Dave Cohen
Dave Cohen is a British comedian, comedy writer, and teacher who co-founded the Comedy Store Players, one of the UK's most enduring improvisational comedy troupes, in 1985. He helped establish the group alongside Paul Merton, Mike Myers, Kit Hollerbach, and Neil Mullarkey at the Comedy Store in London, with the troupe's first performance taking place on October 27, 1985. Cohen has maintained an ongoing association with the Comedy Store Players throughout its history, contributing to its reputation as a long-running improv ensemble built on spontaneous scenes, games, and audience suggestions.
Recommended Reading
Books are ordered from the strongest direct connection outward to broader relevance.

The Comedy Improv Handbook
A Comprehensive Guide to University Improvisational Comedy
Matt Fotis; Siobhan O'Hara

The Upright Citizens Brigade Comedy Improvisation Manual
Matt Besser; Ian Roberts; Matt Walsh

Improv Comedy (20th Anniversary Edition)
Andy Goldberg

Chicago Comedy
A Fairly Serious History
Margaret Hicks; Mick Napier

Fifty Key Improv Performers
Actors, Troupes, and Schools from Theatre, Film, and TV
Matt Fotis

Truth in Comedy
The Manual of Improvisation
Charna Halpern; Del Close; Kim Howard Johnson
How to Reference This Page
The Improv Archive. (2026). Dave Cohen. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/people/dave-cohen
The Improv Archive. "Dave Cohen." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/people/dave-cohen.
The Improv Archive. "Dave Cohen." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/people/dave-cohen. Accessed October 10, 2026.
The Improv Archive is a systemically maintained repository. The archive itself acts as the corporate author.