Simon Dowling

Alums | 1993 - 2013
Ensemble cast, committee member and President.

About Simon
Simon Dowling has been improvising since the early ’90s when - as a law student looking for every opportunity to avoid study - he first began performing in Theatresports shows at Monash University. Before long, Simon began performing in Impro Melbourne’s first ever Masters’ Apprentices season – where he cut his teeth pointing and shouting in front of a paying audience.

Since then, Simon has been a regular performer in a long list of improv shows over the years, including Late Nite Impro in the International Comedy Festival, Theatresports, Maestro, Smells Like a Song, Shakespeare Unscripted, as well as in Impro Melbourne’s international festival, Spontaneous Global Combustion.

Simon was also an ensemble cast member in Working Dog’s hit TV show, Thank God You’re Here.

These days, Simon – a former corporate lawyer – runs his own training and coaching business where he helps people in organisations to connect and collaborate. In other words, to play together like a bunch of happy improvisers!

Can you share a favourite Impro Melbourne moment?  Either on stage or off.
When, in the middle of a scene together, a heavily pregnant Sarah Kinsella spontaneously leapt towards me on the assumption I’d catch her. It was a wonderful reminder of how much trust there is between improvisers. (And yes, thank the gods, I caught her!)

Any words of advice for improvisers?
“Slow. Down.”