Improv North is a Manchester long-form organic improv company founded in 2024 by Freya Parker and Paul Foxcroft, launching taster sessions in September 2024 and structured courses shortly after. Parker is a screen actor with credits including Wonka (2023), Jurassic World: Dominion, Big Mood (Channel 4), and One Day (Netflix), and was nominated for Best Newcomer at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards with sketch duo Lazy Susan.
History
Founding (2024)
Freya Parker and Paul Foxcroft founded Improv North in Manchester in 2024, combining roughly 30 years of combined experience. Taster sessions began in late September 2024 at Northern Monk Refectory on Tariff Street in Manchester's Northern Quarter, with structured courses following. Shows also take place at the 53Two venue.
Parker trained in long-form improv under Second City alumnus David Shore, and was one of the original members of The Free Association in London before co-founding Improv North. Paul Foxcroft is an actor and improviser.
Approach
Improv North focuses explicitly on long-form organic improvisation rather than short-form games, positioning itself as a distinct offering from the short-form improv tradition in Manchester.
Artistic Identity
Improv North brings long-form organic improvisation to Manchester from a 2024 founding by screen actor Freya Parker and improviser Paul Foxcroft, rooted in the UCB and Free Association tradition.
Key Events
Improv North Founded in Manchester
Freya Parker and Paul Foxcroft founded Improv North in Manchester in 2024, launching taster sessions in September 2024 and introducing long-form organic improvisation to the city.
How to Reference This Page
The Improv Archive. (2026). Improv North. Retrieved March 17, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/companies/improv-north
The Improv Archive. "Improv North." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/companies/improv-north.
The Improv Archive. "Improv North." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/companies/improv-north. Accessed March 17, 2026.
The Improv Archive is a systemically maintained repository. The archive itself acts as the corporate author.