Spontaneous Broadway

Fans of the brilliant, sadly now defunct comedy improv show Thank God You’re Here will love Spontaneous Broadway.  This is the Australian version of the very successful New York Theatresports company production, and is nothing like scripted, performed theatre. Delivered by legendary improv comedienne Cal Wilson, and skilled actors and singers Rik Brown, Scott Brennan and Genevieve Morris, this show is based on the treasured Theatre sports concept, where actors’ mettle is tested, honed and challenged, often in hilarious ways; this is a musical with a difference.

Created on the spot, and based on audience suggestions and votes (the suggested song about the wet, hairy chicken that was calm yet  confused was a winner), four performers each invent a premise for a world premiere musical, and all finally combine forces, using minimal purposefully ‘dodgy’ costumes, to perform one. Be warned. You may really want to see Opening Night’s songs, “I Dream of Buckets”, or “Daddy Has a Barn”, but alas, and possibly fortunately, all are lost to posterity and will be replaced each night by new, audacious, unbelievable creations.

Based on audience suggestions (do NOT be fooled into thinking this is a performance or revival of your favourite Broadway hits) each performer pitches their show by performing one improvised song from the musical that they create, there and then. It is not to be misinterpreted as the ‘trailer’ for the upcoming musical, West Side Story, but on opening night, you may have mistakenly thought for a split second, that you wandered into an out take from a very bad version of Cats when you saw Wilson’s problematic hairy neck that was designed as of a cat.

On opening night, five totally improbable titles were chosen from those contributed by the audience, so each night you know the performance is original except for the one, shared finale song. Each night, the audience votes on the song that will be the genesis for that night's performed musical. Sounds simple? Well, of course it is anything but simple.

Musicals like McDaddy The Musical, featuring the song, “I Love Hot Chips” was pitched as a contender, but the winner, a classic Russian musical, performed by a dour New Zealander, (Wilson, in clever disguise, complete with a neck brace) was based on the song, “Bearded, Bold and Beautiful”.

At each performance, MC and narrator Russell Fletcher keeps things on track as the cast then spend the second half of the show improvising a narrative as well as the songs. Each performer and brand new musical, is accompanied by virtuoso John Thorn on piano who brilliantly creates music to fit the mood of each just-created mini musical.

This is an opportunity to see well trained improv actors at their very best, and interestingly, several performers, including Newsboy Jimmy aka Genevieve Morris, have beautiful, strong singing voices.

It is total nonsense, of course, but is a night not to be missed for aspiring composers, music lovers and haters and for those who want a really good laugh.

Jude Hines.

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