What’s this now?
On Suggestion Box, I’ll be posting regularly with tips to unlock your creativity from my work as an improv performer, teacher, comedy writer and public policy professional.
For improvisers: I’ll cover the habits that make great improv scenes and shows, and the quirks of improv culture (some will frankly be very niche).
For those working in other fields or juggling a ‘portfolio career’ (ew): you’ll get insights from a field focused on creating something out of nothing.
I’ve performed and taught improv in 10 countries over 18 years, from the corners of bars to auditoriums with actual padded seats. It’s been a mad ride for this little lad from Manchester, UK. I’m excited to share some insights from 1,000+ shows.
You can see me perform live with Do Not Adjust Your Stage and The Homunculus. This is where to get me in written form. I’m not doing social media anymore and strongly recommend: your brain will feel better and you won’t be tacitly endorsing the rise of fascism.
It’s all FREE. If you enjoy something you read, please do share with your friends.
Yea, but who are you, son?
Shaun Lowthian performs improv in London and internationally with DNAYS and two-person act The Homunculus, including hit shows The Wunderkammer and Blank Canvas. He trained in improvisation with UCB, iO and Second City. As Head of Creative Development for The Free Association from 2022-23, he created and directed innovative show formats Winner, 3, and Get Your Back. Shaun was an original cast and co-creator of St Doctor’s Hospital and The Badge, and performed with house shows Jacuzii and The Wilsons from 2015-23. Shaun has also performed in hit theatre-meets-improv show Uncle Glen's Menagerie.
Shaun is a Writers’ Guild and Royal Television Society West Awards-nominee for comedy short and miniseries Spokke. His pilot Karl Marx: The Hacienda Years, was 3rd in ShortCom’s sitcom competition in 2023 & sits in the top 6% of scripts on Coverfly. Credits include: Quickies (BBC3), Off The Top (EpicLloyd/ YouTubeSpaceLA), Newsjack & Newsjack Unplugged (Radio4), Michael McIntyre’s Big Show (BBC1) and character comedy podcast Fact Up.
Working in public service since 2008, most recently as Director of Mayor of London Sadiq Khan’s Economic Fairness Programme, Shaun led the team expanding the Living Wage and fair employment practices in London. Elected as a Policy Fellow at Cambridge University, Shaun works with academics & policy makers to explore solutions for inequality & public engagement in city government.
It’s a pretty weird career, but we’re deluded if we pretend it’s possible for 99.99% of people who want to work the arts to do so without securing a stable income elsewhere. So here it is.
Shaun wrote all this in the third-person because it seemed legitimising. This is Shaun writing now. Me. I am Shaun. Hello.
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This sounds half-way decent actually. Where do I start?
Everything here is my baby. Don’t make my babies cry, comfort them by reading them all. But start here:
So your friend is an improviser? - 9 tips to understand and support your improviser friend
10 things I learned about improv comedy from losing A LOT - What 4 seasons spent at the bottom of the North Bury Sunday Junior Football League taught me about teamwork and ego
The joy of giving the suggestion and why shouldn’t steal it from your audience - Keep the magic of improv alive for a new audience member
