Louise van der Post
Actor & Improviser
Hello! My name is Louise van der Post. I’m an actor and improvisor. I help people explore their inner world and awaken creative self expression through improvisation. You don’t have to be funny to do improv – I make it easy for you to play and create in ways you never thought possible. I’m delighted to offer Chicago style improv and Lecoq based theatre and movement skills in the Bellingen and Coffs Harbour region.
"There are three masks: the one we think we are, the one we really are, and the one we have in common." - Jacques Lecoq
Classes
Improv
Beginner
In this 8 week course you will learn the building blocks of Chicago style improv. Each class starts with easy and fun warmup games, before I introduce you to principles of improv – ‘Yes and’, making and accepting offers, and putting it all into practice with hilarious performance games. I guide you through all of the exercises and scene work, and you will never feel put on the spot or out of your depth.By the end of this course you will have learnt the following:
- Initiating and joining a short comedic scene
- Creating imaginary worlds on stage
- Creating interesting and unique characters
- Using a wide range of emotions to make your scenes relatable
- Identifying and playing with patterns of behaviour to make your scenes even funnier
Level 2 - Character and Relationships
For those who have done Intro to Improv, it’s time to deepen your scene work with longform. In this course we focus on what makes a good solid scene and we apply this to our first format, the La Ronde.
You now know how to make and accept offers. Taking care of yourself with object work and an emotional perspective is now second nature, so let’s go deeper into finding your character’s unique point of view, and playing with relationship dynamics.
By the end of this course you will have learned:
- How to navigate characters and archetypes – when to play close to yourself, and when to pull out all the stops
- How to find your unique perspective and what to do from there
- Playing with and finding the rhythm between contrasting perspectives
- How to say no while still saying yes
- How to find and play the ‘game of the scene’ or tilt to bring your scene to an earth shattering crescendo *
* This is the Louise vdP guarantee
Prerequisite: Intro to improv either with me, or the equivalant level 1 course at a reputable school.
Level 2.5 - Scene Types & Game of the Scene
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Level 3 - Group Games for Longform
You are almost ready to tackle The Harold, but first you’ll need a thorough grounding in group game mechanics, and how to apply them to longform. An often overlooked component of longform courses but nonetheless constituting a significant part of advanced formats, this course will show you how to construct and play group games which you will use when performing The Harold and other formats. You have been wrestling with two person scenes now for several terms, now it’s time to find out what happens when the whole class gets into the playing space together.
During this course you will learn how to:
Use pattern recognition and progression to create unique group moments on stage
Create group games organically and easily
Navigate multiple group perspectives on stage
Explore themes comedically
Create original images
Share focus with multiple players
Prerequisite: Improv Level 2
The Harold
It’s time to learn the most popular advanced improv format The Harold. This is a complex format that forms the basis and the gateway for all other advanced formats. It has a bit of everything in it, from leaps in time, tagouts and tag runs, from the naturalistic to the abstract, to tying together emerging themes, all built on solid two person scenes. You may have already seen a Harold and
wondered how on earth did they do that? This course makes it simple by breaking down all the component parts and building on them bit by bit. If you have done my Level 3 course you will already know how to create group games that actually feel like you’re doing something rather than standing around playing yet another round of boardroom idiots. You are now familiar with identifying and building on patterns to create your own games. You have developed your own understanding of the sometimes elusive ‘game of the scene’ and know how to marry this with your own strengths as an improvisor, so now let’s apply it to this awesome format.
In this course you will learn:
How to create compelling openings
What group mind actually looks like in practice
How to weave together numerous and seemingly disconnected threads to form a glorious improv tapestry
Your improv superpowers and the unique way you contribute to a team
The spirit of the Harold – how to take the essence of a form, and use it to truly create rather than rigidly follow
How to throw away any notion of plot instead trusting that the narrative will emerge
That you are an infinitely more competent improvisor than you ever imagined possible
To well and truly throw fear and planning out the window
Advanced Longform - Monoscene
Now that you have blown your mind with your own abilities through learning The Harold, it’s time to apply all the same principles and techniques but subtly and seamlessly in this beautiful character format. You now have a massive improv toolkit, so now we can start to refine our skills and apply them in a more restrained and judicious way. Built on solid and grounded scenes as always, here we take our whole artist’s palette and play, blend and smoosh as we see fit. Our instincts as improvisors are paramount here as we remove the training wheels of structure and create one long scene that takes place in one setting, with no time jumps. Character motivations and tactics become paramount. Taking things slowly and letting a situation brew is what this format is all about.
In this course you will:
Play group scenes while instinctively navigating multiple perspectives
Discover multiple games and overarching games
Deepen your understanding of POV
Relax into a format that has the time to percolate and breathe
Feel what it’s like to improvise something akin to a play
Prerequisite: Improv Level 4
Where, When, and How Much
Coffs Harbour
Tuesdays 5.30 – 7.30pm
August – September 2026 (Dates TBA)
Guides Hall
Bellingen
Sundays 12 – 2pm
September – October 2026 (Dates TBA)
Bellingen Youth Hub
8 weeks/$380
Bring a friend $340pp
Non refundable deposit of 10% required to secure your place
Cancellation policy: Full refund for cancellations up to seven days before course start date
Schools
Workshops For Schools
– Intro to Improv
– Intro to Theatre and Devising
– Creating Characters
– Shaping the Space
price on application
Private Tuition
One on One Improv
For those who want to work on and overcome specific challenges in improv, or who wish to work on building their confidence and social skills in private. I’ve worked with people who want to make faster progress, or who are feeling self conscious in a group setting and want a bit of confidence before attending a class, or have wanted to achieve more flow following illness or neurological issues.
$130/hr (up to 1.5 hours)
Acting Coaching
Using the Meisner Technique and Patsy Rodenburg’s methods, I can help you bring texts to life with a supported voice and give you a grounding in the types of approaches used by professional actors. I can help you with:
– meaningful yet simple approaches to learning lines
– how to do a characterisation
– working with modern, classical and Shakespearean text
– a working method to get you started on your acting journey
Eisteddfodd Preparation
Use the types of techniques that professional actors use when working on a speech to help you give a confident and unique performance. You will have a mini actor’s toolkit to take home and apply to future competitions and performances.
$130/hr (up to 1.5 hours)
Students $90/hr
Corporate & Events
Workshops For Corporate and Community Organisations
– Creativity
– Listening
– Improv for emotional intelligence
– Teambuilding
Price on application
Event Testimonial Here
About
I trained as an actor specialising in Devised Theatre and Performance at The London International School of Performing Arts, (now Arthaus Berlin) under Thomas Prattki (former director of L'Ecole Jacques Lecoq), and as an improvisor at Second City Toronto, with Sam Morgan in Exeter, Colleen Doyle of iO West, Improv Conspiracy and LMA in Melbourne.
I am passionate about Commedia dell'Arte and masked theatre, Shakespeare, writing sketch comedy and performing improv. I have been hugely inspired by Patsy Rodenburg's work on the voice and presence. My improv classes are informed by a Lecoq inspired view of the fully alive body shaping a dynamic theatrical space.
Giving people tools that they can reach for and really utilise, gives students confidence right from the start and sets them up for success. I believe that people learn best when having fun - my class is a fun, low pressure evironment that makes students hungry for more. Drawing on your own unique personality, and using your own everyday voice and experience is the easiest inroad to improv - I provide simple exercises and structures that act as training wheels, ensuring that students feel safe to try new things.
I have worked with students from many backgrounds and abilities but one thing they all have in common is a love of silliness, playing games and connecting with others. One of the most satisfying things has been seeing people quickly gain confidence and become valued members of our classes. Improv classes are a great creative outlet - it's common to hear my students say how therapeutic my classes are. My students become confident and skilled improvisers and have an absolute blast.
Testimonials
