The Oxford Imps
The Oxford Imps is a private Oxford-based improvised comedy troupe, founded in 2004, performing weekly shows at the Jericho Tavern, an annual Edinburgh Fringe run, and private/corporate events and workshops across the UK and internationally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersOxford, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Oxford Imps does
The Oxford Imps is a private, community-based improvised comedy troupe founded in 2004 and headquartered at 129 High Street, Oxford, England. Its core offering is live, audience-suggestion-driven improv combining short-form and long-form formats (scenes, songs, Shakespeare, musicals, raps) performed by a lineup mixing Oxford University students and local residents, with improvised live piano accompaniment. The troupe runs a weekly Monday show at the Jericho Tavern during Oxford University term time, a daily run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival each August through a partnership with Gilded Balloon, and has toured internationally to France, the USA, South Africa, the Netherlands, and Bosnia.
Revenue is generated from four streams: ticket sales for the weekly Jericho Tavern shows (distributed via WeGotTickets), ticket sales for Edinburgh Fringe performances, private and corporate event hire (including corporate entertainment, team building, workshops, murder mysteries, after-dinner entertainment, and themed performances), and improv workshop fees. Community-facing free access workshops for women and non-binary people and for people of colour and global majorities are offered as outreach rather than a revenue line. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the company's website, third-party ticketing platforms, and venue partnerships, with private hire acquired through direct outreach and email enquiries.
Operationally, the troupe maintains an annual audition cycle for stage performers, musicians, and tech/production crew, and is currently in a hiatus from regular Jericho Tavern shows with a planned return in October 2026. The business is independent, with no disclosed external investment, parent company, or subsidiary structure, and no public financial reporting.
The Oxford Imps firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Oxford Imps
- Legal name
- The Oxford Imps
- Website
- https://oxfordimps.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Oxford Imps is a private Oxford-based improvised comedy troupe, founded in 2004, performing weekly shows at the Jericho Tavern, an annual Edinburgh Fringe run, and private/corporate events and workshops across the UK and internationally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Oxford Imps industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Live Comedy Entertainment
- NAICS
- Other Performing Arts Companies (711190), Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers (711510)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Improvisational Theatre (MPAGABAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Fringe & Experimental Performing Arts (MPAGABAI), Improv Comedy Performances (MPAGACAB)
Keywords
Where The Oxford Imps is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Oxford
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Oxford Imps business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales - Weekly Shows: Revenue from weekly Monday performances at Jericho Tavern during Oxford University term time. Doors open 7:30pm, show starts 8:00pm. Tickets sold via WeGotTickets platform.
- Edinburgh Fringe Festival Tickets: Daily performances at Edinburgh Fringe during August. Revenue from ticket sales for these flagship annual shows.
- Private Event Hire: Booking the troupe for corporate entertainment, after-dinner entertainment, weddings, hen-dos, murder mysteries, and themed events. Includes team building sessions and workshops for corporate groups.
- Workshop Fees: Improv workshops for groups of all ages and abilities, covering skills like public speaking, teamwork, and creativity. Free access workshops offered for women + non-binary people and people of colour + global majorities.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
The Oxford Imps product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Oxford Imps is a long-running Oxford-based comedy troupe delivering live improvised comedy performances that are entirely made up on the spot from audience suggestions, blending short-form and long-form improv (scenes, songs, Shakespeare, musicals, raps). They run weekly Monday shows at the Jericho Tavern during University of Oxford term time, perform annually at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and tour internationally to festivals, college balls, and private/corporate events. Supplementary offerings include improv workshops (including free access workshops for women/non-binary people and people of colour/global majorities) and bespoke corporate entertainment such as team building, public speaking workshops, murder mysteries, and themed performances.
Product overview
The Oxford Imps offers live improvised comedy performances and related services. The core offering consists of weekly shows at the Jericho Tavern combining short-form and long-form improv formats, plus annual Edinburgh Fringe Festival performances. Additional services include free community workshops for underrepresented groups, corporate team building and entertainment hire services, and annual auditions for new performers, musicians, and production crew. The company has operated since 2004 and performs internationally at festivals and private events.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Weekly Improvised Comedy Shows Weekly live improvised comedy performances held every Monday at 8pm during Oxford University term time at the Jericho Tavern on Walton Street, featuring short-form and long-form improv including scenes, songs, Shakespeare, musicals, and raps all created spontaneously based on audience suggestions. Doors open at 7:30pm. Targeted at general comedy audiences, Oxford residents, and university students.
- Edinburgh Fringe Festival Performances Daily performances at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival during August, featuring full-length improv comedy shows made up on the spot, including guest stars. Tickets sold through the Gilded Balloon ticketing platform. Targeted at festival-going audiences and visitors to Edinburgh each summer.
- Improv Workshops (Free Access and Open) Improv workshops held at Old Fire Station and other venues, covering basic improv principles, games, and scene-making confidence building in a safe, relaxed environment. Includes free access workshops for women and non-binary people and for people of colour and global majorities, led by facilitators from those groups. Targeted at aspiring improvers, community members, and group bookings.
- Corporate Entertainment and Private Hire Services Customizable improv comedy performances and team building workshops for private and corporate events, including confidence and public speaking workshops, murder mysteries, after-dinner entertainment, hen-dos, weddings, themed performances (Guerrilla Shakespeare, living statues, museum tours, animation voice-acting), and online shows and workshops. Bookable via direct enquiry through the company's contact page. Targeted at corporate clients, private event organizers, and Oxford colleges.
Companies that use The Oxford Imps
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
The Oxford Imps technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
The Oxford Imps partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
The Oxford Imps competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Imagination Stage: Imagination Stage is a US-based theatre and education organization producing shows and theatre-arts classes for young audiences. Comparable to The Oxford Imps in combining live performance with educational workshops, particularly in inclusion-focused programming.
Broad incumbents
- The Reduced Shakespeare Company: The Reduced Shakespeare Company is a long-running comedy theatre troupe known for improv-influenced stage shows and international touring. Comparable to The Oxford Imps as an established UK-adjacent comedy ensemble with extensive international touring history and a strong brand.
- The Second City: The Second City is the largest and most established improv comedy franchise globally, with theaters, training centers, and touring shows across North America. Comparable to The Oxford Imps as a long-running improv comedy brand, though at much larger scale and as a BROAD_INCUMBENT rather than a small community troupe.
Direct peers
- ComedySportz UK: ComedySportz UK runs competitive short-form improv matches across the UK, including shows and workshops. Comparable to The Oxford Imps in offering audience-driven improv comedy plus improv training/workshops, with similar multiple revenue streams from ticketed shows and educational services.
- The Free Association: The Free Association is a London-based improv comedy troupe running regular shows and training programs. Directly comparable to The Oxford Imps in format (long-form and short-form improv, audience-suggestion-driven) and audience (live comedy fans), though based in London rather than Oxford.
- The Comedy Store Players: The Comedy Store Players are London's longest-running weekly improv troupe, performing every Sunday at The Comedy Store. Directly comparable to The Oxford Imps as a long-running UK improv comedy troupe with regular weekly ticketed shows, ensemble casting, and audience-suggestion-driven formats.
- Hoopla Impro: Hoopla is a London-based improv company running regular shows and a long-running improv school with workshops and courses. Comparable to The Oxford Imps in combining audience-facing improv shows with improv training/workshops as parallel revenue lines, and in cultivating an inclusive improv community.
- The Showstoppers: The Showstoppers is a UK-based improvised musical comedy troupe that performs at the Edinburgh Fringe and on tour. Closely comparable to The Oxford Imps as a UK improv troupe at the Edinburgh Fringe with live performance, audience interaction, and touring business.
Emerging players
- Mischief Theatre: Mischief Theatre is a UK comedy theatre company behind shows like The Play That Goes Wrong and Peter Pan Goes Wrong, running at major West End and touring venues. Comparable to The Oxford Imps as a UK comedy theatre ensemble with strong touring brand, though focused on scripted comedy rather than improv.
Regional players
- Improv Comedy Shanghai: Improv Comedy Shanghai operates improv shows and workshops in China, with an English-language international cast. Comparable to The Oxford Imps as an expat/university-town improv troupe with weekly shows and workshop offerings, though operating in a different geography.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Oxford Imps social profiles
Digital presenceThe Oxford Imps financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Oxford Imps leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
The Oxford Imps funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Oxford Imps M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Oxford Imps
What does The Oxford Imps do?
The Oxford Imps is a long-running Oxford-based comedy troupe delivering live improvised comedy performances that are entirely made up on the spot from audience suggestions, blending short-form and long-form improv (scenes, songs, Shakespeare, musicals, raps). They run weekly Monday shows at the Jericho Tavern during University of Oxford term time, perform annually at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and tour internationally to festivals, college balls, and private/corporate events. Supplementary offerings include improv workshops (including free access workshops for women/non-binary people and people of colour/global majorities) and bespoke corporate entertainment such as team building, public speaking workshops, murder mysteries, and themed performances.
Is The Oxford Imps a public or private company?
The Oxford Imps is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Oxford Imps founded?
The Oxford Imps was founded in 2004. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Oxford Imps based?
The Oxford Imps is headquartered in Oxford, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does The Oxford Imps make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales - Weekly Shows are the primary driver. The others are edinburgh Fringe Festival Tickets, private Event Hire and workshop Fees.
Who are The Oxford Imps's main competitors?
Imagination Stage is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are The Reduced Shakespeare Company and The Second City. Direct peers are ComedySportz UK, The Free Association, The Comedy Store Players, Hoopla Impro and The Showstoppers. Mischief Theatre is listed as an emerging player. Improv Comedy Shanghai is listed as a regional player.
Does The Oxford Imps have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Oxford Imps.
What industry is The Oxford Imps in?
The Oxford Imps's product category is Live Comedy Entertainment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGABAJ, Improvisational Theatre, with a secondary code of MPAGABAI, Fringe & Experimental Performing Arts. Its NAICS code is 711190 and its SIC code is 7900.