THESE FOLK (Boulevard Theatre)***

 

By Jack

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyxi6Szbr-o&feature=emb_logo

Available until: no idea

I’d like to go to an improvised show. As soon as they ask for audience participation I’ll think of something impossible for them. Like if they asked me what mundane thing I’d done today I’d tell them I did a poo. Even if I didn’t. It’s not like they can check, is it? Then I’d sit back and wait to see if they go with the motion. I personally think most people do a great impression of a poo. With some people all you have to do is mention poo and they flush. And that was joke number two. Just dropping it in there. Yes I am talking ****.

When it comes to improv the first thing you need to be good at is thinking on your feet. Especially in a production like this where the guitarist’s got the only chair. The actors Susan Harrison and Justin Brett are very quick to respond to each other and they get a lot more laughs than a lot of comedies which the writer has been working on for years.

But they’re not just quick, they’ve got talent. They can act and they can do different voices and accents. They’ve got good singing voices and can perform in lots of different styles. They’re also very good at movement. I don’t think I’d quite call it dancing but that’s good, I wouldn’t enjoy it if it was dancing. I always want to fall asleep when Imogen’s lot start dancing but this movement stuff was all right. It looked good, it was expressive, it fitted with the story.

There are 2 musicians onstage with the actors, percussionist Rosie Bergonzi and guitarist Curtis Volp. No idea if they’re improvising the music on the spot, I’m not sure how it works with music but they play their instruments well and create great music.

I think improv works especially well for online theatre too. With most plays you watch it and then you’ve seen it and a lot of people will feel there’s no point in going to see it again at the theatre when it reopens. But with improv theatre you can go to the same show and see something completely different. This video is also only half the length of the shows they usually do so if you go and see it they’ll either take things a lot further or you’ll get two improvs out of them instead of one.

So give this show a watch and see if you like it and if there is a chance to see these folk doing a These Folk show go and see it in person. All you need to do is sit back, relax and try not to fart because if you do they might use it in the show. I would.

 

Here's a quick word from one of my little sisters. She likes shouting.

THE OTHERS DON’T GET THIS EXEPT JACK. THERE STUPID. THEY DON’T LIKE IT WHEN THE ACTORS MAKE THEM JOIN IN BUT ITS SPOSED TO BE LIKE THAT. IT WAS FUNNY AND THE ORDIANS WAS LAGHING TO. I LIKED THE MUSIC AND THEY WAS GOOD SINGERS AND DANCERS AND THEY ARE CLEVER TO MAKE IT UP. DON’T MESS WITH MY SPELLING IF YOU UNDERSTAND IT ITS GOOD ENOUGH

BY ALBA