THEATRE REVIEW: CRANSTON CUP THEATRE SPORTS FINAL
Review By Steve McGrath
Director: Cale Bain
Cast: The Bear Pack (Carlo Ritchie & Steen Raskopoulos),
dysleXia Men (Jon Williams, Bridie Connell & David Callan),
Bigger on the Inside (Dave Bloustien, Steve Lynch & Brydie Lee-Kennedy), The Rock Steady Crew (Scott Hall-Watson, Erin Foy, Steve Kimmens and Tom Dunstan for Lisa Ricketts) – plus champions round players; Scriptless Cup Champions – The Fighting Trousers (Jason Dunn, Jim Fishwick, Damon Steff and Linette Voller), The Theatresports Schools Challenge Intermediate Champs from Sydney Secondary College Leichhardt – The Theatresprouts (Finn Parker, Hugo Venville, Hugo Thompson & Declan Maher).
Synopsis: A series of scenes that probe the fears and conflicts of society, delving deeply into the psychological traumas of a group of ordinary people as they struggle to survive a changing and confronting world … Oh, wait a minute, this is Theatresports! How do you review Theatresports?
Review: From the first moment I arrived at the Enmore Theatre (which always reminds me of the State Theatre, except it’s completely different) I did what all sensible theatre goers do and headed straight for the rest room. I scuttled down the well-trodden steps to below surface level and when I discovered two women using the mens room, I realised this was going to be no ordinary night at the theatre. (No, they weren’t using the urinals, they were in the cubicles, just to satisfy anyone’s curiosity. Separate cubicles, that is. Now let’s move on with our lives.)
Impro Australia had produced the much awaited Theatresports Grand Final for 2011, where the best teams, whittled down from an armada of twenty, had to to battle it out on stage for the legendary Cranston Cup; a monstrosity of a trophy that looks as if it may have been designed as iron lung machine for an Oompa Loompa.
I sat deep in the middle of Theatresports fans heartland; cowering as they hooted and hollered at their favourite teams, shrieking in delight at the imagination that showered them from the stage. Not wanting to be seen as a suspicious stranger from out of town (Surry Hills is many bus stops away) I feigned some hooting and hollering and even felt compelled to jump to my feet along with the diehard fans, as is tradition, when the judges raised victorious score cards.
With the theme of “Superheroes” Hosts Susie Youssef and Jane Simmons, the babes of barbs, kept the levity soaring and even added up points at the same time. The first group improv command was to act out a scene that depicted the spirit of the 1980s. The fact that some of the newer performers weren’t born until the 90s didn’t stop their creative abilities. Some of the more veteran players recalled their prime in the 80s, which means they weren’t really there. Artist Ken Done and Yo-Yos had loving revisits (not to imply Ken Done bears any similarity to a Yo-Yo).
As the night rattled along The Fighter Trousers team did a clever recreation of a six headed mutant (I hoped the two ladies in the mens room were out by now to see this) and dysleXia Men did a hilarious “Occupy Bankstown” scene. During the “Buckets of Lines” game, hosts Susie and Jane gave one player an extra point for having his pants down and docked another player for taking his shirt off.
Dave Callan, from diselXia Men did a brilliant South African soap opera, two players got into the same pair of trousers (there is a great deal of trust between team members). We visited a Japanese Bath House and we witnessed Roller Rink puppets. Highlight of the night was when The Rock Steady Crew whipped the fans into a frenzy when they were instructed to re-enact the Qantas grounding as an interpretative dance.
Sometimes the audience was almost as funny as the players. When called upon for suggestions of accents the performers could use for a scene; someone from the stalls yelled out “Bankstown!”
An “Opera” involving a magic carpet had a clever use of a bear head from who else but The Bear Pack, and an “Epic Scene” as a dentist struck a chord with the crowd, as well as a nerve. There was a Shakespearian version of a gay marriage, sleazy used tyre salesmen, Tupperware eating gnomes and much more spontaneous mayhem that is unable to be transposed here in mere print. You had to be there. A fine night out was had by all and it was safer and cheaper than using hallucinatory drugs. The games were punctuated by the musical genius of Benny Davis at the keyboard; also totally improvised.
The stalwarts of the Theatresports core are available for a range of corporate workshops – and if you dream of one day lifting that diabolical but glorious trophy over your head like the winning team, dyslexia Men did, then Impro Australia has classes conducted by seasoned pros. Contact them at www.improaustralia.com.au
