NZ VS THE WORLD Close to Home Edition
BATS Theatre, The Random Stage, 1 Kent Tce, Wellington
10/10/2020 - 10/10/2020
NZ Improv Festival 2020: Close To Home
Production Details
“Words fail me to describe the last couple of rounds which are characterised by the kind of mayhem that occurs when the audience has abandoned itself to whatever is going on and can be persuaded unquestioningly to contribute in whatever way asked…” — Theatreview
A David and Goliath match of epically local proportions!
The traditional closing show of NZ Improv Festival with a twist – this time, NZ takes on ITSELF. Will it be North vs South? Wellington vs Everywhere Else? Suburbs vs City? Whoever the teams are, they’ll face off scene by scene, with your vote deciding who will take home local glory…
Hosted by festival favourite Wiremu Tuhiwai, it’s your opportunity to help us punch well above our per-capita weight as we close out the festival with a bang. In this joyous celebration of our first locally focused fest, only one thing is for certain – the audience WINS!
BATS Theatre, The Random Stage, 1 Kent Terrace, Wellington
Saturday, October 10, 2020
8:00pm
NZ Improv Fest invites lovers of improvised theatre everywhere to join us in celebrating the art form we all know and love this 3-11 October, from wherever you are and wherever you’re at. Join us in Wellington, or connect with us online, in a celebration of world class, local talent!
NZ Improv Fest: Close to Home takes place at BATS Theatre
Performance programme 6-10 October 2020
Workshops 3, 4, 10 October 2020
Don’t miss a moment!
Theatre , Improv ,
1 hr 15 min
Zany themes
Review by Margaret Austin 11th Oct 2020
It’s a pity NZ Improv Festival Director Jennifer Sullivan wasn’t around to enjoy the fruits of her labour. But then she was in labour of another kind, and a new baby improvisor has been born. She can rest assured that her other progeny – the eleven-year-old Festival – is flourishing.
The festival’s final night brought together ten players in two teams, named Red and Green. Given my slightly improv-overwhelmed mind, I wonder briefly if those colours are some kind of prophetic comment on the upcoming election.
In the meantime, MC Wiremu Tuhiwai sets things in motion with a coin toss. Rounds are to consist of three minutes each per team. Heads and tails become the themes for round one. The heads proposed by Team Green are two museum busts – of Christopher Columbus, explorer, and Nikola Tesla, inventor – having a chat from their respective pillars. Tails become, for Team Red, those adorning a couple of reclining mermaids.
The subsequent themes and performances are no less zany: earth and wind are juxtaoposed, as are Halloween and Christmas, chaos and order, cactus and cheese. I’ve sometimes wondered what improvisors dream about – is it possible punchlines?
The night winds up with a win for Team Green, and both players and audience hit the foyer – where I watch the gradual dispersal of energies and talents, symbolised by the flick of Matt Powell’s scarlet-laced sneakers out BATS front door.
Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer
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