Festiv'Impro

Theatrical Improvisation Celebrated in the Yvelines

Festiv'Impro was born from the passion of the troupe IMPRONET, a theatrical improvisation company from the Yvelines founded in 1993. Since 2003, this international festival has brought together the best improvisation troupes from the French-speaking world and beyond each spring for three evenings of memorable improvisation matches. The event takes place in three towns — Versailles, Plaisir, and Villepreux — creating a festive journey through the Yvelines.

International Improvisation Matches

The format of the improvisation match, inspired by ice hockey and codified by Robert Gravel and Yvon Leduc in Quebec in 1977, is the beating heart of Festiv'Impro. Two teams compete on stage, improvising scenes based on randomly drawn themes, and the audience votes to decide between the actors. Each year, the festival invites top international troupes: La Lise du Saguenay (Quebec), LAMI (Morocco), COSMIC (Switzerland) alongside the Alchimistes d'IMPRONET (France) in encounters blending humor, emotion, virtuosity, and instant creation.

The Audience at the Heart of Creation

Theatrical improvisation is inherently a participatory art. At Festiv'Impro, the audience doesn't just watch the show: they are an essential participant. Through their votes, reactions, suggestions, and energy, they influence the course of the improvisations and help create unique and unrepeatable moments. This interactive dimension makes each evening an intense collective experience, where actors and spectators share the thrill of live creation.

A Festival Rooted in its Territory

By unfolding across three towns in the Yvelines, Festiv'Impro contributes to the cultural network of the department. The community centers, municipal theaters, and village halls of Versailles, Plaisir, and Villepreux become the arenas for memorable comedic showdowns. The festival benefits from the support of the Versailles Grand Parc agglomeration community and partner towns, demonstrating the territorial roots of an event that makes the art of improvisation shine far beyond its borders.