Improv for Kids
Produced by The Improv Bandits for The NZ Comedy Festival
Q Theatre Loft
Saturday 03 May, 2014 at 12.30pm
Published at http://www.theatreview.org.nz
The Q Theatre is decked out in its best comedy finery for the 2014 NZ Comedy Festival and it has to be said that the venue tarts up very nicely indeed. There’s plenty of informative artist and show material available and the box office team are as friendly and efficient as anyone could possibly wish for.
Our son Finn (age 11) has been looking forward to this show all week and knowing that it’s followed by ‘Stand Up for Kids’ is a cool bonus. He shared with us that he hoped that kids would be able to take part because he has, he says, ‘theatre in his blood’.
Finn Matheson
The Loft is a great intimate performance space with the two qualities most necessary for a quality audience experience – great acoustics and excellent sight lines. In short, there’s not a bad seat in the house.
For this show the area in front of the stage is carpeted in red and the kids are invited to sit there and many in the almost full house do so. Apart from one brave Mum, the parents chose to sit in the comfort and safety of the darkened auditorium.
The Improv Bandits, it has to be said, are establishment. Formed by Wade Jackson in 1997, they’ve achieved a longevity that’s more than admirable and now, in their late teens, they, mercifully, show no visible signs of growing up.
Wade Jackson
The quartet for this performance take the stage, introduce themselves – ‘Wade (Jackson), Greg (Ward), Tom (Kane) and Mark (Scott)’ – and immediately begin to work their affectionate charm on the kids (and the Mums and Dads).
The warm up is warmly welcoming and happily interactive and Ruby (the technician) is introduced as well which is a nice touch.
The performance set is a sequence of well-worn games that are like a comfortable pair of pants, they fit nicely and they make you feel relaxed and ready for anything.
The ages of the kids – 5 to 13 – mean that some of the activities are, to them, brand spanking new which is great because the success of the show depends on kid spontaneity and the artists get that by the truckload. This is impressive because, as anyone who has performed for and with kids will know, they can go off on some pretty weird tangents if you let them, and sometimes they just go off. It says much for Wade, Tom, Mark and Greg that they manage the show superbly – and invisibly –and the kids remain focused and entertained throughout the almost ninety minute journey.
Greg Ward
An a cappella version of ‘Do Doo Ron Ron’ starts the show which warms everyone up and gets the brain cells working. This is followed by a spelling game with kids being asked to come up with words and my heart sinks when young Finn’s hand shoots straight up. My fears are allayed somewhat when another kid is chosen and he comes up with the word I knew Finn was going to suggest anyway – ‘hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia’ – which means a fear of long words. Kids today are smart, sharp and informed and adults could do well to be wary of them at times. This was one of those times but, undeterred, the Bandits ploughed on with the greatest of good humour and much pleasure was had by all.
The ensuing exercise involved an acted narrative with a theme – Finn suggested bullying which the actors took up – and a controller (Mark) who was able to reverse the action at will. The result was a riot ending with The Bully (Wade) being invited by his mother (Mark) to join The Bullied (Greg) in a pas de deux, ‘The Dance of the Two Bees’, that each had learned in ballet class. The message is strong, the performances incredibly funny and this was a high point of the afternoon.
Mark Scott
Equally funny was the slowmo ‘World Rollercoaster Championship’ where, once again, the talent and the skill of the performers is paramount. The red carpet kids are transfixed by both mime and narrative and this is improvisation for kids at its finest.
The final production number involved a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow, a leprechaun and a quest. A leprechaun (Mark) mounted, in the nicest possible way, by at least four kids journeying home with the gold and his untouched cup of gravy was sidesplittingly funny and a great way to wrap the up whole show.
Tom Kane
The Improv Bandits ‘Improv for Kids’ was a certainly a most enjoyable visit to the theatre but it was actually more than that. The thoroughly earned applause reflected just how skilled Wade, Mark, Tom and Greg had been in creating an experience for the kids that transcended mere improvisation and provided a positive and affirming experience of life lived in a substantially different vein. Finn, in post-show discussion mode, said that he really appreciated the show because it was interactive and didn’t involve humiliating any kids. He talked about ‘a real experience’ and not just ‘silly stuff’ which I felt was both perceptive and enlightening.
‘The Improv Bandits’ do it all again next week – same time, same place – and, given a similar set of circumstances and some open and involved kids, it’s a show I can really recommend. Wade, Greg, Tom and Mark promise ‘no scripts, no gimmicks, no safety net’ and we certainly got that – but we got a lot more besides.
dykiegirl 