, such as Le Trône de Faltazi, plunging into a medieval-fantasy universe, or Multiverse, inviting the audience to explore parallel worlds created from alternative lifestyle choices. Others, such as The Naked Stage, performed in English, would adopt a minimalist, intimate approach. Interaction with the audience would be omnipresent, whether through imposed themes, character construction or the definition of scenic stakes. The festival would also give pride of place to humor, poetry, social reflection and musicality, with sung and rhythmic proposals.
The Festival Impro en Seine would appeal to a wide range of spectators. Lovers of humor and livetheater would find plenty to laugh at, be moved by or reflect on, while the curious in search of original artistic forms could appreciate the spontaneous and ephemeral aspect of improvisation. The wide range of time slots, from late morning to evening, would allow everyone to compose their own itinerary within the event.
Families may be tempted by shows dedicated to young audiences, such as "Le marais des trois trolls" or "Les contes improvisés du Chat Malo", designed to awaken children's imaginations. Fans of moreclassical theater, or spectators looking for structured, pre-written narratives, may be less interested, however, since the very nature of the festival is based on randomness, interaction and surprise.
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What would particularly distinguish this edition would be the diversity of the geographical origins of the companies invited - from Nantes to Lausanne, from San Francisco to Bastia - as well as the multiplicity of scenic approaches. The Festival Impro en Seine 2025 promises four days of theatrical improvisation in all its forms, performed by artists from all over France and abroad. In the unique setting of the Théâtre du Gymnase, audiences will be able to enjoy a lively, ever-changing and ever-renewed experience.
This article is based on information available online and in the official festival program. The show has not been viewed.
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Dates and Opening Time
From May 15, 2025 to May 18, 2025
Booking
improenseine.com
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