English-language improv workshop and performance organisation founded by Dutch drama teacher Albert Schimmel, operating in Dusseldorf and Cologne with weekly classes, weekend workshops, and open stages for the international expat community and German-speaking locals.
History
Albert Schimmel, a Dutch drama teacher based in Germany, founded Expat Improv to provide regular improvisation classes for English-speaking residents of the Rhine-Ruhr region. The organisation operates from a studio space in Dusseldorf Holthausen and offers classes in both Dusseldorf and Cologne, with occasional Frankfurt workshops.
In 2022, Schimmel founded Impromix, a separate international improv ensemble based in Dusseldorf comprising eight performers from seven countries including the Netherlands, Greece, Brazil, Italy, Germany, Finland, and Chile/Canada. Impromix performs fully unscripted shows in Dusseldorf and Cologne as the performance complement to Expat Improv's training focus.
Artistic Identity
Expat Improv is community-driven, oriented toward English-speaking expats while also offering German-language workshops. Training programs include Chicago-style improv, Freedom Organic Improv, strong character work, and mask play. Weekend masterclasses bring in international guest instructors. The organisation's stated values are playful, optimistic, safe, community-driven, and respectful. English Improv Open Stages operate in Dusseldorf, Cologne, and the Frankfurt area.
How to Reference This Page
The Improv Archive. (2026). Expat Improv. Retrieved March 17, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/companies/expat-improv
The Improv Archive. "Expat Improv." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/companies/expat-improv.
The Improv Archive. "Expat Improv." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/companies/expat-improv. Accessed March 17, 2026.
The Improv Archive is a systemically maintained repository. The archive itself acts as the corporate author.