Top improv group The Noise Next Door spend a lot of time together, and they're about to spend even more time together now as they embark on their tour of the UK. Here they present their guide to surviving life in a group...

There are five of us. Since the dawn of The Noise Next Door, there has been just the five. The same five. As a group we spend hours crammed into cars, waiting in dressing rooms, performing on stage, rehearsing, writing, and - believe it or not - we also hang out together on our days off.

If there is one thing each one of us has learnt in the last six years, above and beyond anything regarding comedy, it is how to survive in the company of the same four dudes... EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. Please find below our collated wisdom on the matter in six handy tips!

1) Don't Be A Dick

Wherever possible avoid being a dick and you will find that you fall out with people a lot less. It's a simple rule but one that is worth considering regularly.

Every time you are about to be a dick in a group of people, perhaps consider briefly what it would be like if you were to present your actual dick (or lady gland equivalent) to everyone. It would be sad and confusing. Being a dick and showing everyone your dick both get very similar reactions.

2) Everyone Is A Dick Sometimes. Get Over It

While the first point on the list is a good starting point, every single person will, at some point, end up being a dick. If you are reading this thinking, "I'm never a dick", then you are probably a dick all the time and none of your friends can actually stand you. Sorry.

In these scenarios it is important to try and deal with the dick quickly and tactfully. Don't let someone be a dick for an extended period of time or the wind might change and they'll stay like that forever, but equally, you have to accept a little bit of dickishness from each other sometimes.

3) Do New Stuff

Moving away from the basics now... There will be a point in all relationships, be they between friends, co-workers, lovers or, like in our case, an awkward combination of all of the above, when you will run out of old stuff to talk about.

One day you'll be telling an adorable anecdote from your childhood about how you once thought that the Dalai Lama was a mythical breed of alpaca and everyone around you will nod knowingly; they've all heard this before. Weeks later you'll dig up a charming story about how you and your brother once locked... and everyone else will finish "the next door neighbour's cat in a wishing well for a couple of hours". Trust us. The old stuff runs out.

Eventually the only things you will be able to discuss will have happened to you in the time since you last saw each other. In the case of a group that see each other with alarming regularity, it is pretty much your solemn duty to do SOMETHING in that time. Watch a movie, go rock climbing, shave a cat. Doesn't matter what. Just give yourself something to talk about.

BONUS HINT: Don't be afraid to really drag stuff out when talking about it. Last Christmas one of us watched the festive musical Nativity on Netflix with his girlfriend. The next day, on a particularly arduous car journey, he explained the entire plot in excruciating detail (including songs and a Q&A session) for about an hour and a half, which meant the description came in it at just 15 minutes short of the run time of the film itself. Impressive.

4) Games

No matter how much 'chat content' you generate in your time apart, that too will eventually run dry. Games can be a great way to fill time. In-car quizzes, epic 'six degrees of separation' challenges and overly complex card games can all go a long way to soothing inter-group relations.

In situations of extreme proximity such as our own, even the most reliably re-playable games can become tiresome. Don't be afraid to make up new ones. We once played a barely recognisable twist on 'Snog/Marry/Avoid' called 'Frog/Barry/Android' where you had to name your favourite frog, Barry and android. That game spawned (pun intended... because of the frogs) discussion, research and list making that entertained the five of us for almost a whole Birmingham to London train ride with final results ranging from the safe: 'Kermit/White/Data from Star Trek: Next Generation' to the wildly controversial: 'West African Goliath/Chuckle/Operating System for mobile devices'.

There is all sorts of fun to be had out there guys.

5) Comfortable Silences

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6) Have A Baby

Like all long term relationships, a group such as ours can be completely rescued by the simple application of one human infant to focus love and attention on, rather than having to talk to each other. We've been working really hard on getting one of these miracle cures but, no matter which way round we try it, none of us ever seem to get pregnant.

The Noise Next Door are now touring. For more information and tickets visit www.thenoisenextdoor.co.uk

See Also: December 2013 interview