Jim Fishwick

Ensemble Cast | Teacher

Joined Impro Melbourne: 2017

Performer Blurb

Jim is an award-winning director, performer and 2017 Maestro National Champion Improviser. He began improvising at the sorry age of seventeen with Impro Australia, and went on to train at the iO Theater, Chicago, and at the Loose Moose Theatre, Calgary. He directed and produced Fresh and the First Thursday Impro Club from 2011-2014, directed Theatresports™ at the University of Sydney from 2015-2017, and directed the National Theatresports™ Championships at the Enmore Theatre.

Teacher Blurb

Jim is passionate about exploring improv that is artful, articulate, and attentive. He champions presence, support, inclusion and freedom in his craft. He taught improvisation at the University of Sydney for three years, is a faculty member at Improv Theatre Sydney, and has taught independent workshops around the Australia and the world since 2012.

Student testimonials:

“Jim is a caring, nurturing and inclusive teacher. I always learn so much in his classes and leave wanting to improve my own practice. His feedback is always bang on and productive. The gold standard in teaching, knowledge and people.”

Reviews:

“Jim Fishwick brings an exciting visceral dimension to the intellectual work, with an avant-garde spirit that injects a sense of adventure and daring to the oft too polite Australian stage.” – Suzy Goes See

Teaching experience:
Improvisation Companies – Impro Melbourne, Improv Theatre Sydney
Improvisation Festivals – Improvention, New Zealand Improv Festival

Select Impro credits:
Director, The Saboteur (Jetpack Theatre, Melbourne, 2020)
Assistant Director, Nothing Toulouse, (Impro Melbourne, 2019)
Assistant Director, Grand Exotic Budapest Hotel, (Impro Melbourne, 2018)
Cast Member, How The West Was Improvised (Impro Melbourne, 2018)
Director, The Intrepid Bazaar (NZIF, Wellington, 2017)
Director, Theatresports National Championships (Impro Australia, Sydney 2017)

Theatre credit: Director, Art Heist (2017, Jetpack Theatre)

TV credit: Question Writer on Only Connect (BBC2)

Awards:
Winner, Late Night Knife Fight, (Wellington, August 2020)
‘Mr Miyagi’ Award for Inspiring Teacher, New Zealand Improv Festival (Wellington, 2017)
Compelling Concept and Immersive Production Award, Sydney Arts Guide (Sydney, 2015)

Impro Motto or Quote: “We can’t pretend wrong. We can pretend better, but we can’t pretend wrong.” – Craig Uhlir

Favourite Impro Melbourne show or role: Maestro, in a heartbeat. The freedom to fail spectacularly is a delight

Comic inspirations: Victoria Wood, Stewart Lee, Maddie Parker, Buster Keaton

My little secret: I love ‘waking up’ from a scene. When I was so sucked into playing a character I wasn’t there anymore. When people can say “I like that scene where you were a pirate” and I can only say “thank you! What happened in it?”

Links:
Jim's website
Twitter @fimjishwick