The Big Hoo Haa Pōneke

Locomotive is an improvised theatre training centre based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Aotearoa (Wellington, New Zealand). We deliver grounded, well-rounded training in theatrical improv and related skills through term-based, weekend, and one-off workshop programmes. We aim to grow improvisors into performers and creators with strong stagecraft, competent skills, joyful teamwork, and an awareness of the context and whakapapa of the work they create and contribute to.

Locomotive launched in 2019 with a range of touring teachers and workshops, and at the start of 2020 took on delivery of Late Night Knife Fight including hosting, producing and coaching. Despite derailment via pandemic and parenthood, Locomotive has since started term-based training and 3 week intensives, and continues to run LNKF and other regular performances.

Pippa Drakeford(She/Her) is a performer, singer, improviser and voice artist based in Wellington Te Upoko o te Ika a Māui. She has been cast in award winning shows, such as, ‘10 Things I Hate About Us’ and ‘How to Write An Album in 12 Hours’. In 2019, Pippa was named ‘Maestro’ at the National Theatresports Competition. Pippa is a regular performer with Poprox and recently featured as a vocal artist as part of ‘The Glitter Garden’ premiere at Circa Theatre and as ‘Gladys’ in WITCH Music Theatre’s ‘ROXY’.

Guanny Liu-Prosee(She/Her) is an improviser and teacher based in Wellington Te Upoko o te Ika a Māui. Having begun her improv career in 2009 while living in Beijing, she has performed regularly since, in groups such as Beijing Improv (Beijing), Covert Theatre (Auckland), WIT (Wellington), Playshop (Wellington), Basejump Comedy (Wellington), and Improv Connection (Wellington). Born in China and raised in New Zealand, Guanny has extensive experience in performing and teaching improv in both English and Mandarin Chinese. She has been on the organising committee of the Beijing International Improv Festival and New Zealand Improv Festival.

Jennifer O'Sullivan(She/Her) is an improvisor, director and creative producer in Te-Whanganui-a-Tara. With an MFA in Creative Practice from Victoria University, she is the co-founder and director of Locomotive, the creative lead for Kickin’ Rad Productions, and was the director of the New Zealand Improv Festival for a decade. The last decade and a half has seen her performing, producing and teaching in Wellington, around NZ and Australia, while advocating for women, improv, and creative safety throughout the performance industry. In 2016 she created Late Night Knife Fight at BATS Theatre to encourage innovation and experimentation in improv forms, and to have a good time. When she's not working on cool improv and theatre projects, she's hanging out with her pets and her kid and making sure no one eats too much grass.

Dianne Pulham(all pronouns) Lighting up audiences for over fifteen years, Dianne is an improviser and actor who delights in exploring physical comedy on the stage. Beginning her career with Ōtepoti Dunedin’s Improsaurus, she has since performed a variety of shows in Wellington and abroad. Her past accolades include Outstanding Character (NZIF 2017), and Late Night Knife Fight Champion (2018) and a Bachelor of Arts from Otago University.

Elliott Lam(He/They) is a rogue accountant/improvisor/novel writer based in Wellington. He started his improv journey in 2020 and has performed with WIT, Improv Connection and at the NZ Improv Festival. Starting as a fun activity to cure his writer's block, improv theatre quickly became his obsession and he's been studying the art form ever since.

Wiremu Tuhiwai(He/Him) Wiremu to many, Woody to just as many has improvised the Long White Cloud for literally half of his life. Wellington has been the home base for improv with so many incredible connections through the many sectors of the arts. Recently returning from the US Tour with the NZ Shakespeare group The Barden Party. Wiremu is keen to continue to share his experiences with performers and audiences from Wellington and the world.

Tara McEntee(She/Her) Tara has been improvising for over 14 years across New Zealand. She has been a member of Improsaurus in Dunedin, the Court Jesters in Christchurch, and Playshop, PopRox and Soap Factory in Wellington. Tara has a passion for teaching narrative based improv with strong characters and bold storylines. She's been described as a "chaotic evil" improvisor.

Megan Connolly(They/Them) Meggo is a comedian, improviser and try-hard delinquent born and raised in Melbourne, Australia. When they’re not making messy visceral comedy in sketch or improv form, they’re working a soulless job in hospitality. You’ve likely seen them in Jez & Jace, Wet Soup and Captain Caketin Sketch comedy.

Nina Hogg(She/Her) is a young female comedian, producer and queer actor working in Pōneke. She has worked at Young & Hungry Arts Trust and now is full-time at Capital E’s National Theatre for Children as the Associate Producer. She performs with PopRox Improv, Comedy Gold (When Booty Calls, Cocked & Loaded), improv shows and in sketch comedy regularly.

Matt Hutton(He/Him) Matt is a Wellington based musician and improviser, who's been performing with a range of groups across the city for the last 10 years. He's a founding member of Best on Tap and the Paua Ballads, and is a regular musical feature in Late Night Knife Fight shows and NZ improv fest, and thrives on needing to cover a wide range of musical needs on the keys. As an improv actor he's performed in everything from long form dramas with Best on Tap, to soaps in Young and the WITless and So You Thing You Khandallah, to singing in raucous musicals with the Paua Ballads. He has a handsome white cat with different coloured eyes and hopes to get cool points by association.

Malcolm Morrison(He/Him) Malcolm is an absolute nerd with a big smile and a very distinct laugh. As founding member of Dunedin's Improsaurus, he consequently specialises in long-form, narrative based improv - making The Big Hoo Haa a fun (and potentially chaotic) departure from his comfort zone for your viewing pleasure. Malcolm has over 15 years of experience under his belt, plus he has created and directed over 30 unique shows across wildly varying genres and styles. Outside of the improv world, he spurns his PhD in physics to work in the tech industry and quite enjoys dogs. They're nice<3

Sam Irwin(He/Him) Sam Irwin is an actor, comedian, and quiz host based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara, he is usually well reviewed. Sam's desperation to impress everyone, in a chill way, combined with his unclesque charisma make for hilarious, unique, and unforgettable shows.

Alayne Dick(She/Her) is a Te Whanganui-a-Tara based performer and writer. She currently performs improv as part of the company Tiny Dog. She recently took her award winning show (SYNZ Tour Ready Award) Deep and Meaningful to the Sydney Fringe, where she was nominated for Best Spoken Word. Alayne is also known for her acting role in the feature film Spring Interlude, which premiered in the New Zealand International Film Festival in 2019.

Gab Raz(She/They) is a performer and teacher based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara, but originally hailing from across the ditch. She’d like to think she’s the one who pronounces vowels properly. With extensive professional training from Melbourne’s The Improv Conspiracy and The John Bolton Theatre School, Gab has been called ‘a consummate physical theatre and comedy performer’ for her work on her recent solo production Being Prey. When not doing improv, Gab is a clown. Sometimes intentionally, mostly unintentionally.