Ghosts star Kiell Smith-Bynoe out to prove improv is for everyone as new show comes to Northampton

He is determined to make improvisational comedy cool. And to that end, he is coming to Northampton on May 1 with his new show, Kool Story Bro.

Millions of people will be familiar with Kiell through his performances in shows including the BBC mega-hit Ghosts and the Bafta-winning Channel 4 sitcom Stath Lets Flats, as well as his role as presenter of BBC Two’s The Great British Sewing Bee and his much-admired turn on Taskmaster.

But he has always had a love of improv – and in Kool Story Bro, he and his fellow performers will be taking tales from the audience and spinning them immediately into miniature comic masterpieces, with the help of a mystery guest. In previous shows, these have included Ghosts co-stars Mathew Baynton and Charlotte Ritchie, and the singer and actor Lily Allen.

Kiell said: “I think improv is my favourite thing to do. Stepping onto a stage and not knowing what's going to happen is much easier than stepping on some stage and hoping that you remember your lines.

"I've been improvising since I was 14 years old - it's just such a thrill and so exciting, that buzz you feel of creating something and ideally, not only being good, but also being funny.” But he believes improv has an image problem – and is determined to attract new audiences. Kiell sard: “Improv is definitely not the go-to when people want comedy. I'm really trying to push that improv can be for everyone. It can just be people who enjoy comedy. And you can come and watch this show and relate and really have fun and have a good time. Improv has been thought of in the comedy world as a bit nerdy or geeky – it was referred to in an article I did recently as the ‘ugly stepsister of British comedy’. And I think there's an opportunity to make it more more mainstream and show people how much fun it can be. That's what I'm trying to do.”

Visit royalandderngate.co.uk or call 01604 624811 to book.