Improvention 2010 - Looking back
Improvention 2010 - Looking back
Thursday, 6 January 2011
It's been ages since I last posted on the Improv Blog, so I thought I'd dust off an old piece I put together at the huge National Improvention last July.
The Improvention is a yearly event run in Canberra by Impro ACT, and last year they expend it from a weekend of shows and workshops to a whole week. It ran July 21 to 25 and was a really, really great time.
There were numerous Brisbane folk represented, including Dan Beeston and Nat Bochenski from Impromafia, and myself. I only made it to the last 2 and a half days, but I had a blast!
My original plan was to blog every day while I was there, but the social schedule was way too packed, and I only managed to squeeze out this piece just before I jumped on stage on the final night.
I do mention that I was about to go on stage below, and was going to say how I went. Well, in a nutshell, it was FANTASTIC!!!
I was in a show called "Go ahead, make me", which Nick Byrne (head honcho of Impro ACT) claimed strenuously that he had not made up in 10 minutes (not sure if I should believe him or not).
In a nutshell, it was a challenge format, where someone would go forward and challenge the rest of the players to "go ahead, make me", and they would - make them do something, that is.
I can remember that the cast include Nick (who I was really keen to play with - and got to do the first scene of the night with - kissing him, of course), Patti Style (just a pleasure to play with), Tim Redmond (another fantastically talented and supportive player, and a great double act with Patti), Dave Bloustien (a cool comedian/improvisor from the Sydney squad, who I met the first time when I ended up rooming with him - and a fellow comic reader), John Knowles (head honcho of Impro Australia and one of the nicest guys around).
Sorry if I missed anyone.
It was just a great experience - I would rank it amongst the best shows I have ever been in, in terms of just pure enjoyment. It renewed my love of impro, and was a great old time.
Just writing this memories are coming back:
The wind echoing "Renee" (and everything else), the whole life scene with Dave (don't go to war, daddy!), the whole shemozzle with the Canadians in the Russian sub, and lots of singing.
That's not even going into the other great shows that I had the pleasure of seeing, and the general camaraderie that the improvention had.
And Jonathan Ripley!
A big shout out to all the fine improvisors (and supports) who populated the fest, especially Nick, Geoff, Ben and Cat for making it all possible (and all their little goblins).
Anyway, here it is, tidied up and with some editing, my blog post "live" from Improvention last year:
Damn it's hard to try and blog at a impro gathering as it goes along. There's so much else to fill your time with. Attending workshops, chatting, going on food missions, chatting, networking, chatting, watching shows, chatting, bullshitting with other improvisors, talking, chatting, catching up,and of course, chatting.
So, I have given myself a 15 minute window to try and record some random impressions of the nigh-on three days I have been here.
In no particular order, here they are:
•There is apparently a time of morning where the sun has not come out, but it's not night time. In unrelated news, very early flights seem to be the cheapest, but the most sleep depriving of all.
•Damn, the Canberra crew really make the visiting improvisors feel welcome - appreciated, even. From the pickup for the airport to the gift baskets in the rooms to the way everyone just seems so happy to see you - it's really a wonderful experience. Hats off to Nick for making it all happen.
•Experience over the last 3 days shows that 3 hours is just not enough for 100% of workshops.
•Watching the improv in front of a big, appreciative audience, even if you know and the performers know that it's not technically the best impro it could be, really adds to the experience.
•It's tough when you go to give a show a standing ovation, and no one joins in.
•There are just so many cool, talented people at the fest it's practically impossible to have a deep conversation with all of them. Having said that, there's no shortage of chat available.
•It's tough not performing for a few days at the show, you start feeling like a impro groupie - hanging out with the artists after the show and telling them how great they are. I'm getting to perform soon though.
•I'm not too nervous about performing - I have been following a mantra for the past few days - lose the ego, listen, make bold choices, physicalise. I'll let you know how that works out.
•Did I mention everyone is so open and friendly, both the locals and the visiting improvisors?
•I wish I has someone else from Brisbane was here to act as a social director. It's tough being a shy improvisor.
•The musical show on Friday night was amazing. Not the best singing or story, but just soooooo entertaining. The opening alone was worth the price of admission. Saturdays shows were great.
•Scenes from communal accommodation was fun and gypsypro was amazing - the amount of fun that both casts had was palpable.
•Fridays shows were just as good - the show from nothing longform was really quite tight, and the Rebecca De Unamuno and Monique Dykstra double act was both hilarious and actually added to the story....
•It seems that improvisors just can't help partying hard! The amount of all nighters that I saw over the week defied credibility.
•Patti Styles really is the queen bee of the Aussie impro scene.
•Personal favourite quote of the weekend - Steve Johnstone, during a discussion about how doing impro can help personal development "Lets approach it from the other angle - maybe you'd be a better improvisor if you stopped being such a prick."
•Staying up all night in order to catch a 6.30 flight is easy to start with, but the suffering starts later.
•Gee I hope I can make it next year!
I am terrible at remembering to take photos at these things. However, here’s a shot of a who’s who of Aussie impro enabling some kung fu fighting - wirework style!