Have you ever watched a Shakespearean tragedy involving a dental hygienist set in a tuna canning factory?
How about a full-length hour-long documentary completely made up on the spot?
A locally flavoured South African soap opera where none of the actors have any idea what is going to be happening?
Or how about a complete musical from start to finish where not one song has been practiced even seconds before the show, because none of them have been written yet.
GET YOU TO THE FEST
If you’re in Cape Town and all of the above scenarios seem a little far-fetched, then do I have news for you! In less than a week, Cape Town’s longest running show, Team Improguise, will be returning with their 4th Annual Improguise Festival which includes all the shows I have mentioned above and more.
Born out of the Whose Line Is It Anyway? TheatreSports games type of improv, the last year has seen Improguise stretching their muscles and heading into new and “dangerous” territory. Performing at the Galloway Theatre just outside the Waterfront every Monday, you can now see a different type of show every week.
From the traditional TheatreSports show where the audience provides suggestions and the actors play out a series of short games based on what was given to them; to a complete Western styled drama taking place over an hour, the popular Superscene show sees six directors setting up scenes and the audience decides which one gets voted out and which will ultimately be this week’s Superscene.
CAPE TOWN’S BEST KEPT WORST KEPT SECRET
When you see how much laughter and satisfaction the audience carries away with them each week, it remains mind-boggling how, after more than 21 years in Cape Town there are still “TheatreSports virgins” who have yet to see the show. And with each week being completely different you will never see the same show again, which is more than enough reason to keep coming back.
So if you are still one of the aforementioned “virgins”, next week’s Festival is the perfect time for you to get your feet wet. Grab a group of friends, book your ticket and arrive at the Galloway Theatre in time for the 7.30 start, confident that you will not be forced on stage or expected to embarrass yourself by pretending to be a monkey on a pirate ship mast. The actors will do all of that for you.
Why don’t you leave a comment below as to what your favourite television, movie or theatre style is that you would choose to see a scene played out in…