Close to you with Rama Nicholas

THE WORKSHOP

Close to You is my signature workshop, exploring how to create safe, consensual, romantic and intimate improvised scenes on stage.

It’s the workshop I am most frequently hired to teach around the world. I’ve been training improvisers in this work for over 20 years, and I also became a fully trained Intimacy Coordinator to deepen and strengthen my knowledge, skills and expertise in this field. My goal is to give performers the tools, confidence and understanding to create rewarding, compelling intimate work while maintaining a strong culture of consent and safety.

What do we mean by intimacy in improvisation? How do we give an audience the gift of a truly romantic love story — whether hilarious, heartbreaking or deeply moving? How do we electrify an audience with sexual energy without becoming overly explicit? How do we create tension, vulnerability and chemistry? How do we break their hearts a little? How can we create intense, electric scenes while remaining connected to ourselves, our scene partners and our boundaries? And why don’t we hear more honest conversations about sex in improvised scenes? We see these conversations and experiences explored constantly in film, theatre and music. Why not improvisation?

Close to You explores all of these questions and more.

I created this workshop because I saw a real need for improvisers to explore intimacy on stage. Too often, performers can “wimp out” of love and intimacy scenes because of fear, uncertainty or a lack of tools. The result can be scenes where the performers are playing it safe rather than fully committing to the emotional journey of their characters.

Performing a love scene is a skill, just like any other aspect of acting. It can be learned. It takes trust, bravery, honesty, vulnerability and a willingness to take risks — perhaps risks you’ve never taken before.

I create a relaxed, playful and supportive environment where performers can explore this work through unique exercises, discussion, consent practices and safely guided scene work.

We talk openly about boundaries and what performers need in order to feel safe. I always make it clear that I will never push anyone into doing something they are not ready for — including kissing or physical touch.

Although physical intimacy is one of the themes we may explore, it is absolutely possible to create powerful sexual tension without touching at all.

We explore how to communicate consent, establish boundaries and remain connected to our scene partners while still allowing ourselves to fully inhabit the emotional world of the character.

What we explore
Through discussion, exercises and scene work, we explore:
• Love and intimacy in romantic relationships
• Consent and communication
• Building trust between improvisers
• Separating the performer from the character while still committing fully to the character’s journey
• Staging kisses, embraces and physical intimacy safely
• Eye contact, slowing down and reading body language
• Creating sexual tension without physical contact
• Vulnerability, chemistry and emotional connection
• Playing heartbreak, desire, conflict and romantic tension
• Breaking down barriers between ensemble and improvising partners
• Taking emotional and theatrical risks without crossing personal boundaries
We begin with discussion around love, intimacy and consent before moving into a series of heart-warming and playful exercises designed to build trust, connection and energy.
From there, we move into a series of relationship-based scenes, gradually allowing performers to put the ideas into practice.
The aim is not simply to make performers more comfortable with intimacy. It’s to give them the skills and confidence to create richer, braver and more emotionally truthful scenes.

A note on boundaries
This work is an invitation, never an obligation.

Every performer has different boundaries, experiences and levels of comfort, and those boundaries are respected throughout the workshop. Participants are encouraged to communicate clearly, make informed choices and take only the risks that feel right for them.

There are no full-nudity or naked simulated-sex scenes in this workshop.

Content warning
This workshop may include themes relating to breakups, heartbreak, sexuality, gender, heated arguments and raised voices, passionate encounters, intimate physical encounters and potentially toxic behaviours within relationships.

Participants will always be given context and guidance around the work, and consent remains central throughout the workshop.

THE Teacher
Rama Nicholas is an actor, comedian, writer, director and world renown improviser and teaching artist. Rama travels the world performing, directing and teaching improvisation at festivals and with various international theatre companies.

They are known for their critically acclaimed, multi character scripted solo shows, which are a unique blend of character comedy and incredible storytelling. In 2014 they became the recipient of the Melbourne ‘Moosehead’ award for comedy and has been nominated twice for the coveted ‘Golden Gibbo’ award for independent comedy at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in 2014 and 2017.

Experience level

Participants must be Advanced or Intermediate level, having completed ITS Level 6 or equivalent experience elsewhere. NO beginners. Participants MUST read and understand what the content of the workshop is before participating.

Casting Note

Up to 8 workshop participants will be invited to perform in the show Close To You at 7.15pm on Friday 13 November.

Invited performers will need to be available from 6pm on Friday for rehearsal, check-in and warmup. Show casting is at the discretion of the director.

Wed 11 and Thu 12 Nov, 10am — 5pm at Improv Theatre Sydney (1 hour lunch break).

This workshop is part of the ITS Comedy Festival 2026. Check out the full program here.