Improbotics is an immersive improv comedy show that combines robots, augmented reality and an international troupe of theatre actors, comedians and technologists. Some improvisers are controlled by artificial intelligence chatbots: will they pass the Turing Test? Improbotics invites audiences to explore how actors can adapt and take on any suggestion to seamlessly perform while controlled by a machine. Their impossible and hilarious challenge relies on absurdism, resourcefulness and human connection.

Improbotics are delighted to come back to Art AI for the fourth time, after presenting AI improv in 2018, a theatrical Turing test in 2019 and online during the 2021 programme. Their Artificial Intelligence Improvisation show, which originated in 2016 as a human and robot duo HumanMachine, has evolved into a large cast show. They have performed over a hundred times, in small pubs to the Brighton Fringe (2022), Leicester Comedy Festival (2021), Paris Fringe (2020), Edinburgh Festival Fringe (2017), Edmonton Fringe Festival (2018), improv festivals in Amsterdam (2019), Würzburg (2019), Göteborg (2019), Edinburgh (2020) and Uppsala (2020), museums and many more.

We are thrilled to host them as part of the British Science Festival programme in Leicester 2022! Don’t miss out, get your tickets on our Eventbrite page – you will need to book a seat and bring your ticket with you on the night.

You can also find this event on the British Science Festival website HERE.

The company’s shows have been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, New Scientist.

“Groundbreaking Work” review at the Fringe Review (Brighton Fringe 2022): “super moments of comedy […] truly extraordinary feat of software engineering […] poses serious philosophical questions”.

“Artificial Intelligence Can Now Craft Original Jokes—And That’s No Laughing Matter“, by Corinne Purtill to Time Magazine, 4 January 2022.

“Stand-up comedy ‘written by bots’ is still one big joke“, by Tom Williams for ABC News, 3 August 2021.

**** review at Binge Fringe and Most Innovative Show Award (Paris Online Fringe 2020): “This is exactly the kind of response that the creative world will have to look towards”

***** review at Phoenix Remix (Brighton Fringe 2019): “If I was introduced to a show like that as a kid, I would have paid more attention to science class.”

**** review (Edmonton Fringe 2018): “Talented meatbags plus absurd robots equals standout Fringe experience.”

“This could be revolutionary” (Broadway Baby, Brighton Fringe 2018).

“I will stick with artificial stupidity” (Colin Mochrie, Edinburgh Fringe 2017).

The show creators and developers, Dr. Piotr Mirowski and Dr. Kory Mathewson, are award-winning professional improvisers who explore the use of AI for creativity in the context of improv and of human-machine interaction, and who moonlight as research scientists at DeepMind. The Virtual Director was conceived and built by Boyd Branch, a former Fulbright fellow and a communications and digital media expert who currently directs the Improvisational Media and Performance Lab at the University of Kent, where he is also completing a PhD. The show cast includes Holly Mallett, Julie Flower, Marouen Mraihi, Paul Little, Roel Fox and Sarah Davies.