V4 Improv Connect Joins RUSZT: A Celebration of Theatre, Collaboration, and Cultural Exchange
From October 25-27, 2024, the V4 Improv Connect project took center stage in Budapest as part of RUSZT – Ráday Street Performing Arts Festival, one of Hungary’s most dynamic theatre festivals. Unlike any other stop on the tour, this performance was woven into a larger festival dedicated to theatrical innovation, collaboration, and artistic exploration.
For three days, improvisers from across the Visegrad region and beyond came together to prove that improv is more than just comedy—it is an evolving, legitimate art form that deserves a place in professional theatre venues.
What Made the Budapest Tour Stop Unique?
🎭 A Festival Rooted in Theatrical Excellence
Unlike previous V4 Improv Connect performances, the Budapest show was not a standalone event—it was part of RUSZT, a festival that brings together independent theatres, artists, and audiences to explore new and innovative approaches to performance.
Founded in the wake of the pandemic to revitalize independent theatre, RUSZT has grown into a prestigious festival, showcasing productions from Hungary and abroad. It has also earned the EFFE Label from the European Festivals Association, recognizing its commitment to artistic excellence and international collaboration.
By performing at RUSZT, the V4 Improv Tour: Budapest became part of a larger movement redefining what contemporary theatre can be.
🌍 A True International Collaboration
The Budapest stop featured improvisers from:
🇸🇰 Slovakia (Funnylicious Theater)
🇭🇺 Hungary (Itt és Most Társulat, Flow Theatre)
🇨🇿 Czechia (České národní improvizační divadlo)
🇵🇱 Poland (Teatr Wschodni)
🇲🇰 North Macedonia (ITI Macedonia)
Together, they brought to life two groundbreaking long-form improv formats:
✅ ‘Tabloids’ – A format that transforms local tabloid headlines into fully improvised narratives, highlighting the quirks, absurdities, and humor of everyday life in a given city.
✅ ‘Improv Therapy’ – A format that blends improvised storytelling with a fictional therapy session, creating deep, thought-provoking, and often hilarious explorations of human emotions and relationships.
Each performance was a testament to the diversity of improv theatre, featuring seasoned improvisers with 10+ years of experience, alongside artists from traditional theatre backgrounds exploring improv for the first time.
🔥 Part of the “3-in-1 English Improv Triple Feature”
The V4 Improv Connect performance was one of three English-language improv performances included in RUSZT’s programming, offering audiences an unparalleled night of improvisational theatre.
For many in the audience, this was their first time experiencing long-form improv in a professional theatre setting, reinforcing V4 Improv Connect’s mission to elevate improv beyond short-form games and bar performances.
RUSZT: A Festival That Pushes Boundaries
The theme of RUSZT 2024 was “Change”, reflecting the shifting landscape of theatre and cultural consumption. The festival featured:
✅ Experimental and contemporary theatre productions
✅ Inclusive and accessible theatre programs
✅ Workshops and open rehearsals for theatre professionals and the general public
✅ Discussions on the future of independent theatre in Hungary and beyond
By integrating V4 Improv Connect into this prestigious lineup, the Budapest tour stop expanded the festival’s international reach while showcasing improv as a serious and evolving theatrical discipline.
Why This Tour Stop Was Special
💡 A First for RUSZT & V4 Improv Connect – This was the first time the V4 Improv Connect project was part of an established European theatre festival, positioning improv as an essential part of the contemporary theatre scene.
🌍 A Platform for International Collaboration – The festival provided networking opportunities for V4 improvisers to connect with Hungarian theatre professionals, fostering long-term artistic relationships.
🎭 Bringing Improv to a Broader Audience – By performing within a larger theatre festival, improv reached new theatre-goers who may not have attended an improv show otherwise.
What’s Next for V4 Improv Connect?
With the success of the Budapest tour stop, the V4 Improv Connect project is setting its sights on new opportunities:
✅ Returning to RUSZT in 2025 – Strengthening our connection with Budapest’s theatre scene.
✅ Performing at more festivals – Submitting ‘Tabloids’ and ‘Improv Therapy’ to international theatre and improv festivals.
✅ Developing improv theatre education – Expanding training programs to support the next generation of performers.
The Budapest tour stop proved that improv belongs on the festival circuit, and we are excited to take it even further.
Want to Be Part of the Next Chapter?
Follow Funnylicious Theater and V4 Improv Connect for updates on upcoming performances, workshops, and festival appearances.
Project Partners:
- Funnylicious Theater (Slovakia)
- Itt és Most Társulat (Hungary)
- České národní improvizační divadlo (Czechia)
- Fundacja Teatr Wschodni (Poland)
- Macedonian Center of International Theater Institute (North Macedonia)
Unofficial Partners:
- IGLU Theatre (Slovenia)
- Flow Theater (Hungary)
Contact Information:
hello@isac-eu.org
The project is co-financed by the Governments of Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia through Visegrad Grants from the International Visegrad Fund. The mission of the fund is to advance ideas for sustainable regional cooperation in Central Europe.
