Our friend Naomi, one of
the founders of The National Theatre Of The World, asked me if I wanted to join
in any of the shows. I kept an open mind about it and decided I would wait to
see how I felt when I got there. We blogged about them before so please check
out that old post for the full
concept of who they are.
Along with the Script Tease Project and Carnegie Hall, they also do Impromptu Splendor, which is what they were
doing in the Yukon. Far away from home and without the pressure of people I
might know in the audience, I decided to do the all three shows under the
Impromptu Splendor banner, and it was a great decision. Impromptu Splendor works this
way. Each night the troupe improvises a play in the style of a famous
playwright, and for the Yukon tour, they were doing Anton Chekov, Tennessee
Williams, and David Mamet. Let me tell you for nothing that it is the most
exhilarating project. I had only done one with them before in Toronto and it
was in the style of Noel Coward. It was a blast and so me being me, I decided I
best leave well enough alone. But lately in my quest to challenge myself to do
that which I fear, I went with it whole hog! It was such fun and all that
improv should be. In a supportive atmosphere, anything in life is satisfying,
isn’t it? Naomi Snieckus, Mike Fly, Colin Mochrie and Deb McGrath were the
improvisers for this trip! With a nod to
my worn voice, (having done a mini-tour with my husband for our new show
together—more to come on that) and the fact that I am not great with the impov
games at this point in my unpracticed improv career, I chose to only do act
one: the plays. No regrets there, as I sat in the green room wine in hand,
laughing and loving them in act two. When we landed in the Yukon after a full-day
two flights of travel, Naomi got right off the plane and conducted impov workshops
that day and the next. Out of the workshops she chose some local improvisers to
join in the games-set every night with great results. Not only did we get to
see them perform, but we got to know their lovely selves a little.
The company was brought to
Whitehorse by Eric Epstein who acts as both talent scout and host, excelling at
both and traveling around to find wonderful artists to grace his stage at the Yukon Centre of the Arts. Let me tell
you, it is an artistic community. They have an enviable and vibrant artistic
scene and we look forward to a time when we can go back again and be a part of
it. The audiences are smart and well-versed in what they are seeing. It was a
privilege to perform for them.
As for the Yukon itself,
stunning, friendly, air as cold and pure as the air in year one. When crossing
the road as pedestrians, were treated to drivers who stopped if we even looked
like we were thinking about crossing the road. We ate lots of good food, but
became regulars at a wonderful spot called BurntToast, boasting a fab menu and lovely, young hipsters with warm and
welcoming demeanors.
We are coming back Yukon.
You can’t keep all that lovely to yourselves.
Barbara: I’ve seen a few
Impromptu Splendor shows here in Toronto. I’ve been waiting for us to blog
about them—because they ROCK! I mean, there is nothing quite like the
experience of watching a recognizable shape and sound of a show (ie, David
Mamet-inspired) and howling with laughter at the genius of these improvisers
capturing it in the moment, absolutely making it up as they go along, and
creating compelling story and character arcs. I wish I could’ve been there to
share it with you: both the shows (and by "share", I mean "watch") and the Yukon. Wonderful!
