The Vancouver International Improv Festival review

 

The thought of being thrust up on a stage is nerve wracking for almost everyone. Whether it’s been a school play or a presentation in the workplace; the vulnerable state of being in front of an audience has been the subject of worry, the occasional nightmare, and the premise for at least one episode of any given sitcom.  We take comfort in our wrinkled cue cards and bathroom mirror rehearsals, preparing ourselves until we feel primed.

Fortunately for us, however, there are some brave people who find euphoric thrills in subjecting themselves to public displays of winging it. These wonderful people are improv actors and they make the terrifying terrific.

The Vancouver International Improv Festival graced the city for its 17^th annual year, brining laughs to Granville Island stages from October 4^th to 8^th. Players from across North America convened with local performers to entertain audiences with fast-thinking theatrics and colorful characters.

On Wednesday October 5^th, Granville Island’s Revue Stage was brought to life with four different groups performing off-the-cuff shows in a variety of formats, showing just how much can be done with small ideas a whole lot of gumption.

The first production of the evening was International Ensemble – Team Echo; an amalgamation of actors from all over Canada and the United States, brought together for a special performance. Team Echo spun a full story from the audience-suggested setting of “an Amusement Park”. From two simple words came the characters of a maniacal carnie, a tragic clown, two lost children, a hoop-toss addicted father, as well as a janitor and his stuffed-bear significant other. Vancouver actor/magician Travis Bernhardt played the part of a claw machine with a hilariously natural ease.

Vancouver’s own Proud of You improv gang took to the stage for their eccentric and lively exhibition of characters and physical comedy.  Spring-boarding off the audience provided word “dice”, Proud of You started their set by each sharing a memory involving dice. From there, they produced themes including board games and Vegas that they then incorporated into their series of sketches.

Following Proud of You was Virgina Jack, a comedic duo. For this performance, however, one half of the pair was unable to be there for the evening. But, in the true show-must-go-on spirit of improv, regular cast member Briana Rayner was joined by Little Mountain Improv’s Shawn Norman. The two pulled together for a wonderful story of an anxious project manager and a stoic maintenance engineer.

Rounding off the night was Vancouver’s Shakespeare After Dark, who constructed their set with the help of ingénue, classic Shakespeare, and a generous amount of alcohol. For their first shtick, they reenacted the iconic ‘Romeo and Juliet’ balcony scene, with the actor playing Romeo intentionally heavily inebriated, adding an element of challenge to the piece. After the boozy bard revamp; they created a Shakespearian tragedy using audience guidance.

On one stage with four chairs, these troupes of actors managed to concoct dozens of settings and scenarios. Some with full, complex story arcs others showing only brief situational snapshots. Improv is a fantastic way to spend the evening for some light-hearted fun. If you missed the Vancouver International Improv Fest and want to be entertained, visit some of these great venues in the city:

Vancouver TheatreSports Improv Centre
1502 Duranleau Street

Little Mountain Improv Gallery
195 E 26th Avenue

Instant Theatre Studios
529 E Broadway Street

Havana Restaurant
1212 Commercial Drive