2023: The Place To Be
Pōneke Improv Roundup for as much of January is left
You may not know me personally but if you do, it will not surprise you to learn my January has been full of rehearsals. Too many, if I’m honest; the right amount for the two shows I’m involved in, but after two reasonably relaxed summers (if parenting a baby/toddler can be called relaxing), working those two shows feels like the days when I worked five plus for Fringe and then more for Comedy Festival, which comes two months later but somehow feels simultaneous.
Despite the overwhelm I am loving making a new improv show - The Big HOO-HAA Pōneke is less than a month away from its NZ debut and I am so excited to share the silliness with an audience. The rehearsal room is a delight and the format is structured but with freedom to play. We have four shows in Fringe and then more on the way (watch this space for a special Comedic announcement…). I counted well over a dozen shows with the ‘improvisation’ tag on the Fringe website, and my fingers are crossed that I’ll get to see them all.
I got asked the other day how many hours I spend doing improv in a week. Once upon I actually counted - at the time it was about 300 hours a year performing, watching, practicing, directing, and teaching, spread unevenly across the seasons. I don’t think my hours are up that high any more but something I wish I’d had a way to quantify was the other work of improv, the digestion. The time spent thinking about a show and formulating a workshop plan in my head before I write it down, or the times I debrief with a friend and we analyse what we loved/questioned about something. I especially do it more when teaching, processing what I think the students need and what I can do to provide space for it.
That’s enough rambling, folks. There’s already been a bunch in January and I didn’t get to tell you about it. But don’t worry, there’s plenty more to tell you about…
imProfile: NEXT DOOR IMPROV
Who they are: A trio of seasoned Wellington improvisers creating sharply funny stories about the highs and lows of being human. “We learnt and played together through Basejump and Improv Connection since 2019, performing in numerous shows and formats including Mondayne, Third Party and the Late Night Knife Fight winning team Awkward.”
What they do: Together they perform shows (debut this Fringe!) and elsewhere, Jon teaches with Improv Connection.
The vibe: Long-form, realistic shows. Like life, they tend to be funny, dramatic and filled with relatable pain.
Get involved: Catch their debut show in Fringe 2023: Shame & Scandal on 17-19 February, 9:30pm at Te Auaha
Stay updated: Follow Next Door Improv on Facebook or Instagram.
Help me profile all the improv companies and ensembles in Pōneke!
Send me your group’s info and you’ll feature in a future post.
coming up…
Remember to let me know if you have events coming up so I can tell other people about them!
shows
Summer Improv (Locomotive). Various dates (keep an eye on the Facebook) 6:30pm at Te Auaha. This is a really fun collaboration with Wellington Comedy, where we are sharing Te Auaha on Friday nights through to April thanks to the support of WCC funding. Keep an eye out for upcoming dates, and stick around for the standup afterwards. (The name may change when it’s no longer summer…)
Fringe is coming up. There are so many shows. Sadly I cannot link directly to the results of the ‘improvisation’ tag search, but you can check out the programme and have a browse. I’ll do a list in a later issue but hey - go book your tickets now!
workshops
Free Intro to Improv Taster Night (WIT). 6-8pm on Tuesday 31 January, Te Auaha. A gentle introduction to good improv times.
Fundamentals of Improv (Improv Connection). Starting Tues 7 Feb, 6-9pm, 8 weeks, registration from $396 (financial assistance available).
Do Scenes Get Notes (Locomotive). Mondays in February and March, 7-9pm at Thistle Hall, registration from $55 and open now. Classes in Feb with Matt Powell and in March with Jennifer O’Sullivan. A nice short course to get your engines roaring for the year.
other links and stuff
I’m still loving Chris Mead’s improv newsletter, and I recommend anyone with a nerdy side to make themselves a Character Sheet with his template here. Super reflective and also silly.
Kitty Parker has been busy with her blog over the summer - relatable not just for people early in their improv career! I especially enjoy the ECE thoughts.
Help me collate all the upcoming improv and improv-adjacent events and useful news - tell me about yours! Deadline is Saturday, I put this together on Sunday.
let’s talk…
What are you taking from last year’s experiences into 2023?