ImproGuise, Cape Town’s oldest and award winning improv troupe, will present their fifth, week-long annual Improv Festival, which will feature six nights of different formats, some new and some old audience favourites. New formats include Alexander Abbey – a period drama; WestWord – a word from the audience that allows them to improv travel; and The Show Currently Known as Tribute – an improvised tribute show about a made up band, with real, made up songs based on titles from the audience. Old favourites include Naked Improv, Documentary and Duos. Each night is different, so watch one or watch all!
ImproGuise has been delighting audiences by playing TheatreSports for 23 years. Their most loved format TheatreSports and improv shows are made up as they go, always different, based on suggestions from the audience and always bring the magic of live theatre right onto the stage.
Meet the team
ImproGuise is also a two-time Fleur de Cap winner. Their team consists of Megan Furniss (Founder), Tandi Buchan (Artistic Director) and veteran players: Ryan Jales, Leon Clingman, Brett Fish Anderson, Anne Hirsch, David Luyt, Ardine Fick and Carolyn Lewis plus a few surprise guests!
After completing her drama degree and diploma at UCT in 1986, Megan has been involved in theatre of all kinds, specialising in writing, performing and directing her own creations. She has been playing and teaching TheatreSports in Cape Town for almost 20 years after starting up Theatresports Cape Town in 1993. She writes plays, stories and a blog www.meganshead.co.za. In 2011 her play The Tent was selected to be part of an exciting programme of African plays at the National Theatre Studio in London. It was also published in the Proyecto 34°S Theatre in Translation 10 plays from South Africa and Argentina.
Tandi is currently the Artistic Director of Improguise. After graduating from UCT drama school in 1995, Tandi joined TheatreSports and has been playing and teaching improvisation ever since. She is an established actress and has appeared in many films, plays and commercials. In 1999 she moved to London and in 2001 she co -founded Two Foot Rule, an improv company in London performing a show called Off the Cuff in Battersea. Whilst in London she also worked extensively as a drama teacher, including working with The Natural Theatre Co., masters of invisible theatre and performance art. She currently works as a lecturer in improvisation and voice at The Waterfront Theatre College.
About the Improv Festival
WS asked Tandi what audiences can expect – or not expect – at the fest this year:
WS: Why a six-day festival – what inspired you’all?
TB: Why not? We are constantly trying to push the boundaries when it comes to improvisation and we always get to a point when we can’t contain ourselves anymore and say … it’s time to share all of this great stuff with our audience! Six days is not nearly enough!
WS: Help to explain how it works – will there be one theme for each night, or a variety of different games, or …?
TB: It will be a different format each night. Some old audience favourites and some brand new formats like Tribute. We don’t really focus on short form games in our fest, like in Theatresports, but more on long form, which means the stimulus for an hour show can be from a single word, and since you have so much more time on the stage you have much more room to explore a range of different emotions other than just laughter. The focus is on longer, more grounded scenes with the humour coming from characters and relationships.
WS: Please tell us a little bit more about Alexander Abbey and WestWord – without giving away too much, I guess.
TB: Alexander Abbey is an Austen-inspired period drama set in and around an aptly named Abbey, filled with all the intrigue and drama that the style evokes. Westword, which is a play on words and named after the popular TV series, is an improvised journey based on just one word from the audience.
WS: And, just to make it clear to those who may not know your work – everything will be unscripted and improvised on the spot. For the whole week.
TB: Yes! Absolutely everything will be made up on the spot, for six days! How amazing is that?
WS: A lot, if not most of the plot, character and setting suggestions come from your audiences. Is there anything you WON’T accept – are there rules?
TB: Over the years we have come to understand what our audience wants and how to ask for what WE want. So it’s a two way street. An audience has paid to see us succeed so it’s in their best interest to help us make the best piece of theatre possible!
WS: And what have some of the more memorable suggestions been, over the years?
TB: I wish, after 20 odd years, I could remember them all, but I can’t. However, there was that one scene once. Set in an Irish pub with Patricia De Lille. And some phenomenal dancing …
WS: Most of you in the ImproGuise team have worked together for a while now. Does it all become much easier, the more you do?
TB: Yes absolutely! People always ask why we rehearse when it’s all improvised. Well, it’s only through the continued practice of listening, accepting, being present and the magnificent ritual of playing and creating together that helps us achieve (what I believe) is a tight, well-oiled improv team.
WS: For people who love what you do, and would like to somehow be involved – is this possible? And if so, how?
TB: Yes it is! We are running an improv course called Improv for Life which is a beginner’s course for anyone and everyone. It runs for eight weeks every Tues from 14 March till 2 May. Contact tandibuchan@gmail.com for more info.
What: Improv Festival
Where and when: Alexander Theatre, 6 – 11 March
Book: Alexander Theatre
WS
