Author Archives: aliWit

The Improvathon – 2010 Fringe Festival

improvathonIt was the greatest challenge of creative and comedy endurance. An improv marathon – filled with all the thrills and spills that you have come to expect from Wellington’s finest improvisers. This improv extravaganza ran for 30 hours non-stop on the 12th and 13th of February, at the Wellington Performing Arts Centre, 36 Vivian Street.

Two brave audience and seven brave performers held out for the full thirty hours. We salute those heroes . . .and everyone else who took part and helped make it all happen.

WIT show posters

Gods & Heroes, 2010

Gods and HeroesGods & Heroes Relocated To Mt Victoria By The UN!

Friday, 5 February 2010, 11:01 am
Press Release: New Zealand Fringe Festival
Gods & Heroes Relocated To Mt Victoria By The UN!
Ancient Greek Pantheon Seen Milling About In Togas;
New Zealand Mortals Baffled By ‘New’ Mt Olympus

BATS Theatre

20 – 24 February 2010

A large angry man, clad only in a toga, was seen hurling thunderbolts at other similarly-clad beings atop the Mt Victoria Lookout last weekend. When stunned Kiwis, visiting one of their more beloved sites around town, asked one of the women what was going on she replied “Zeus is having a hissy fit. Again”. Another large man, clad in a massive lion’s hide, was seen wrestling animatedly with what he claimed was a 9-headed Hydra. It was, in fact, a stuffed kiwi plushie from Kirkcaldie & Stains.

Gods & Heroes: Improvised Myths is a brand-new improvised show, featuring Wellington Improvisation Troupe’s (WIT) most experienced players. The Greek Gods and Heroes you know and love now have a new home, atop Wellington’s own Mt Victoria. Witness the creation of new myths and legends as the daily squabbles and dramas of the Gods and Heroes invariably spill over into the world of the Kiwi mortals.

“Our Gods and Heroes are just like humans – they have the same strengths, the same weaknesses. They bicker and fight just like any family. They reflect our own stories, which is great material for improv”, says Christine Brooks, Director for the show.

“WIT has built a reputation for character-based improvised theatre that focuses on storytelling, through three seasons of its sold-out improvised soap opera, The Young and the Witless, and Gods and Heroes will build on this,” she said.

WIT’s best character improvisers bring you Gods & Heroes: Improvised Myths from Saturday February 20 to Wednesday February 24 at 9:30 p.m. at BATS Theatre as part of Fringe 2010.

WIT is an improvised theatre group that has been performing shows in the Wellington region since 2003. WIT has over 30 active members and they are also producing two other shows for Fringe 2010: The Improvathon and the popular format, Micetro.

CAST: Christine Brooks, originally from Christchurch
Geoff Simmons, originally from Auckland
Simon Smith, originally from Taranaki
Paul Sullivan, originally from Christchurch
Anton van Helden of Wellington

Performance dates and times:
Saturday 20 – Wednesday 24 December 2009; 9:30pm
$16 Full / $13 Concession / $10 Fringe Addict

Bookings at BATS Theatre: Phone (04) 802 4175 or email book@bats.co.nz

The Wishing Tree, 2009

flyer_wishingtree_miniIMPROV TO REMEMBER IN THE MORNING

An enchanting new improv show, The Wishing Tree, comes to BATS Theatre from 8 – 12 December, presented by the Wellington Improvisation Troupe (WIT). Based on a Japanese myth of love, luck and fate, a tree blossoms with genuine wishes as anonymously supplied by the audience. These true desires become the inspiration for scenes that will transport audiences to a world where their own wishes are brought to life before their eyes. Sometimes for good, other times for ill, and sometimes just for a laugh.

The Wishing Tree premiered during the 2009 New Zealand Improv Festival with a one-off show comprising performers from troupes across New Zealand and Australia. Described as “elegant and touching” (Salient Magazine), by popular demand WIT is bringing this show back to Wellington audiences who missed out on the sold-out show during the Festival.

WIT Co-Creative Director, Christine Brooks, describes the concept as “a different kind of improv. A lot of improv shows are a bit of fun, but can end up being pretty disposable, like a comedy version of a one night stand. The Wishing Tree creates improvised theatre that I want to remember in the morning.”

Based on a format created by Rama Nicholas of Impro Melbourne, The Wishing Tree has been performed around the world, from Belgium to Seattle, inspiring performers and audience alike.

“We all have dreams, goals and desires,” says Brooks, “but how much do we think about them? Sometimes you get what you think you’ve always wanted and it’s kind of disappointing or you get something unexpected and it’s great! The Wishing Tree allows people to reflect on their desires and wishes in a fun, open way. It’s thrilling to be able to entertain people and make them think at the same time.”

Starring WIT regulars from improvised soap The Young and the Witless, Derek Flores, Simon Smith, Anton van Helden, Paul Sullivan, Christine Brooks and others, The Wishing Tree will bring your true desires to life in a unique theatre experience this December.

WIT show posters

NZ Improv Festival, 2009

mini_nzif09The second annual New Zealand Improv Festival ran 7-10 October at BATS Theatre and the Fringe Bar, and featured performers from Wellington, Auckland, Christchurch and Australia.

Producer: Merrilee McCoy
Artistic Director: Derek Flores

MEDIA RELEASE  New Zealand Improv Festival 2009
Stumbling Towards Awesome!

Featuring: Wellington Improvisation Troupe (Wgtn), The Improvisors (Wgtn), The Court Jesters (Chch), The Con Artists (Akld) and Impro Melbourne (Aus)

The New Zealand Improv Festival is back – bigger, edgier, funnier, and ready to fall off the rails!

We bring you the best improv companies in NZ together for one awesome festival dedicated to making it up as we go along. What could possibly go wrong?

Groups from Auckland (ConArtists), Christchurch (Court Jesters), and Wellington (WIT & The Improvisors) are joined by Impro Melbourne in showcasing the best of improvisational theatre ready to change the way you see spontaneous.

Using nothing more than their wit and gumption these purveyors of on-the-spot creation will transfix you to the stage, all the while treading that highwire between genius and disaster. Even if it fails….it still succeeds!

Programme
07/10/2009 WellingSin City (Wellington Improv Troupe)
07/10/2009 Garry Trotter and the Philosopher’s Whateveryoulike (The Improvisors)
08/10/2009 Mr. Fish And His Spooky Library Of The Improv Macabre (Impro Melbourne)
08/10/2009 Bite Me: FangProv (Con Artists)
08/10/2009 Late Night Jam (NZIF Ensemble)
09/10/2009 Off The Map (Court Jesters)
09/10/2009 The Wishing Tree (Impro Melbourne)
09/10/2009 Late Night Jam (NZIF Ensemble)
10/10/2009 All Star Micetro Improv (NZIF Ensemble)

 

WIT show posters

WellingSIN City, 2009

mini_wellingsincityFringe Bar, from 10 to 24 May 2009, also in the Improvathon 2010

A totally improvised noir where YOU call the shots!

Murder, Revenge, Justice, Improv… following in the tradition of Bogart, Rooney, and Bacall, explore the mean streets and dark underbelly of WellingSIN CITY; an improvised noir where YOU call the shots. Six of Wellington’s best improvisors explore and develop the classic tradition of noir in 70 minutes of action, intrigue, and double dealing.

Artistic Director Steven Youngblood thinks the time is right to bring improvised noir to the public: “Noir is definitely in the public consciousness. Movies like Sin City, Max Payne, Brick and The Good German are making noir popular again. We’re very excited about seeing Wellington through the hazy veneer of post-war prejudice and mistrust. Throw in the current climate of recession, and I think we have a show that Wellington can really get into.”

Audiences can expect more WellingSIN City than just some light giggles “while there will be some very big laughs, the humour will come from events and motivations within the story, rather than some of the glossy schtick you may find on televised improv.”

We all have our demons, but how we exorcise them is up to you. From the people that brought you “To Be Continued”, “Love Possibly”, and “The Young and the Witless”.

WIT show posters

Micetro in the ‘Burbs, Fringe 2009

logo_micetro_skinny

Micetro: Bringing Improv to the ‘Burbs

Good-natured failure, we’ve got it and we are bringing it to the burbs! Crash and burn elimination improve in the style of “whose line is it anyway” is heading your way.

The Wellington Improvisation Troupe, Wellington’s not-for-profit community improvisational theatre group, present an exciting new season of MICETRO improv for the 2009 NZ Fringe Festival.

This year’s Micetro season for the Fringe will see three nights of never-seen-before and never-to-be seen-again spontaneity in Newtown and Lower Hutt. An excited flock of Wellington’s best improvisers, eight to twelve improvisers vie for the title; only one can win.

“Micetro is a show like no other,” says the show’s producer, Lesley McRae “Each night, two directors will bring the performers on stage to sing, dance and over-act their way through strange and familiar improv games”.

Each scene is judged by the audience, until eventually all the players are eliminated except for one; that one will be crowned the Micetro King/Queen.

“Formidable and funny” .. Theatreview.co.nz.

Please note two separate venues:
19 & 20 February: 7pm – Newtown venue
27 February: 7pm – Lower Hutt venue

WIT show posters

New Zealand Improv Festival, 2008

flyer_2008improvfestivalThe first New Zealand Improv Festival 2008 ran 27-29 November at BATS Theatre, and featured performances from Wellington, Auckland, and Christchurch troupes.

Producer: Merrilee McCoy
Artistic Director: Derek Flores

PRESS RELEASE 19 November 2008

New Zealand’s most playful minds spring forth from Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland – together at last to present an action packed, hilarious symphony of improvised theatre – for three nights only!

For the first time the country’s top improvisation companies come together to expose Wellington to a plethora of improvised comedy at its funniest and most daring.Each night two different companies take to the stage to entertain. In the grand finale on Saturday – the teams join forces, mix and fight it out in a ‘Festival All-Stars’ extravaganza – showcasing the best players from around the country.

JESTERS: “Terrific… One of the BEST troupes I’ve come across”
– Nancy Cartwright (voice of Bart Simpson)

IMPROVISORS: “This team is nothing short of phenomenal….” – Theatreview

WIT: “…formidable and funny” – Theatreview

Join us at BATS Theatre for a blooming great festival of moment-to-moment hilarity, a festival of spontaneous thought, high wire danger – The New Zealand Improv Festival!

Schedule:
27 Nov: WIT (Wgtn) perform LOVE POSSIBLY and The Improvisors (Wgtn) perform IMPROV THE SECONDARY SCHOOL MUSICAL
28 Nov: Court Jesters (Chch) perform ONCE (AND ONLY) UPON A TIME and The ConArtists (Akld) perform AUSTIN FOUND
29 Nov: All Stars Improv Spectacular!

What is Improvisation? Improv brings ordinary people into the theatre to enjoy stories spontaneously created from audience suggestions. For the players, improvisation provides a platform to explore performance and the narrative form. Most of all, it’s fun for everyone involved. Popularised by television shows like ‘Who’s Line Is It Anyway?’, improvisational theatre continues to evolve and entertain.

The New Zealand Improv Festival now has its very own website