Led to the stage and created by Jason Geary (Melbourne), a mixture of well-versed and newly-skilled improvisers – some who have improvised together before and a couple who have played for the first time only – met a number of hours before the show. They give us an array of grounded characters, flaws, relationships, and connections that we could fathom being either ourselves or, the next best thing, someone we know. 

As often is the case with more grounded truth-based improvisation, there are always a number of expectations that you, as an audience member, want to be met. So, what Jason Geary and his talented cast Matt Powell, Laura Irish, Scott Sumby, Christine Brooks, Daniel Allan, Leesha Baker and Nikki Karki bring is exactly that.

This show is not filled with audience suggestions but instead with audience emotions. This show is not filled with the absurd or the wacky but instead is filled with the mundane and the real; well very close to the mundane and real that is met.

From a man of the cloth character who just wants to help people and sinfully helps himself – selflessly or selfishly or both? – to a mother and daughter who struggle with themselves and each other and their own identities within each other’s lives … From a father and daughter who are just as stubborn as each other, who are just looking out for each other, to a character who just wants to be one of the boys, one of the bro’s, without a care in the world …

Their stories along, with a few other scenes supported perfectly by Matt Powell and Scott Sumby, keep us engaged and educated on the simplicity that can be found in the complexities of not only the characters and their lives, but also our own day-to-day lives.

The transitions from and to monologues of each character break the scenes up during the show and keep it fresh. It also keeps the pace at a reasonable speed and at no time does it drag on or breeze through the scenes too quickly. It is also a nice moment to see each performer at their most vulnerable, making you feel not only for the characters but also like you are there with them in the scene, at that moment, in that choice they have just made or are about to make.

There are a few moments where I am confused about what is happening and seeing their scene partner also having the same look of confusion makes me feel better. But it is only for the briefest of moments before we are back on track again.

Underscored beautifully by Ben Kelly and lit to near perfection by Darryn Woods s throughout, the show’s culmination of character flaws, choices, and connections is a beautifully implemented show.

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