Barcelona Improv Group (BIG) is Barcelona's leading English-language improvised theatre company, founded in January 2011 from the city's New English Theatre Society by a core of improvisers who had no dedicated ensemble to perform with. Co-directed by Kiva Murphy and Ella Galt, BIG runs weekly shows, a tiered 12-week training curriculum, open drop-in workshops, and the annual Barcelona Improv Group International Festival each November. The company operates from its base in Barcelona's Eixample district.
History
BIG formed in January 2011 and began performing in bars before securing a permanent workshop space at Teatre L'Enjolit. Ella Galt joined in 2012 and co-designed the tiered curriculum that became the company's training foundation. The group grew into Barcelona's most prominent English-language improv institution, eventually establishing BIG Works as its corporate training and professional development arm. The annual BIG International Festival, held each November, has brought improvisers from across the world to Barcelona, making the city a recognized stop on the international improv circuit. The company has developed specialized programming including neurodivergent improv workshops alongside its regular curriculum.
Artistic Identity
BIG defines its work as hilarious, clever, and heartfelt improv comedy, combining high-energy performance with genuine emotional engagement. Kiva Murphy's training in physical theater and clowning at the Jacques Lecoq school in Paris and Ella Galt's curriculum design have shaped an approach that values well-rounded performers comfortable in multiple formats and registers. Musical improv, queer improv, and long-form narrative work are all part of the company's regular programming.
How to Reference This Page
The Improv Archive. (2026). Barcelona Improv Group (BIG). Retrieved March 17, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/companies/barcelona-improv-group
The Improv Archive. "Barcelona Improv Group (BIG)." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/companies/barcelona-improv-group.
The Improv Archive. "Barcelona Improv Group (BIG)." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/companies/barcelona-improv-group. Accessed March 17, 2026.
The Improv Archive is a systemically maintained repository. The archive itself acts as the corporate author.