Performers
Natalie Bochenski (President)
Natalie has a popular film and theatre review segment on Mornings with Greg Cary. (AM 1116). She's worked as a journalist up and down the dial in South east Queensland and can currently be heard reading the news on 4BC. She's performed with Impro Melbourne, the Spontaneity Shop (London) and at the Edinburgh Comedy Festival.
Natalie has been acting since an early age; her love of improv began in the late 1990s. For four years she co-ran the 'Theatresports Rookie' show at the Hub cafe, then the Indooroopilly 'Pig 'n' Whistle' show pub. Natalie has performed around Brisbane with more companies than she can remember.
Natalie blogs her attempts at being a proper reporter,.. as well as travel stories and all manner of other embarrassing mishaps at www.girlclumsy.com
She hopes that one day, Wade will read it.
Favourite Game: Historical Replay
Michael Griffin
Mike has been a film-maker for the best part of a decade. He has directed and edited music videos, commercials, and short films including the 2006 Brisbane Film Festival first prize winner 'Copy'. His team recently won a Primetime Emmy for work on the Dharma Wants You interactive web-site but his endless humility (and his NDA) prevents him from discussing it.
He writes, acts and directs in the Brisbane sketch comedy troupe 'The Sexy Detective' along with Dave and Luke.
Favorite Game: Understudy
David Massingham
Dave is a Queensland University of Technology graduate, with a Bachelor of Creative Industries (Drama). He has appeared in a number of productions, including 'The Soldier's Tale' (2005), 'The Lesson' (2004), 'Toast' (2003), 'A Midsummer Nights' Dream' (2003), 'The Bald Primadonna' (2002), and 'Pinterama' (2002).
He is a member of the sketch comedy troupe 'The Sexy Detectives Show', in which he participates as a writer and performer. David has been involved in improvisational theatre since high school, and likes to think he has improved a bit since grade nine.
Favorite Game: The Guide
Alistair Crawford
Al has performed on the Brisbane comedy scene for several years now. Winner of the 2001 Gold Coast Legends of Laughter Competition, he has also been in the Queensland finals for Triple J's Raw Comedy competitions in 1999 and 2000. He did paid support at the Sit-down Comedy Club, Dockside Comedy Bar, and a plethora of smaller venues until he realised he didn't respect the people who laughed at his jokes.
Al is an experienced improviser, a regular at Impro Mafia shows and a valued committee member. He obtained his PhD in 2006 in Usability and Software Design after a ridiculously long period of study, and now has a real job.
Favorite Game: Shakespearean
Matt Hadgraft - Musician
Matt was coerced into joining St Johns Cathedral Choir in primary school where many eccentric musicians taught him this and that. Always having wanted to be an actor, he did music at the Queensland Conservatorium for some reason and, later, a Bachelor of Education.
The other half of his school's newspaper editing team (Liam) steered Matt toward Impro Mafia in early 2005. He has been safely tucked behind the keyboard ever since.
Still keen to be an actor, Matt logically sought a job vacuuming the Cathedral. He works variously as a teacher and a copywriter for a Gold Coast radio station.
Favorite Game: Messing with the Improvisers
Dan Beeston
Dan began doing Impro in 1997. He's been involved with Theatresports Queensland, Six of the Best, and the Satchmoes shows and was the instigator of the 'Place Fridge Magnet Here' shows. He wrote the award winning web-comic 'Lilley Street' and the critically acclaimed 'Sleep Dep'.
Dan is a regular performer with Impro Mafia as well as the associations official web and design guy. He has NEVER endured 'an embarrassing experience involving Indonesian Customs' and would very-much like to know who has been spreading these rumours.
Favorite Game: Mime
Liam Burrow
Liam has undertaken substantial undergraduate and postgraduate university study. Unfortunately none of that training had anything to do with improvised comedy. Instead he has played theatresports and improvised comedy since 1995 in the Queensland Youth competition, moving through playing at various venues in Brisbane including, "Verve", "Hub Cafe", "Pig'n'Whistle", "Hotel LA", "Hotel Melbourne", and has been involved in a number of varied festivals including the Brisbane Writers Festival, Straight out of Brisbane Festival, Edge Improv performances (favourite longform being 'It Came From Somewhere Else!').
Liam currently assists the association as the Treasurer of Impro Mafia Inc, and until the day comes when performing impro can generate a living he will continue to practice as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland.
Favorite Game: Entrances and Exits
Alex Reichart
Alex has been described as a token half English/half German New Zealander. He started off in the New Zealand University Impro/Comedy scene, and Auckland Theatresports, in the mid-90’s, meaning that he’s been doing this kind of stuff for over 10 years on and off.
He's done sketch comedy writing and directing, and wrote for the web comic 'Irrelevations'. He maintains databases, and spreads embarrassing rumours about Dan. This is not as much fun as it sounds.
Favorite Game: Film Noir
Wade Robinson
Wade has been improvising since 1999. He has performed a wide range of venues and styles - from fast paced short form in pubs to dramatic long-forms in alternative theatre festivals. His most memorable moment was directing the long form "The Wake" in the 2004 SOOB festival to a packed house, where he received severe bruising when he was thrown bodily across the stage.
Wade is the current Artistic Director for Impro Mafia.
Favorite Game: Word at a Time Story
Luke Allan
Luke (Big Sexy) writes and stars in The Sexy Detectives sketch comedy show. He began working with Impro Mafia at around the same time. There is assuredly some amusing story about why everyone calls him 'Big Sexy' but no one seemes to be able to remember it.
He is good at singing and is also very personable.
Favorite Game: The Guide
Lauren Staines
Lauren grew up in Caloundra where she taught impro to junior high school students in her final year. She attended QUT Theatre Studies for one semester in 2004, then dropped out to find a drama course more suited to her.
She found a job at O'Malley's where she met Impro Mafia, and has since slept her way to the top to become a committee member. She has featured in a wide variety of shows throughout her life and is currently studying an Advanced Diploma in Arts (Acting) at South Bank TAFE.
Favorite Game: Word at a Time Story
Michael Knott
Mike first started acting in a youth group in Cornwall, England at age 7. Since then he has been in many different acting groups in England and here in Australia. He is currently studying the Advanced Diploma of Performing Arts at South Bank TAFE. Being the only rookie in the company, Mike was extremely pleased to win the 'Rookie of the Year' award in 2005.
Almost every aspect of his bio is outdated.
Favorite Game: Understudy
Tristan Ham
Tristan hails from Canadia, land of milk and flapjacks, where he had the pleasure to work with a fist full of fantastic troupes like: C is for Comedy (Vancouver), Rapid fire (Edmonton), and the Under Thirties (Mexico).
This crazy cat has a degree in theatre arts and has been in a few commercials plus a couple of made for T.V movies. One of which was a Tommy Chong film that never got released, it was about weed and masterbating. No joke. He is pleased as punch to be working with such a cool collection of groovy guys and gals!
Favorite Game: Pillars
Thomas Lynch
Thomas is heavily involved in the University of Queensland theatre group 'Underground Productions' and recently starred in 'Bouncers' at the Stage Door Dinner Theatre. He's also the author of the stage musical 'Scissors, Paper, ROCK!'. It received rave reviews at the Cement Box Theatre.
When he isn’t at uni, he can usually be found making crass jokes, talking about how he wants to be famous, and chasing things with pigtails. He sincerely thanks all of ImproMafia for their patience, as he can only imagine his Will Ferrell impersonations and lack of Doctor Who knowledge is driving them nuts.
Favorite Game: Should've Said
