this might sound like a devious marketing scheme, but it’s not – everybody should do the TheatreSports course, everybody…

for those of you who have no idea what TheatreSports is, where have you been? Only Cape Town’s longest running live show [and best kept secret it seems way too much] TheatreSports is our local ‘Whose Line is it Anyway?’ type improv comedy show where absolutely everything is made up on the spot – two teams of actors compete in a series of improvised games based on a series of suggestions we get from the audience, are awarded scores from our randomly selected judges and produce an evening of sheer comedic entertainment and much fun for the whole family.

for example we might ask for an interesting job [botanist] and an adjective [grumpy] and a tv, movie or theatre style [shakespeare] and an object smaller than a car [statue of madiba] and then we will produce for you a shakespearean play in which a grumpy botanist will appear somehow linked to a statue of madiba… pure entertainment [shows are mondays at the intimate theatre in town and tuesdays in kalk bay – check out our website for details ]

but back to the course – about once a year TheatreSports runs their course which has now been broken up into two separate parts – beginners and intermediate – where we introduce the concept of TheatreSports and improvised acting, but mostly do a lot of exercises, warm-ups and play a whole lot of the TS games – it is the most fun anyone can have with their clothes on that doesn’t specifically involve chocolate [unless its improvised chocolate – that’s my opinion anyways] – the next course we are running is going to take place on the 19th and 20th March and costs R500 which is a ridiculous amount for what you get

the reason i believe everyone should do the course is because it is valuable in a number of ways – apart from just being a whole lot of fun, the TheatreSports course is designed to encourage you – with a gentle push (you never have to do anything you’re uncomfortable with) – to break down your inhibitions and go beyond yourself – to explore and imagine and create and let loose some of the playful creativity that may have been locked deep down in yourself – and really just go for it…

because everyone who does the course is in the same metaphorical boat so to speak there is no sense of performance anxiety in front of ‘these people’ – you are all in it together and so what quickly happens is a group bonding and a collective diving in and enjoying the pleasures and challenges of improv. it doesn’t matter if you get it wrong because there really is not much of a wrong – there is embracing the “yes, let’s” of the vehicle and giving it a go.

how the system works is you do the beginner’s course and then a little while later we run the intermediate course (only for those who have completed the beginners) and when that is done we may invite one or two people who have possible TheatreSports cred potential to join us for class and see if one day you will play the shows with us – so doing the course is just doing the course, altho for some fortunate people it may mean a future life of improv shows and beyond…

and so i really honestly believe this is something that will benefit every single person – the course is aimed at people who are finished school, but we will hopefully be running some school-related workshops in the upcoming holidays so everyone is covered – for more information or to book your place, get hold of Tandi on 084611 7270 or email us on info@improguise.co.za