Ladies and gentlemen, droids and aliens, gather round for a special Star Wars themed improv show taking us to comedic depths of a galaxy far, far away! But did Leia, Luke, Boba and co. manage to bring something new to the Star Wars universe?
The troupe did well in establishing the Star Wars universe.
It’s a Trap! is created and performed by a cast of self-declared Star Wars fans from Nottingham. Their MissImp improvised comedy theatre even runs regular improv classes, so the weight of the Star Wars franchise should rest easily on their shoulders. The show did deliver plenty of intergalactic mayhem and clever Star Wars puns, while dodging the urge to stick to the obvious lightsaber duels, starship battles and daring escape routines.
The troupe did well in establishing the Star Wars universe, setting the scenes and painting a vivid picture of the environment, but some characters were left irritatingly under-developed. Improv is a real team effort, where different energy levels impact the outcome immensely. Some performers played off each other with impeccable timing and sharp dialogue with a right blend of nostalgia and clever comedy. However, the intrepid rebel twins Leia and Luke were continuously out staged in particular. The recurring joke of a weepy Luke dealing with his absent daddy issues wore out pretty quickly.
Audience participation is the key to great improv. Right at the beginning, the audience got to pick two things: the time and the place, but neither had any impact on the unfolding stories on stage. So, one is left to wonder, how improvised was it anyway? Improv is all about embracing the unknown and taking risks. Stepping well and truly outside their comfort zone could have led to more exciting and unexpected scenes.
From the moment they hit the stage, it was clear that the MissImp troupe had a deep love and affection for the Star Wars series. What It’s a Trap! lacked was not about doing their homework, it was about establishing a real connection with the audience. Letting us participate by taking in spontaneous audience cues to create the Star Wars scenes unfolding in front of our eyes would have been much more impressing and enjoyable.
The show's title, It's a Trap! is more than just a nod to Admiral Ackbar's famous line – it serves as a testament to the unpredictable nature of improv comedy. Tampering with the legends is a daunting task. “Do or do not. There is no try”, as Yoda so eloquently phrased it. In this case, there should have been more doing. The show needs more energy, more improvisation, more risk taking and more audience participation. Then It's a Trap! would be a comedic Force to be reckoned with.
