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International
Improv
Festival

25-28.07.2024
Toruń becomes the world’s capital of improv for a week.
Join us and see for yourself!

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Program

The essentials for the JO! International Improv Festival are: improvisers, groups, projects, shows, workshops, afterparties and mixers. Our guests describe us as a must-visit summer festival, and the place to spend time together, learn and play.

Czwartek

25/07
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Wieczór panieński
language PL
Lee White & Paula Galimberti
language EN
Oxcellant... Beat to beat by Jeff Michalski
language EN
Woman up!
language EN

Piątek

26/07
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Zaspani
language PL
Szafofe
language PL
Musical Mixer by Sacha Hoedemaker
language EN
Hotel Superior by Andrew Hefler
language EN

Sobota

27/07
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Impy
language PL
Improkracja
language PL
Prism
language EN
The Scramble by Joe Bill
language EN

Niedziela

28/07
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Seniorwizacja
language PL
Mikrokosmos by Małgorzata Różalska
language PL
Huntress and Healer
language EN
Joe Bill & Lee White
language EN

Workshops

See workshops details
trainer_photo_Alicja Dobrowolna
Alicja Dobrowolna

Improwizatorka, aktorka i animatorka kultury z 12-letnim doświadczeniem, współzałożycielka Teatru Improwizowanego wymyWammy, obecnie mieszka w Strasbourgu.

trainer_photo_Andrew Hefler
Andrew Hefler

Hungarian actor, founder of Grund Theatre, teaches communication, improv, and acting skills, with extensive experience in TV, film, and commercials.

trainer_photo_Anka Wojtkowiak-Williams
Anka Wojtkowiak-Williams

Aktorka pantomimy, improwizatorka w Improkracji, trenerka improwizacji, dyrektorka artystyczna fundacji Czerwone Noski Klown w Szpitalu.

trainer_photo_Ben Verhoeven
Ben Verhoeven

Belgian improviser, blends science and theater, co-founder of Swaajp Improtheater and Improbotics, teaches and performs internationally.

trainer_photo_Charlotte de Metsenaere
Charlotte de Metsenaere

Belgian improv teacher and performer, known for her energy and positivity, teaches applied improvisation, active in international improv scene.

trainer_photo_Dobrosława Bela
Dobrosława Bela

Improwizatorka od 2009 roku, współzałożycielka IMPROKRACJI, uczy technik improwizacji dorosłych i dzieci, specjalizuje się w storytellingu.

trainer_photo_Hila di Castro
Hila di Castro

Israeli actress, international improviser, and teacher, co-founder of MOMENTUM, directs 'Woman up!' show, tours globally teaching and performing.

trainer_photo_Jacek Mikulski
Jacek Mikulski

Członek grupy Impy, założyciel RPGowego kanału Mój Loch, popularyzator nauki w Planetarium Centrum Nauki Kopernik, pasjonat technik aktorskich.

trainer_photo_Jeff Michalski
Jeff Michalski

Legendary comic and improviser, co-founder of The Second City ETC, with 50 years of experience in theater, TV, and film.

trainer_photo_Joe Bill
Joe Bill

Renowned improv teacher, co-founder of Annoyance Theater, corporate trainer, performer, and teacher with over 20 years of experience.

trainer_photo_Karolina Pańczyk
Karolina Pańczyk

Komediantka z 18-letnim doświadczeniem, występuje w Klubie Komediowym, uczy improwizacji w Polsce i za granicą, członkini 7 Kobiet w Różnym Wieku.

trainer_photo_Lee White
Lee White

Actor and improviser from Winnipeg, part of CRUMBS, teaches and performs improv globally, now based in Berlin, known for unique improv philosophy.

trainer_photo_Natasa Papangelou
Natasa Papangelou

Brussels-based improviser, sustainability researcher and teacher, active in numerous shows and projects since 2016, also a folk-tale enthusiast.

trainer_photo_Paula Galimberti
Paula Galimberti

Actress, director, and improviser, founder of Jamming, works between Madrid and Berlin, teaches improv worldwide and collaborates with radio programs.

trainer_photo_Paweł Najgebauer
Paweł Najgebauer

Warszawski improwizator, instruktor, scenarzysta i aktor. Członek teatrów Klancyk i Hofesinka oraz duetu Dziubauer, współzałożyciel Szkoły Impro.

trainer_photo_Sacha Hoedemaker
Sacha Hoedemaker

Musical Director at Boom Chicago, professional musician with 13 years experience, specializes in improvisational theater and original music production.

trainer_photo_Vincent van Nieuwenhuyze
Vincent van Nieuwenhuyze

Belgian improv teacher and performer, combines social work and improv, focuses on intimacy and gender topics, teaches internationally for over 9 years.

Teraz_Image_1 Ekipa 2024
Our history

Meet the Collective "Teraz", Organizers of JO!

Collective 'Teraz' is a group of friends who began their improv journey on bar stages. A few students jamming improv games is apparently a good start to eventually organize an international festival. Currently, the Collective consists of people scattered across Poland, involved in such diverse activities that there is no chance the festival will not be equally diverse and interesting.

Years go by, but the group still feels the same passion towards improvisational theatre. Because of that it is no wonder that they want to share that passion with others, by inviting them to participate in JO! International Improv Festival. Both during the event, as well as some smaller ones, one of the main goals is acceptance and freedom.

How to get to the festival?

Airports

While there is no airport in Toruń, there are 2 airports nearby:

  • Warsaw Chopin Airport

    - this one’s the biggest, traveling to Toruń from there takes about 3,5 hours: take an SKM train from the Warszawa Lotnisko Chopina station to Warszawa Zachodnia station . From there, take a train to Toruń Główny

  • Bydgoszcz Ignacy Jan Paderewski Airport

    - getting to Toruń takes about an 1,5 h: take the bus from the Port Lotniczy (Airport) stop to the Dworzec Główny stop. From there take a train to Toruń Główny ( or if preferably - Toruń Miasto ).

Trains

You can plan your travel across cities on PKP intercity

Stations closest to our festival are Toruń Miasto and Toruń Główny .

Traveling within the city

Plan your journeys within Toruń using the app jakdojade.pl You can buy tickets in the nearby kiosk, or via moBILET app , rarely in the bus. The closest bus stops to our festival are Plac Rapackiego and Aleja Solidarności

You can also try renting out a city bike for the weekend!

Or order a taxi from few taxi companies, like:

Bolt also operates in Toruń.

Map

mapa

FAQ

Yes! As long as you are sure that your pet will be friendly towards both human and animal participants. All locations of our event are pet-friendly.
We make every effort to make JO! a festival for everyone, but we are organizing the Festival in a historic building. If you have difficulty moving - contact us by e-mail or on Facebook, we will make sure that we know how to take care of you. In case any other needs write about them as well! We will find a way to have fun together.
Yes! Although Hyde Park applications are closed now, you can still submit your project to Stand-up, by sending an e-mail to festiwal.jo@gmail.com, typing in your name in the title.
We recommend choosing a hostel or Airbnb in the Old Town of Toruń. During the festival, the nearest hotels might be full, but all accommodations within the old city will be a convenient solution.
A few days before the workshops we will announce a full schedule with locations. Additionally, on the eve of the workshops, we send out reminders to the email addresses used to purchase the workshops. If you still have doubts - drop by the Artus Court a quarter-hour before the workshops - workshop information will be displayed on one of the screens in the building's hall, all festival locations are a max 10-minute walk from the Court.
Every evening on the Main Stage starts with at least one performance in Polish - on Friday and Saturday, these are the first two performances. In addition, we encourage you to stay for the foreign shows - improv is primarily an art of expression, emotion, and physicality, and to a lesser extent also of words. Besides the Main Stage, performances for children as part of Little JO-JO and evening events in the Dwa Światy club will be held in Polish.
Of course! You can find our current workshops offer in both Polish and English here: https://artus.torun.pl/events/jo-2024-workshop/4
Yes, a play corner will be set up for the youngest festival participants during the performances, and Little Jo-Jo, i.e., performances for children on 27-28.07 from 12-13.
Yes, merchandise will be available at the festival office on the first floor.
The festival takes place in the Old Town of Toruń, which is a cultural and gastronomic center, and everyone will find something for themselves here. However, if you need to eat something really quickly, we recommend Jasmin Kebab, Rolki, Pan Pretzel, or a casserole from Bartkowskis.
Karrotka, Ciasna, a bit further away Chwast-Prast. Vegetarian options are also available at Monka, Rolki, Jasmin Kebab, and many other restaurants in the area.
No, it's better to get the necessary things in advance.
Yes, every day after 23:00, there is an afterparty at the 2 Światy pub with attractions such as Impro Jam Musical, improvised Stand-up, and Hyde Park.
Yes, definitely! We are accepting volunteer applications from 10.07 You can apply using this link (https://forms.gle/cs7FRhQ1vXbnTWX9A). We only accept people speaking both polish and english.
Come rested and with an open mind, bring a notebook, water, and a good attitude :)
Yes, write a PM on our Facebook fanpage or an email to festiwal.jo@gmail.com with “Invoice” in the subject line.
The ticket office does not provide refunds for events that take place as scheduled.