Lucy Trodd – In The Footsteps of Improvisation

Lucy Trodd, actor, writer, singer and founder of the Folkestone Improv Theatre.  After an Olivier-award-winning run of Showstopper The Musical in the West End, Lucy made the move to Folkestone and built creative collaborations.  Folkelife met with Lucy, and after a brief discussion on face creams suitable for sea-swimmers, she spilled the beans on her life in Folkestone. 

“I’ve lived in Folkestone since 2016.  I’m a writer and performer and lately I’ve been doing a lot of teaching improv. It’s something that I just love.  I’m not sure I ever thought I’d be running an Improv school in Folkestone, but it’s bringing me such joy, and the students, well, they’re not leaving!  We have too many for one class, so from September 2025 we’ll have a beginners and a returners group so that everyone can have a turn. I’m bringing on a new teacher in September too, Katy Schutte, who’s written The Improvisor’s Way, a book about Improv and has just moved to Sandgate, so we’ll be sharing the classes.”

life before folkestone

“I’m a DFL-uton, growing up in Luton before going to Uni in London and then on to Folkestone.  Whilst in London, after Uni, I joined with friends and became a founder member of Showstoppers.  We have West End show which is an improvised musical, and have won an Olivier award – the first improv group to do so. I was in a good place, had just had two Radio 4 series – Trodd en Bratt say ‘Well Done You’ and things were great – so why couldn’t I afford the bus, or to eat, or my rent?  My parents had moved to Dungeness, and kept saying ‘come and look at Folkestone…’ so, on the strength of loving the Marsh and feeling like I could breathe whenever we came to visit, we started visiting Folkestone.

“The first time it was raining torrentially!  There was a slight feeling of unease on the streets too.  I’m sure it wasn’t as bad as we thought, but in 2014 it was quite different to how it is today.  We looked into renting, and realised that we could actually afford to buy here.  I never thought, in my wildest dreams I was going to be a homeowner, and, I know how this sounds, that people hate those who come in and buy where the locals can’t, but I’ve never lived anywhere before that feels so much like home. I’ve never felt so nurtured, and more creatively embraced, encouraged and emboldened.  I feel that if you connect and reach out to the community, it will reward you.”

creative community

“I’ve been involved in the Music In May Screen South project recently, playing a lion, before dashing off to London to teach.  Before that there was a 48 hour film challenge for Screen Ashford.  Then I filmed my series of short films around the Harbour Arm and Sunny Sands and they got shown at Screen Ashford.   If you get involved in the community you will be richly rewarded in ways you wouldn’t expect. I have made so many great friends and collaborators, and these are opportunities I never had when in London. I’m bringing skills and sharing them with our community too.”

my first folkestone

“That first year I was here I started going to a yoga class and met various people like Deborah Nash who runs Granny Drops A Clanger – the knitting group. I got a bit of routine to my life which doesn’t happen in this line of work, and I was grateful for that. That year there was also a Living Advent Calendar and I can remember going to some of those events in December and thinking this place is magical. Sadie, who is one of the organisers, lives on our street and we’ve become good friends.  

“There’s so much going on in Folkestone, in fact, there’s almost too much going on that you feel like you’re missing out.  I feel ashamed to say but I missed out on the fireworks at Folkestone Harbour!  My son is a big Dungeons and Dragons fan and we were at a live role play Call of Cthulhu show instead.”

market square

“The Folkestone Improv Theatre is run from Market Square and Josh and the gang have been so welcoming. They’ve got jazz nights, comedy  nights, yoga for kids and couldn’t be more supportive to us.  

“The 3D art gallery that’s been created in the town thanks to the Creative Folkestone Triennials is also wonderful.  I bring friends to the town and if you plan it you can have a surprise around every corner.  I loved it when the big dance floor was there from the last Triennial.  You could have a dance with friends on the way back home from the station.  It was brilliant, what an amazing place we live in!  

“I also love that I can walk into town and bump into people I know.”

bringing the improv

“It was at an event in town where I got talking to a woman who was doing an MA in comedy writing.  We bonded over a tissue, she needed one, I had one… but she asked me why I wasn’t teaching improv in Folkestone.  And then I wondered the same.  Why go all the way up to London when I could do the same here. So we do 6 week sessions, with a week break in between (which is always nice!) and what started off as a one off, has become a term time, live performances and getting booked up for our two class run in September.

“Improv is spontaneous action and words, sometimes based on the audience’s suggestions, or connections to each other’s ideas. So, making stuff up really. At our jams we do improv games and scenes. We’re learning to tools to do long form narrative style improv. And I do it because I think it’s a really beautiful art form.  It’s collaborative and ego-less, and that’s important, the scene is in the other person, and you are there to make your partner look good.”

want to be in a musical?

“I went to Uni to do a performing arts degree.  After that I needed to get a job and realised that I was working in the industry, but not doing any acting.  So a friend suggested I do some classes, and one was led by Ken Campbell, a real theatre maverick.  He asked me what my plans were for the next evening, and would I like to come to Brighton to do an improvised musical? Something in me made me say yes, and from then on it’s been a world full of saying yes, possibility, love, friendship and joy.  Come and join us for a class or show, join in or just watch!”