Blanche Improv is a London based Improv theatre company that runs shows, classes and improv jams and in 2025, they’re launching a brand new monthly sketch night! Blanche is currently accepting submissions from writers for her sketch show: SW5 LIVE!
Blanche welcomes comedy writers of all walks of life and levels of experience to send in their sketches to be considered for the first SW5 LIVE on 23rd February.
This is an un-paid opportunity but every sketch will be read by Blanche and their super team! All writers will receive feedback on the sketches they submit, whether they make it into the show or not. If your script is selected, the head writers will work with you to get your sketch stage-ready, in a respectful, writers room-style collaboration.
Blanche is on the hunt for…
- Complete, fully-written, ready to be performed sketches (not just ideas), no more than 3.5 sides of A4. The formatting doesn’t need to be perfect, but Blanche does love reading sketches with a professionally-written vibe. Writers are welcome to send up to three sketches per submission round.
- Writers who love receiving feedback and are excited to edit their work with a quick turnaround, so performers can get their lines down! Blanche’s head writers and performers might tweak your sketch during rehearsals, but never fear, the core of your piece will remain.
- Fresh voices and perspectives. They welcome any and all at Blanche, so if you’ve got some unique or weird ideas, get them on paper to get them on stage!
- Original material! Please don’t send anything that’s been previously filmed or is owned by someone else.
How to submit:
Please fill out this form by 11.59pm on 2nd February. You’ll be able to upload your scripts there. If you have any issues with the form, please email blanche@blancheimprov.com. Blanche and the team will be reading material as it comes in and responding with feedback as quickly as possible!
Blanche’s team will read the sketches without knowing the writer’s name, so please only put your name on the title page of the script.
Here are some tips from the head writers…
- Be different, be yourself, express your voice in your way, don’t try to copy existing writers. There’s no theme to the show, so go wild.
- A lot (a LOT) of sketches we’ve read in the past are set in cafes and restaurants. It’s fine if yours is too, but consider if this sketch could happen anywhere else. They don’t want to do an hour of sketches that are just two people in different cafes…
- They have six performers in the team, so keep that in mind. Think about if your idea will benefit from having more/ fewer people on stage. The show will be more interesting if it’s not just a run of two-person sketches. They’re happy to receive anything from monologues to big group scenes!
- Figure out the game of your sketch and stick to it. Make it clear and play it hard. Make sure to keep a rhythm of playing and resting the game so the audience can follow along.
- Read your sketch out loud. Do the voices. Make sure it all makes sense and the timing works.
- Blanche won’t be using sets or props, so keep that in mind. That may seem limiting, but we find it freeing. Let’s go to the moon. Let’s be giraffes. Anything and everything is possible with the power of imagination…
- Blanche loves it when people use their art to ‘say something’ or comment on society. However, they’re not a fan of ‘Edge Lords’ and the stage is not a place to express specific political views. Please always punch up, kiss down, be kind and stand for things like equality, humanity, dignity, love and compassion, which we can all agree puts us on the right side of history.
- Have fun! We want to make something funny and different!! And they are excited to work with as broad a range of writers as possible.
Submissions for the February show are open until 11.59pm on 2nd February, Blanche and the team are really looking forward to reading your writing!
If you have any other questions, please email blanche@blancheimprov.com.