Improviser !

Six guys in outdated outfits improvise a full Shakespeare play, based on the suggestion of a title.

The scenes were long and strong. One half of the show is about 30 minutes long and covers about 4 scenes. A lot of silences, and mastered Shakespearian dialogue. There are often many actors on stage, which requires very good listening skills.

Of course there is the occasional pimping, but, at least in the first half, it is not done to the point that it damages the story. When it is done, it is done in a good-natured way. Maybe this is because they know that they can have many characters, or that the sheer length of the improvised play makes it so that they cannot really let it take over. And I believe pimping is actually better when it makes use of the characters and the story which was the case here, rather than just provoking your partner.

I loved how they slowly introduced the characters and the backstory.

Yet at times, especially in the 2nd half, games between improvisers on stage and pimpig slowly took over, to the detriment of the story. Don’t get me wrong, I am not against pimping, and in such a long piece, it is invitable because we need relief from the constant sollicitation of the audience’s mind to put all the pieces together. It helps let go of excess tension. But in my taste, the pimping ended up taking a lot o space.

This is why I would still put the Improv Bandits from New-Zealand one step ahead in my book. A very good show nonetheless…