Adults · B1+ English · Pera & Kadıköy
IMPROV IN ENGLISH, EVERY WEEK
English-language improv in Istanbul has been hard to find for years. English Drama Lab runs improv and scene work in English every week, in Pera and Kadıköy, for adults whose shared language is English: expats, international residents and Turkish speakers alike. You can join any week.
What a session looks like
Warm-up games for voice, body and reaction speed. Then improvised scenes: you get a situation and solve it in English, with a partner, without a script. Status games, character work, group scenes. Groups are capped at twelve, so everyone is on their feet every week. No acting experience is needed; most participants have none.
For non-native speakers too
You do not need to be a native speaker. If you can hold an everyday conversation in English (around B1), you can play. Mistakes are not corrected mid-scene; the scene keeps going, and so do you. That is much of the point: improv trains you to keep talking when you do not have the perfect sentence.
What improv does, and what it does not
In randomised lab studies, even a short improv session increased comfort with uncertainty and positive mood compared with a scripted activity (Felsman, 2019; Felsman et al., 2020). A 10-week school improv programme was followed by lower social anxiety in teenagers, though without a control group (Felsman et al., 2023). Improv is not therapy, and evidence for adults is still limited. We do not promise a cure for nerves; we offer a weekly room where speaking without a script becomes normal.
Improv and Toastmasters
Toastmasters clubs in Istanbul work on prepared speeches and structured feedback, and they do it well. Improv works on the unprepared part: reacting, listening, staying in a scene. Many people benefit from both.
sources
read more
- Improv in English in Istanbul: What Exists in 2026A practical guide to English-language improv in Istanbul for expats and Turkish speakers: what exists, what improv does and doesn't do, and how to start.
- Public Speaking in a Second Language: Why It's HarderWhy speaking in public in a language that isn't yours feels harder, what the research says about anxiety, and where rehearsal, improv and Toastmasters fit.
programmes
WHAT YOU CAN JOIN
questions
BEFORE YOU ASK
Do I need acting experience?
No. The games build up step by step, and most participants have never been on a stage.
Is it in English the whole time?
Yes. English is the working language of the room. Trainers are conservatoire-trained theatre makers who work in English.
Can I come just once?
Yes. Participation is flexible: you can join a single session and continue with a 4- or 8-session pass if you like it.
What if my English is basic?
If you are just starting English, our A1+ beginner group is coming soon: see the beginner English through drama page.
Questions in English are welcome. Tell us what you are looking for and we will point you to the right group.