Press
Quotes
“The talents of their entourage with quick wit and improv skills that have to be seen to be believed.”
– NoHo L.A. –
Reviews
Impro Theatre: Top Ten Best Theatre of 2009!
RECESSION BE DAMNED: BEST THEATER OF 2009 in the LA WEEKLY!
“Impro Theatre In their improvised, full-length re-creations of works by Jane Austen, Tennessee Williams and other literary luminaries, Dan O’Connor’s troupe finds just the right blend of parody and homage in their witty, erudite entertainments.”
Steven Leigh Morris LA Weekly
LA Weekly 2009 Theatre Top 10
Jane Austen Unscripted
NEW REVIEW GO NEW REVIEW GO! JANE AUSTEN UNSCRIPTED
Oh, what fun to see an improv troupe create a two act drama in the style of a Jane Austen novel, inspired on the night I attended by the audience suggestion “snails.” The show is never the same, though co-director Dan O’Connor did say the company has rehearsed an English country dance that sometimes gets plugged in, sometimes not. And there are of course constant characters whom the company switch in and out of, depending on who’s available on any given night. O’Connor portrayed Mr. Dawson on the night this show was reviewed, a highly reputable fellow engaged in a snarky and pointless dispute with one Miss Amelia Green (the charming Jo McGinley) Much of the plot concerned the ability of these two porcupines to find love - in a Regency English style no less, encumbered by tightly fitting corsets, vests, dinner jackets and ties. Among the moments of high tension was when Amelia’s father (Floyd Van Buskirk) found the prickly lovebirds unescorted in a parlor room, sparking a scandal. There were also gorgeous cameos by Stephen Kearin as the genteel, horse-faced Mr. Robert Walker, and by Lauren Lewis as Amelia’s delightfully bird-brained sister, Rebecca. Eleven first rate comedians performed the night the show was reviewed; somebody hadn’t turned their cell phone all the way off, triggering a whining sound over the speakers, and causing a spontaneous subplot about a swarm of invading bees, and some controversy over whether or not it was decent of Mr. Walker to cure Rebecca’s bee sting by slopping mud on her bare arm. Aside from its breathtaking wit, the show reveals the codes of behavior that accrue into a acting style, and even a social style. This is a comedy about essence rather than substance, revealing how one is so often confused with the other. If there is such a thing as humane comedy, this would be it. Theatre Asylum, 6320 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood; Fri.-Sat., 8 p.m.; Sun., 7 p.m.; through Feb. 15. (323) 401-6162. An Impro Theatre production. (Steven Leigh Morris)
“YOU GOTTA GO!…One of the funniest evenings in town is tucked away in a little theater on Santa Monica Boulevard. It’s quite unbelievable, actually—as you sit there expecting “theater”, suddenly two random suggestions come from the audience, and an amazing comedy troupe spins an entire play into comedy gold right before your eyes. It’s called Jane Austen Unscripted, a stunning feat of performance and literary wizardry. And incidentally, it’s hilarious. I promise you, this brainchild of English stand-up and actor Paul Rogan and Impro Theatre’s artistic director Dan O’Connor is magic.”
— Letter from the Editor (Annie Gilbar, Editor-in-Chief), LA Times Magazine
“By the end of the play, the audience has experienced a brand new story in the likes of Jane Austen complete with hearts being broken, secrets being revealed and true love, which is magically resolved as the play comes to a close. But what Jane Austen Unscripted also gives the audience is this unique one-of-a-kind performance that can never be repeated in quite the same way, much like falling in love for the first time and “wishing to be a cloud” in the sky of their beloved. One thing that is for certain is the continued success of this outstanding group of actors and something absolutely not to be missed.”
— SoCal.com
“Company members take a couple of suggestions from the audience and spin an entire Jane Austen styled original play. One hundred percent improvised, the complex plot unfolds, hearts are won, witticisms flung and poetry recited, all in perfect synchronicity. Yes, amazingly enough, the actors are making up the entire dialogue right under your very eyes. It’s like watching a Jane Austen movie that delivers a clever wink to the audience. The accomplished actors also gently acknowledge the occasional transgressions in ad-libbing, turning funny situations into even more humorous turns. The time flies by and when you are transported back to your modern era, you will want to come back for more. Consummate professionals… a brilliant troupe.”
— KateWestReviews.com
“ImproTheatre’s gift lies in far more than improv’s expected one-liners and zingers–rather, their gift is the more subtle and complex art of storytelling in what’s known as Longform improv; the group has won great international acclaim for their takes on Shakespeare, Sondheim musicals, and Tennessee Williams’ drama. This is their first stab at Austen, and a worthy one at that. It is always a thrill to see talented performers (and you’ve probably seen these faces before on your tv or at the movies) dive headlong into the unknown and come up roses (or in last night’s case the vexing “pyrocampia” flower). Although Austen’s work is timeless, ImproTheatre’s Austen Unscripted is by its very nature of its time; Austen would be pleased, indeed.”
— LAist.com
Shakespeare Unscripted
“Shakespeare Unscripted is a side-splitting Shakespearean play that has never been written, until the moment that its talented ensemble utter the Bard-like words that issue forth from their verdant imaginations and eager tongues.”
— Anthony Brandon Wong - Full Review
“It was nice to see Shakespeare improvised for style and content rather than just a scene with a few thees and thous thrown in.”
— Improv Review.com - Full Review
“The real fun lies in anticipating where this patchwork story is going to go next, and in watching the actors doing whatever it takes to keep the narrative afloat…”
— L.A. Weekly - Full Review
“As someone with a strong grounding in both improv and
Shakespeare I was fascinated at their ability to be true to the
spirit of the plays and at the same time put a comic spin on their
style. That’s not an easy thing to do under the best circumstances
much less when you have 8-10 players all working to keep
numerous narrative balls in the air together and keep an audience
entertained. they kept the crowd entertained, and not just by the obvious bits but by the material they created that showed the most fidelity to Shakespeare. It was fascinating and delightful.”
-Robert Faires, Arts Editor, Austin Chronicle
Sondheim Unscripted
An outstanding cast that clearly understands the form they are spoofing and have the vocal power to sustain it.”
— LA Weekly - Full Review
Jane Austen Unscripted
“Hilarious…an elaborate mélange of secret loves and sibyl rivalries complete with Austenian touches. Austen would be pleased indeed.”
Laist.com - Full Review
Chekhov UnScripted
“…again the cast delved straight into a familial saga of lust and glass snakes… splashed liberally with vodka and sweated out in a hot sauna.”
— LA Weekly - Full Review
“Substitute an ensemble well-versed in improvisational wickedness, add dramaturgical history and unforeseeable audience suggestions, and the result couldn’t be more hilarious than this latest offering from the recently renamed Impro Theatre.”
— Backstage West - Full Review
Triple Play
“the talents of their entourage with quick wit and improv skills that have to be seen to be believed.”
— NoHo>LA - Full Review
Carnal Peaks
” . . . you can be sure that the evening will have you laughing so hard that you will be exhausted when it is over.”
— Daily Trojan - Full Review
Impro Theatre Classes
Interview with Jo McGinley, Educational Director of Impro Theatre.
— Backstage West - Full Story