OBSERVER: Something Good
The art of theatre improvisation is quite a skill and often lost under the radar, or underrated,in this era of blockbuster shows underpinned by wizard technicals, excellent choreography, and expensive rehearsal hours.
Comedy Republic offers improvised shows throughout the Comedy Festival and I was fortunate to attend a 4.30pm performance of Something Good, thus very light on four letter word.
The regular talent team were joined for Something Good by stand up comedian Mark Watson.
It is a mark of the regulars’ ability to read and respond to each other’s talents that someone of Mark’s expertise seemed almost perplexed at times.
A feature of improvisation is that the audience selects the starting point and actors riff off each other’s ideas until another jumps in, re-routes the storyline, and the more madcap the journey the better.
Huge fun was had from the audiences’ starting dialogue offer of making new friends (during inlane swimming was a crazy start) as we were led down cardboard tunnels to escape politically patient management, via a nervous McDonalds server; all the while coping with incompetent drivers with peripheral vision issues, en route to a zoo run by tigers. No wonder a fireman had to arrive.
Occasional lack of clarity sometimes lessened enjoyment but Something Good offers great weekly fun at Comedy Republic until April 20.
Performance Details: Until April 20 at 4.30pm. Venue: Comedy Republic, 231 Bourke St., Mebourne. Bookings: comedyfestival.com.au
Review by Maggie Morrison