Celebrity Theatresports 2024
Once a year the stars of Theatresports – and some special guests – take to the stage to raise money for Canteen, the wonderful organisation that helps young people when cancer hits them or members of their family. Celebrity Theatresports celebrates “the opportunity to support, develop and empower young people impacted by cancer” in the way it knows best … by the “joy of improvisation”!
This year they rocked their audience with an exceptional program … and in the process raised funds for the people at Canteen and their young ambassadors, two of whom, Rosie-May Proudlove and Bella Sebens shared their stories with a very compassionate and understanding audience.
Co-hosts Steve Lynch and Jane Simmons conjured mature versions of Grease favourites Danny and Sandy (loved the leather best Jane!) as they carefully controlled the action; and this year two musicians improvised the mood music. James Tarbotton played the violin, and Nick Harriott at the keyboard, continued a tradition set by his father Chris, the original Theatresports Mr Music.
Theatresports diehards Ruby Blinkhorn, David Callan, Kate Coates, Daniel Cordeaux, Happy Feraren, Orya Golgowsky, Jordan Gregory-Dunsmore, John Knowles, Josh Magee, Nicola Parry, Amy Tustian, Lisa Rickets, Kate Wilkins, and the inimitable Ewan Campbell led the 2024 Celebrity Theatresports teams.
The celebrities bravely taking part in the no script, no autocue, no 7 second button “think on your feet”, “go with the flow” drama that is Theatresports included included Ryan Atkins, Concetta Caristo, Rob Carlton, Murray Fahey, Ben Fordham, Osher Günsberg, Jonesy, Mara Lejins, Joji Malani, Gabby Millgate, Montaigne, Jioji Ravulo, and Adam Spencer.
Impro isn’t easy! You don’t know what the topic will be or what twist the hosts will throw into it. But this year’s teams took on every topic and twist with glee and added some very inventive twists of their own. Even the celebrity challenges called in from afar by Rove McManus, Susie Youssef, Kitty Flanagan and Peter Berner didn’t phase them.
McManus’s challenge from London – A scene from London in the style of a soap opera – of course suggested a confrontation between a King and an estranged Prince being egged on by his American wife – fancy that! Flanagan’s challenge of taking a selfie in a lion’s enclosure at the Zoo led to an encounter with some strange tiger-lions on an emotional rollercoaster.
The topic offered by oncologist Liz Hovey, back at the Enmore again as a judge – Disaster Averted – led to a cancel culture HSC drama performance that delighted the students and drama teachers in the audience.
An Epic Betrayal of Trust suggested by judge Annabel Crabbe, was performed in song, and the very imaginative topic suggested by Peter Berner – At a Prestige Auction Bidding for a Cursed Work of Art – became an internally narrated film noir scene.
Eternal impro games favourites like Emotional Replay and Expert Double Figures led to interesting quick changes and contortions, while new games like Social Media Live Stream saw Hansel and Gretel interpreting a string of messages between an audience member and her father!
It was a great afternoon of improvised fun performed by quick-thinking intelligent people giving of their time to raise money to help support kids facing one of the worst sort of traumas families can face.
Celebrity Theartresports comes to the Enmore for Canteen every year – but you can see classic Theatresports challenges in “Scared Scriptless” every second Tuesday at the Chippo Hotel OR learn more about Courses and Workshops at improaustralia.com.au.
Carol Wimmer
Photographer Stephen Reinhardt
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