How to pronounce my name:

My name is Terje. Like the IKEA chair. You can call me Ted if you want to.

It is pronounced almost like the dog Terrier but without the last R. Terrie. Terr-y-yeah.

I'll answer to anything though, so please feel free to butcher my name. I won't get offended, promise!

The short and sweet bio:

Terje Brevik is an improv teacher and performer from Oslo, Norway.

He is the founder of Tøyen Impro, an improv school for everyone, and the Short Notice Improv Festival, a week long international comedy festival complete with workshops, shows and a Big Day Out!

His ideas, style and preferences come from a broad and diverse range of sources. He considers himself very lucky and privileged to have studied with Keith Johnstone, at the Annoyance, iO Theater, Loose Moose, the Pack theater and many more (yet he learns the most from his students).

Terje holds two Bachelor's degrees, one in Drama and Theater Communication, and the other in Computer Engineering. He comes with 10+ years of experience teaching and performing internationally, with training

tl;dr

improv teacher, performer, producer and community catalyst


Terje could have put the following in his bio:

  • Tøyen Impro is an Oslo-based improv school for everyone!

    Tøyen Impro offers weekly and monthly classes for all levels, summer schools and guest workshops.

    Tøyen Impro also has a corporate offering, helping identify and train skills such as communication, collaboration, psychological safety and group dynamics.

    Tøyen Impro was founded in 2018.

    Active from: 2018—today.

    Website: toyenimpro.no
    Facebook: facebook.com/toyenimpro
    Instagram: instagram.com/toyenimpro

  • The Short Notice Improv Festival was founded in 2022 and put together in two months by yours truly!

    SNIF22 featured guests Joe Bill, T.J. Mannix, Lena Breuer and Nick Maaß.

    In six days, SNIF23 had seven shows, thirteen workshops, sixteen performances and tons of fun!

    SNIF22 featured guests Susan Messing, John Lehr, Rahel Otsa, Cindy Pittens and Hellena Jang.

    SNIF24 features Susan Messing, John Lehr, Jen Hardy, Laura Berkemeyer, Peter Westerweel, Julie Flower, Sarah Davies and Professor Elemental.

    Active from: 2022—today.

    Website: snif.no

  • Active from: 2015—2019.

    Impro Neuf became Norway's biggest and most inclusive improv community thanks to Terje’s work. Impro Neuf offer classes, shows and workshops. It is also the host of the annual Oslo Impro Festival.

    In 2015 Terje took the initiative to form Impro Neuf. He was then elected leader/director at the first annual meeting and re-elected every year since, before stepping down in 2019.

    In that period he wore too many hats to mention and did too many things to list.

    Let’s just say that he did a lot of hard and groundbreaking work that turned a group of nerdy friends in a basement into one of the biggest improv communities in Europe.

    In the beginning there was one ensemble and, if there was enough people, one workshop a week and one show per month. In four years this grew to three ensembles (Norwegian,/English/Musical), 20+ teams, two weekly shows, two weekly drop-ins, levels 2 and 3, an open stage for beginners, guest workshops and much, much more.

    Impro Neuf is the host of the international Oslo Impro Festival, founded by Terje in 2017, and the weekend long A Curious Improv Comedy Festival in the Night-Time, founded by Aree Witoelar.

    Impro Neuf is a not-for-profit organization where everything is volunteer based and no-one gets paid.

    Impro Neuf website: improneuf.no

  • Active from: 2017—2019.

    Impro Neuf is the host of the annual international Oslo Impro Festival.

    The festival was founded by Terje in 2017.

    Website: osloimprofestival.no

  • Active from: 2017—2020.

    MindMeld, an applied improv company: founder (soon to be rebranded)

    MindMeld is a company that helps identify and train the personal skills that make people work and communicate more effectively.

    Communication, trust and the ability to listen are key variables for effective team work. MindMeld offers practical tools and engaging workshops to train these skills in a safe and inclusive way, both on the individual and group level.

    Applying the MindMeld tools and mindset will bring more revenue, a better work environment, higher productivity, increased adaptability and innovation and a more productive work day to your organization.

  • In addition to taking a lot of classes with great teachers abroad, he’s also taught and performed in USA, Belgium, the Netherlands, Great Brittain, Germany, Switzerland, Estonia, Latvia, Russia and Denmark.

  • This is not a bit.

But he won't. He's too decent, handsome and modest.

He could also mention that he’s referred to as the Navy SEAL of psychological safety.

But he won't. He's too honorable, dapper and good at googling synonyms.

He will however treat you like a rock star. Because that's what you are!

My style of teaching

It's hard to describe one's own teaching style (without over-using the words "the bee's knees"), but my main focus is always to create a safe environment for the group by building trust in a fun and inclusive way. Consent and safety always comes first. Only then are we more open to explore, discover, fail and learn together. And have fun!

Maybe it's easier to describe what kind of teacher I'm not?

  • I'm not going to yell at anyone or call them names.

  • No is a complete sentence in my workshops. Always. We even practice saying it!

In my workshops I will:

  • Make improv more fun and less scary!

  • Offer tools and stuff that you can try if you want to, and hopefully discover what works best for you (and what doesn’t)

  • Not tolerate inappropriate behavior.

  • Insist that you take care of yourself and your partner.

  • Do my best to take good care of you, because you deserve to be there!

We all have our own unique improv journey. My job is to try to provide what you need at the point you're at in a way that makes sense to you.


I've been known to bring Norwegian chocolate when abroad.

The full bio

(this guy could be yours!)

Formal education:

  • Bachelor's of Drama and Theater Communication from Oslo Metropolitan University (Drama pedagogy, 2016). Includes mask work, storytelling, directing and more.

  • Bachelor's of Science from The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (IT, 2006).

Improv resume

Thank you for reading this far! I love you!

I love to teach but also take classes myself! I’ve been very fortunate to travel and take classes all over the world, meeting and learning so much from so many wonderful people!

Here’s a few highlights in chronological order

  • Tøyen Impro Guest Exclusive February with Will Hines

    Idiot work (weekly) with Chad Damiani

  • Oslo Impro Festival:
    With Susan Messing, Jeff Michalski, David Razowsky and Andel Sudik

    Tøyen Impro Guest Exclusive
    With Patti Stiles and Steen Haakon Hansen (5 workshops in one week)

    The Pack Theater Summer Intensive (2 weeks)
    With Miles Stroth, Neal Dundade, Brian James O'Connell and Shaun Laundry.

    Idiot work (1 day)
    With Chad Damiani

    Copenhagen Improv Festival
    Developing Characters for Improv - The Groundlings Way (5 days)
    with Brian Palermo

    Dr. Cacky's Impov Cleansing (1 day)
    with Craig Cackowski

  • Musical workshop (2 days)
    With Laura Hall and Rick Hall

    The Annoyance Summer Intensive (AP1 - AP5)
    With Julia Morales, Charley Carrol, Mick Napier, Lilly Allison, Jimmy Pennington and Bob Fisher

    The Annoyance Summer Intensive Part 2
    With Christy Bonstell, Jimmy Pennington, Mick Napier, Bob Fisher, Lilly Allison and Charley Carroll.

    Oslo Impro Festival
    With T.J. Mannix and Jay Sukow.

  • Ten Days with Keith Johnstone in beautiful Denmark, for a third time!
    With Keith Johnstone and Steen Haakon Hansen

    Oslo Impro Festival
    With Shawn Kinley and Craigh Uhlir.

    The Annoyance Summer Intensive
    With Mark Sutton, Charley Carrol, Mick Napier, Lilly Allison, Sam Locke (puppetry), Susan Messing and Bob Fisher

    The iO Theater Summer Intensive Advanced (2 weeks)
    With Tara DeFrancisco and Matt higbee

  • Ten Days with Keith Johnstone in beautiful Denmark, for a second time.
    With Keith Johnstone and Steen Haakon Hansen

    Hemsedal Clowning School (6 days)
    With Patrick van den Boom

  • Ten Days with Keith Johnstone in beautiful Denmark
    With Keith Johnstone and Steen Haakon Hansen

    The iO Theater Summer Intensive in Chicago (5 weeks)
    With Tara DeFrancisco, Bill Arnett, Matt Higbee and Steve Waltien.

  • The Loose Moose International Summer School in Calgary (10 days)
    With Shawn Kinley and Dennis Cahill

    Trance mask course, Calgary (5 days)
    With Steve Jarand

    Actor brain vs. Writer brain (5 days)
    With Will Hines

    Thinking big and small at the same time (5 days)
    With Steve Waltien

    All available levels here in Oslo

  • My first improv beginners class :D

  • Various "shorter" workshops with Laura Hall, Rick Hall, T.J. Mannix, Jonny Nelson, Rolland Lopez, Nelson Velazquez, Rich Baker, Micah Philbrook, Thomas Mook, Craig Uhlir, Rafe Chase, Regina Saisi, Megan Gray, Chet Siegel, Fena Ortalli, Tim Orr, Elena Skopetos, Jeff Michalski, Jay Sukow, Kim Howard Johnson, Dina Facklis, Adal Rifai and more.

    #humblebrag