Who is Christiane Brew?
Christiane Brew is a British actress, executive coach, and one of the longest-serving members of the Pirates of Tokyo Bay, Tokyo's English and Japanese improv comedy group. Originally from Cambridge, UK, Christiane joined the Pirates in 2013 and has been a fixture of the group's monthly shows at What the Dickens! in Ebisu ever since. Off stage, she runs her own consultancy, helping corporate teams in Tokyo develop assertive communication and collaborative leadership through applied improvisation techniques. She has toured internationally with the Pirates to New York City and Hong Kong, and has conducted training for major Japanese businesses, US Government organizations, and international schools.
Quick Facts: Christiane Brew
Full Name: Christiane Brew / クリスティアン・ブルー
Hometown: Cambridge, UK
Joined Pirates of Tokyo Bay: 2013
Role: Performer, Corporate Workshop Facilitator
Favorite Improv Game: Papers
Favorite Tokyo Food: Teishoku with grilled fish (burnt skin) and natto
Pre-Show Ritual: Meat pie, chips, and beans at What the Dickens! - missed only three times in 13 years
Hidden Talent: Plays a purple p-bone (mini trombone) and practices impulse dance
Gibberish Language of Choice: German
Find Her: www.christianebrew.com | @christianebrew on Instagram
How Christiane Found Improv
Christiane's improv journey started long before Tokyo - at a 1988 acting summer school in London. "I remember playing Freeze and finding it hilarious and free," she says. But in the UK at the time, improv was treated as a warm-up exercise for theatre, not a performance art form in its own right. For years, she used improv games strictly as rehearsal tools.
Everything changed when she moved to Tokyo. She discovered the Pirates of Tokyo Bay and began studying improv as a true performance discipline. "Freedom to play with others and forget, while creating - that's the draw," she says.
What started as a theatre exercise became a stage career spanning over 13 years in Tokyo's live comedy scene.
Her Favorite Game: Papers
Ask Christiane her favorite improv game and the answer comes without hesitation: “Papers”.
"I love justifying and story-based games. You have absolutely zero control, which makes it so fun," she says. "Plus, I'm such a good liar. When I was much younger, I made up the entire history of dinosaurs, and all the kids in my neighborhood believed me."
Her second favorite is “People vs. You” - a high-chaos format where one performer plays every character in a scene. "The first time I played it was super fun. My partner was so good at adding info to help me reach the number of characters - probably 12 different ones. I love integrating the performance into the audience to include them, and that happened during this game. Chaotic, fun, hyper focus."
Off Stage: The Executive Coach
When she's not performing, Christiane applies the same improv principles to the corporate world. Through her consultancy, she works with teams across Tokyo on assertive communication, presentation skills, and collaborative leadership. Her client list includes major Japanese corporations, US Government organizations, and international schools.
It's a natural extension of what improv teaches: listening, reacting, supporting your scene partner. In Christiane's world, your scene partner just happens to be your colleague. Learn more at www.christianebrew.com.
The Pre-Show Ritual That Cannot Be Broken
Every performer has a routine. Christiane's is non-negotiable: meat pie, chips, and beans at What the Dickens! before every show. In over 13 years of performing, she's missed this ritual exactly three times. "I play much better with a good dinner," she says matter-of-factly.
The Hidden Talent
During COVID, when live shows stopped, Christiane bought a purple p-bone - a plastic mini trombone - on a nostalgic whim. She'd played as a kid but had completely forgotten how. So she taught herself again during lockdown, and now improvises sounds on it at home. She also practices impulse dance, a movement form built on spontaneous physical impulse.
Even her hobbies are improvisational.
Catch Christiane Live
Christiane Brew performs with the Pirates of Tokyo Bay every month at What the Dickens! in Ebisu, Tokyo. The show features English and Japanese improv comedy - no Japanese needed to enjoy it, and no two shows are ever the same. Christiane also teaches classes at Pirates University. If you are interested in learning improv comedy, register today.
Check the schedule for upcoming dates: https://www.piratesoftokyobay.com/schedule Tickets are ¥2,500 with your first drink included: https://www.piratesoftokyobay.com/shows