BATS in the Belfry in San Francisco
Writer: Kate Herbert
Aug 30, 2000
Improvising is the most fun you can have with your clothes
on. We play games, make up stories and pretend to be other people. Doctors
might call this mental illness. For improvisors, it's a lifestyle.
When we collected Keith Johnstone from San Francisco
airport, he didn't look like an improvisation guru. The masterly theatre
improvisation teacher, writer of 'Impro' and inventor of Theatresports had
trouble staying awake.
Not because we, his impro students, bored him, but because
of some soporific medication.
Johnstone travelled Europe with his impro troupe, Theatre
Machine, then settled in the town least likely: Calgary, Canada, known for
cowboys not comedy.
His comedy improvisation invention, Theatresports, mutated
over the Pacific en route to Australia. Calgary provided no show format to
Sydney producer, Dennis Watkins at Belvoir Street Theatre, so he improvised.
Two teams became eight, scenes had time limits, a comedian
hosted and tossed Minties, judges were ruthless, teams gladiatorial, fighting
tooth and nail for a finals cup. It was AFL with jokes but no firm bums in
shorts.
In Melbourne, the furore died down after the late 80s when
2000 people attended grand finals. The format and objectives of Theatresports
Melbourne are now closer to Johnstone's original vision. Two of us even
travelled 12,000 kilometres to attend a week-long workshop with Keith in
August.
Bay Area
Theatresports, (BATS) San Francisco runs an Improv Summer School each year
since 1993. Week one is a six day intensive with Keith for experienced players.
Week Two, taught by BATS coaches, covers improvised Shakespeare, song, mask and
story-telling.
'Be ordinary," says Keith at the school. "Don't be
creative." It sounds simple but it is difficult not to want to be clever
on stage. Cleverness may make you funny or popular but does not necessarily
make a good scene.
"It was very entertaining but I only saw a couple of
good scenes tonight," said Johnstone. He dislikes the show-business, gaggy
quality that typifies our shows.
"Don't try to improvise. Pay attention to what is
happening," he says. "Try to
think, 'What does the audience want?' and give it to them."
Keith likes naughty, relaxed improvisors. "Don't be
well-behaved, Be good-natured and michievous and make my life difficult."
BATS founder and company member, William Hall, calls Keith a
theatrical treasure. "His books and pamphlets have the most practical
advice about improvisation that anyone has written."
Dean of the BATS Improv School, Rebbecca Stockley, started working with Keith in 1985 in Seattle
before moving to San Francisco to help set up BATS.
She says, "Keith's work moves improvisational theatre
from the realm of light entertainment to powerful theatre. His theories and
approach make good improvisors great improvisors. Keith's style makes it
possible to create stories on stage collaboratively in real time."
What we lack in Melbourne is the coherent and stable
environment of a theatre company that can support its improvisors as BATS does.
BATS is improvisor's heaven. They have their own theatre at
the Marina overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge. Shows run Thursday to Sunday and
classes most days.
The company is rigorous and expects its members to
participate fully in all aspects of BATS: performing, teaching, skills
development, corporate work, development of new work.
The core company comprises 23 players who also teach. There
are also intermediate and novice groups. Those accepted into the novices must
attend a minimum 72 hours of classes and even then there is no guarantee of
passing onto stage.
Shades of Johnstone and BATS are seeping into Melbourne
Theatresports shows. Who knows what you might see in the Grand Final this week.
By Kate Herbert
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