Enmore Theatre. Sunday September 27, 2023

Reviewed : 27 Sept, 2023

It’s always a packed house! A noisy, boisterous packed house! A packed house of people of all ages, from under 8 to over 80! Some alone, some in pairs, some in family groups! All excited because most know what’s coming, and those who don’t are just caught up in the buzz and vibe. The vibe that is TheatreSports – and Celebrity TheatreSports in particular!

It’s hard to describe, but it’s a vibe that’s specific to Impro theatre. It’s a phenomenon, a wonder, a marvel, call it what you will. It comes from expecting the unexpected, from seeing actors take a challenge, make things happen, create characters, make a story …

So Ewan Campbell didn’t really need to warm up the audience, but hey, he loves it, and the audience certainly does. So in his inimitable style Campbell played on the hype, raising the excitement to pave the way for the reverberating tones of David Callan as he announced the 6 teams, host Rove McManus, co-host and timekeeper Monique Dykstra, and the amazing Benny Davis improvising on the keyboard.

Sporting every possible variation of 60s styles – flowers, flares, leather and laces, bandanas and braces – they took the stage along with Scorekeeper Jordan Gregory Dunsmore, the ‘Human Scoreboard’ – Will Torney, Simon James and Roy Valentine – and hidden in the audience, the Celebrity Judges, Jenny Hope, Liz Hovey, Lyn Pierse and Joanna Weinberg.

McManus kept the frenzy fizzling as he and Dykstra explained the ‘competition’ process – and the raison d’etre of the annual event. – namely to raise money for “Canteen” the national organisation that supports young people living with cancer; including cancer patients, their brothers and sisters, and young people whose parents or primary carers are suffering with cancer.

Two young Ambassadors from Canteen – Abbey Stephens and Nat Stickland – spoke glowingly after the first half of the show of the support they had received from Canteen, Abbey as she dealt with her father’s suffering, Nate as he continues to deal with the cancer he has been fighting for many years. Canteen gives young people like Abbey and Nate support and courage – and the inspiration to help others.

It’s a mighty cause, and every year celebrities from TV, theatre, music and sport join theatresports aficionados – and representatives of the young people from Canteen – to raise much needed funds to pay for the services Canteen provides including camps, counselling, specialist support, individual support and a 24/7 online support service for young people and parents. This year those celebrities included Amada Keller, Jay Laga’aia, Wil Anderson, Adam Spencer and Heather Garriock.

Families from Canteen led the cheering as McManus urged people to ‘dig deep’ in the interval by buying raffle tickets in prizes donated by the celebrities in the teams.

Back to the stage – and the TheatreSports rounds!

Some incredible stories and creative manoeuvres materialised. It’s impossible to try to remember every challenge the teams were given, nor attempt to recreate in words the hilarious scenarios that resulted, such as Murray Fahey manipulating John Knowles, Natasha Exelby and Alex Lee as puppets at a peace rally.

Or Wil Anderson, Nikki Britton, Steve Lynch and Lisa Ricketts, with the help of McManus improvising a scene using lines from a text message from a mobile phone ‘donated’ by a member of the audience!

In another, Ewan Campbell, Amanda Keller and Jay Laga’aia were ‘saved’ by bullets from an imaginary walking frame wielded by Jane Simmons.

Topics and challenges were amazingly varied: Four Animals on a Road Trip to Nimbin; Hilda the Horse That Lives Inside; a Family Saga based on the saying “Revenge is a dish best served cold. In another the team had to keep changing their impro in a variety of styles based on last century TV shows including Telly Tubbies and Thunderbirds! Funny – and surprisingly accurate!

Funniest of all was an impro where the team had to include in their performance the unrealised ability to belly dance. That team, titled “We’ve Got a Matilda” included former Australian soccer player and coach Heather Garriock, Daniel Doody, David Callan and Adam Spencer. All three men – and Garriock – took the challenge so literally that their belly dance was chosen by the judges at the ‘moment of the match” as it were – and they were required to replay it in slow motion at the end of the final round! Photos of that moment – see below! – are certain to be making their way around the world!

It was “We’ve Got a Matilda” that narrowly won the challenge and were declared the 2023 Winners, though surely every team was a winner this year! They certainly worked hard enough and obviously enjoyed the ‘gig’ as much as their audience!

Celebrity TheatreSports is just one of the many events – and classes – organised by Impro Australia. Check them out on improaustralia.com.au.

And while you’re online, check out Canteen at canteen.org.au – and donate or buy a bandana on Bandana Day.

Also published in Stage Whispers magazine