The premise for this clever improvised show is to poach from the best of the Fringe. Smartly outfitted in black with snazzy red ties, the group of nine young performers takes us through a show structured on a series of theatre sports games. Different performers jump in from game to game and the pace is snappy. To provide them with inspiration, the audience is invited to throw in suggestions, whether the titles of shows we’ve seen at the Fringe or names of everyday objects from which the troupe can create Shakespearean insults.
The performers are skilled and while the show didn’t astound me, it is full of energy and entertainment value.
There are some very impressive abilities on display, such as the game of correspondence, where two pairs compose improvised letters. There’s a catch though, of course. One pair speaks only in alternating words, which makes it a challenge to compose a coherent sentence when one partner is being cheeky. The other pair, remarkably, speak in unison. It’s like one of those trust games played at school camp, but their impulses are honed. They speak slowly but it’s really in unison; there are times when even the two actors are amazed at what comes out of their mouths.
Completing the show is a long-form improvised narrative, lasting about 20 minutes. Taking an audience member’s suggestion of Fringe show The Trial of Jane Fonda, the troupe performed a zany narrative about swimming pool safety, lawyers and a cautionary story about the dangers of collecting and carrying typewriters with you wherever you go, including to swimming lessons.
The performers are skilled and while the show didn’t astound me, it is full of energy and entertainment value. As is the nature of improv, it’s hard to gain a well-rounded opinion based on a single show; variables in what the audience offers and what unfold on stage are part of the appeal.
