It’s certainly not the first time ‘the Strangers’ have relocated within the city. In years past, they have performed their monthly shows in Huis de Beurs, Usva and Simplon. From February 4th onward, it’s the Silo’s turn to host the improvisation comedy group.

The move does not really include lifting heavy boxes as the group hardly uses any props on stage. ‘What we are actually moving is our audience’, says Tom Wilcox, one of the improvisers.

According to Thomas Mook, PR manager for the group as well as one of their performers, they have had a group of hard-core fans for years. Most of them are international students. ‘They usually move with us to a new location, but hopefully we will also attract some new people to the Silo.’

New momentum

‘Every move brings new momentum, which is good’, Mook says. And the group isn’t leaving Simplon with any hard feelings. ‘Performing at Simplon was good, but we were just looking for something new’, says Mook. He adds that a main reason for moving to the Silo is that the group will have control over all aspects of the shows: ‘We will even be in charge of the ticket sales and setup of the shows’, which wasn’t the case at their previous intern.

‘The Silo caught our eye pretty quickly because of the atmosphere’, Mook says. The new location is nestled behind the Groningen Centraal train station. ‘It has this weird combination of being an old building that still has a very hip vibe to it. It has the perfect balance between a theatre and a living room pub’, says Mook.

That relaxed atmosphere is one of the most important elements in improvisational comedy, according to Mook. ‘In our shows, the audience often plays a crucial role, and a good atmosphere encourages the audience to be more active. We think it’s important that people can get a beer during the performance, and for that, we need a good location, like the Silo’.