The Early Early Late Show
The Forge at The Court Theatre, Christchurch
30/04/2009 - 06/05/2009
The Forge at The Court Theatre, Christchurch
14/05/2009 - 16/05/2009
Production Details
THE EARLY EARLY LATE SHOW
– Very, very funny at an early, early time
THE FORGE AT THE COURT THEATRE proudly presents a return season of THE EARLY EARLY LATE SHOW – a showcase of THE COURT JESTERS’ unique brand of fast-paced, furiously funny improvised comedy in a family-friendly format and time.
"The Jesters have been enjoying record attendances at SCARED SCRIPTLESS," says Artistic Director (and founding Court Jester) Ross Gumbley, "THE EARLY EARLY LATE SHOW is a great way to display their skills to a brand-new audience – one that might not be able to come to on a Friday at 10pm or worried about the content a ‘late-night’ show may have. This is family-friendly entertainment that introduces the uniquely interactive experience that is improvised theatre."
The current season of THE EARLY EARLY LATE SHOW is currently scheduled to run from April 30 until May 6, with performances at 8pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. All tickets are the "low, low price" of $15.
THE EARLY EARLY LATE SHOW evolved in 2006 when a touring show withdrew unexpectedly. Gumbley recalls during a discussion of the problem, "Someone asked ‘How do we create a show out of nothing at the last minute?’ That’s when we realised that that’s what the Jesters do every week." THE EARLY EARLY LATE SHOW was conceived, cast, staged and promptly sold out.
On the heels of this success The Jesters have become key drawcards in The Forge, creating shows like RADIO HA HA, CHATTERBOX, PULP WILLIAM (which will tour the country and participate in the NZ International Comedy Festival 2009), SCRIPTLESS UNCUT and A VERY MERRY SCRIPTLESS to critical and audience acclaim. While quick to praise these shows, Gumbley likes the return to "no frills" improvised theatre. "Improvisation is at its best when it is at its simplest – using an audience suggestion (or volunteer) to conjure something out of thin air. It’s theatrical magic."
THE EARLY EARLY LATE SHOW opens on April 30 and runs for a strictly limited season.
THE EARLY EARLY LATE SHOW with The Court Jesters
Hosted by: Ross Gumbley
Venue: The Forge, The Court Theatre, Christchurch
Ticket Prices: All tickets $15
Performance Dates: 30 April – 6 May 2009
Performance times: 8pm Thursday, Friday and Saturday (additional performances may be added)
Bookings: The Court Theatre, 20 Worcester Boulevard; 963 0870 or www.courttheatre.org.nz
Extended season:
Thursday 14, Friday 15 and Saturday 16 May
Vivacity, good humour and a little lunacy
Review by Lindsay Clark 01st May 2009
At a time when sophisticated technology and cynical plot lines dominate many a stage, it is exhilarating to be part of an occasion where audience and actors are simply having fun together.
We give the suggestions and from time to time lend our names or bodies. They do the hard bits, shaping the scenes and making things happen.
The Jesters, spearheading 18 years of improvised theatre at The Court, have gone from strength to strength in that time, with 22 members in the current troupe; a team of four playing this show. The current format has no set theme, simply delivering a dozen different games liberally sprinkled with challenges and audience involvement, bustled along by genial taskmaster Ross Gumbley whose skill with the audience is an essential component in the mix.
There are some good old-timers to warm things up, such as ‘Word-at-a-time-story’, and ‘Category Category Die’ before the rousing ‘Half-life Scene’. In this game, a story is acted out in successively halved versions accelerating into a melee of limbs and tongues as the playing time is cut.
‘Rodomontade’ (boastful bragging) was a tall order, bravely faced for the endowment challenge, in which a player has four minutes to guess and voice a word, coaxed out a syllable at a time by the other three players.
On to the Expert scene (on this occasion a biblical scholar explains in an interview, a ‘recently discovered’ eleventh commandment, with hilariously mimed surtitles by a frenzied third player).
In dizzying succession they play ‘Shared Story’, ‘Furniture’ (all props and set to be supplied by a human participant), ‘a Day-in-the Life- of’, based on an issue in the life of an audience member and a narrated ballet. In the final offering, two players become speaking puppets who can only be moved by the manipulation of another pair.
Each night there will be freshly staggering challenges but undoubtedly the theatre makers, including the audience, will win, for this is a strong, experienced and energetic team who balance expertly the skills of supporting each other and keeping the spirit of the games alive by pushing each other to the limit. Fired up by their vivacity and good humour, our collective imagination is well exercised and probably all the better for a little lunacy.
_______________________________
For more production details, click on the title above. Go to Home page to see other Reviews, recent Comments and Forum postings (under Chat Back), and News.
Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer
Comments