IMFEST: Final Night

As I dropped off Joe Vanderhelm of Rapid Fire Theatre at the airport 2 hours ago, my final job for IMFEST: The 3rd Annual Montreal Improv Festival was completed. I decided to capture the event with my digital camera. Sadly, the significance of documenting the moment when of months endless planning and preparation came to an end was completely lost on the cab driver behind me who leaned on his horn for a full 45 seconds while hurling a stream of obscenities and insults at me that clearly betrayed his complete ignorance of my situation. “Yeah? You try organizing a major international improv festival, buddy!” I yelled back at him. I musta zinged him with that one ‘cause all he did was stare back at me dumbfoundedly.

Anyway, IMFEST is done, over and finito now. From here on in, any improv-fest related work that I do will on the 4th Annual Montreal Improv Fest coming autumn 2009.

I’m going to forgo the usual recap of last night two shows ‘cause, well, it’s over now. Plus I don’t have to entice people reading this to come out to any more shows now. Suffice it to say I loved every second of each one of ‘em. No joke.

I’d just like to thank everyone involved for helping make this a really fun festival. I’m happy with the way it turned out. Though I think I could a fill a book with a list of things I’d like to do differently next year. Actually, on second thought, make that an internet’s worth of stuff I’d like to do differently next year.

But for now, thanks to Storybox Theatre from Chicago for bringing your show to us and for introducing me to the Arnold Schrwarznegger one-liner game that is sure to become one of my all time favourite improv games. Thanks to Rapid Fire Theatre from Edmonton that a short form and long form improv can, in fact, mate and have happy healthy and productive children. Thanks to Uncalled For helping to get their incredible fan base out to our shows. And thanks for all those wonderful lines that I’ve been trying to quote out of context all week. Thanks to TSC Improv for, first of all, doing so much to support improv in this city all year round and for bringing a fresh vibe and energy to IMFEST . Thanks to Without Annette for being behind the whole idea of the fest so much, being a joy to work with and for hosting a kick-ass spaghetti dinner. And, finally, thanks to my own troupe of On The Spot for supporting and indulging me in this seemingly insane venture and for bringing that sense fun that I’ve come to know and love to the fest.

Plus a big shout out to our wonderfully supportive venues: Mainline Theatre, The Comedyworks and The Comedy Nest.

Watch for more improv-but-not-necessarily-improv-fest-related blogs right here.

And watch for another IMFEST in Fall 2009.

A la prochain,

Terence Bowman
Head Honcho/Big Cheese
IMFEST

IMFEST: Day 4

Wow. There’s a lot to report on Day 4 of IMFEST: The 3rd Annual Montreal Improv Festival.

So let’s get to it.

The day began with a pre-show spaghetti dinner hosted by Bryan Walsh of Without Annette and his wife, Miri. Hosting such an event is above and beyond the call of duty of any festival participant; not only did it display great hospitality but also great patience as the evening involved at least 90 minutes of the off-the-cuff comedy riffing-bits that inevitability take place at any gathering of two or more improvisers.

After a desert that impressed upon the members of Chicago’s Storybox Theatre the superiority of Canadian chocolate, we were off to Mainline Theatre for show number one of the night.

One warm-up story about the Yellow Penguinosaurus later, TSC improv took the stage for their Mainline Theatre debut. Brent Skakford, Dan Bierne and Etan Muskat improvised an amazingly quirky and wonderfully offbeat documentary that is certain to make me distrust all dental hygienists for the rest of my life. In the course of their set, I also learnt that in most prisons there is something called the Peace Squad: a highly feared and hated gang of prisoners dedicated to the promotion of pacifism by any means necessary.

Next up was the IMFEST debut of Chicago’s aforementioned Storybox Theatre. Jonathan Pitts, Jeremy Schaefer, Marla Caleles, Katt Barker and Jonathan Wagner presented the “Chicago Way” to Montreal audiences (previous to last night I always thought that phrase meant something about Sean Connery bringing a gun to a knife fight). In a really cool neato theatrical style involving sticks and mutli-coloured fabric, the Windy City gang presented the raunchiest non-porno version of the story of Hansel and Gretel I have ever seen. And, hey, haven’t we all seen more porno takes on Hansel and Gretel than we would care to admit? Highlights included a wicked step mother who has chiseled her “teeth, breasts and ass” into pointy spikes and Hansel getting trapped in something called a “cave labia” (don’t ask).

Cleaning the show up considerably, the dynamic Uncalled For duo of Anders Yates and Dan Jeannotte presented a touching and hilarious tribute to their stage manager on the occasion of her birthday. I would quote some of their amazingly brilliant and hilarious lines but, in the rush to get out of Mainline for the all star show at The Comedy Nest, I forgot my notes. Sorry about that, guys.

Yep, just 22 minutes after the closing the Mainline show on St.Laurent Street, I was on stage for the Best of the Fest All Star Show at The Comedy Nest in the Pepsi Forum on Ste.Catherine St. W. Those of you familiar with Montreal geography will realize what an incredible feat that was. We would never have pulled it off without Jonathan Pitts’ Bullitt, Mad Max or Grand Theft Auto (depending on your generational point of reference)-like driving skills.

Members of Edmonton’s Rapid Fire Theatre, the Chicagoans (is that a word?) along with members of On The Spot Improv and Without Annette performed a knock-out imrpov jam to IMFEST’s biggest crowd yet.

As a side note, I just wanna point out that it is a milestone in the history of the Montreal comedy scene that the competing clubs of The Comedyworks and The Comedy Nest actually co-hosted a festival that is not called “Just For Laughs”.

As is often the case in comedy clubs, we had an extremely inebriated patron in the front row who was a tad bit unclear on the concept of the fourth wall. Even a near capacity crowd all yelling “SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!” at the same time did nothing to improve the situation. I must say, though, that I have never seen an audience and performers so united towards a common goal.

The spirit of improv, I suppose.

And that spirit will continue to haunt Mainline Theatre tonight as IMFEST unbelievably comes to a close with two shows featuring Rapid Fire Theatre, Storybox Theatre, On The Spot Improv, Without Annette and the it-wouldn’t-be-a-Saturday-night-late-show-at-Mainline-Theatre-without-‘em presence of Uncalled For.

More on IMFEST’s fifth and final night and the closing night party tomorrow.

Terence Bowman
Big Cheese/Head Honcho
IMFEST

IMFEST: Day 3

Okay. I’m not gonna do the “I can’t believe it’s already insert day here” thing in this blog again. So let me just say that I find it completely credible that IMFEST: The 3rd Annual Montreal Improv Festival is now into its closing weekend.

Last night marked show #3 of IMFEST. First off, I gotta say that as we head into the home stretch that I am incredibly busy and don’t really have a lot of time to dedicate to today’s blog.

So, keeping that in mind, there was an improv fest show last night at Mainline Theatre and it was good and people laughed a lot.

K? Thanks. Bye!

All right. All right. Maybe I can go into a little bit more detail than that.

Last night at a gathering of The Association of People Who Don’t Care About Political Debates, Edmonton’s Rapid Fire Theatre opened the show at Mainline Theatre (after a bit of loafing around by yours truly). They performed what is now, as far as I’m confirmed, their trademark short form style. Kirsten Rassmussen did a wonderfully unique take on the suggestion of “Angry Hippy” and Joe Vanderhelm played an entirely convincing Chihuahua.

Bryan Walsh and Marc Rowland represented Without Annette next. They pulled off the risky feat of a two person improvised mini-play with aplomb. I particularly enjoyed Brian’s true story about his ingenious anti-bully strategy while attending rough high school in Point-Aux-Trembles. I’d explain it in detail but I don’t want to give away any secret techniques ‘cause there might be bullies out there reading this.

Finally, Montreal’s “Titans of Improv” (The Gazette), On The Spot Improv took the stage. Last night’s line-up of Brian Wrench, Robert Higden, Lea Rondot and Tommy Malone kept things moving at a brisk pace. The troupe displayed great spontaneous flexibility when an audience volunteer in audience participation scene turned out to be the “strong silent type”.

The night was closed out with a scene that involved the players having to speak 101 words per line (just to remind everyone that we are in Quebec) and the improv classic freeze.

My day as IMFEST organizer ended with a call from Jonathan Pitts of Storybox Theatre telling me that at 12:30 AM, he and his Windy City gang were still over an hour outside of the city (after over 14 hours of driving!). Hey, I’ve always said that Chicago improvisers are very dedicated to their craft.

You’ll be able to see just how dedicated they are as Storybox makes their Montreal debut tonight at Mainline Theatre. Also in the show, TSC Improv and Uncalled For. Plus the Best of the Fest All Star show at The Comedy Nest afterwards (not the Comedyworks-everyone always confuses the two).

More on all of that demain (that means “tomorrow” for the Chicago guys).

Terence Bowman
Head Honcho/Big Cheese
IMFEST

PS: photos return tomorrow!

IMFEST: Day 2

Day 2 of IMFEST: The 3rd Annual Montreal Improv Festival. My how time flies when you’re busy off your ass!

Yesterday’s IMFEST activities began for me when I picked up Joe Vanderhelm of Edmonton’s Rapid Fire Theatre at the airport. It was an interesting experience, standing there at the arrivals gate holding up my IMFEST poster next to all the limo drivers with their much less creative signs bearing the names of (presumably) important business and corporate types . But I guess it did give me the opportunity to advertise to that coveted improv-fans-who-hang-out-at-airports demographic.

Last night, an even larger crowd at The Comedyworks awaited us for show #2 of IMFEST. I decided to open once again with a variation on the classic technical difficulties bit. I must say that The Comedyworks finicky CD player fulfilled its role in the piece admirably.

After a brief improvised story by yours truly concerning male nipple tassels, TSC Improv once again took the IMFEST stage. Dan Bierne and Brent Skagford last night were joined by Etan Muskat as they proceeded to create an improvised Western. In just 20 minutes, TSC were able to save everyone in the audience $12 on the admission price for “Appaloosa”. Their version featured Brent Skagford ad-libbing an Ennio Morricone-esque spaghetti western score that, in my opinion, ought to be available on iTunes and more gory slow-motion shoot-outs than Sam Peckinpah’s wildest wet dream.

The aforementioned Joe Vanderhelm along with Kirsten Rasmussen then took the stage as Rapid Fire Theatre. They were joined by a third player: an extremely versatile white bed sheet. Playing with a unique short form style that was refreshingly new to me, Joe and Kirsten proceeded to take us on a tour of Kayne West’s brain, create an all-new After School Special about “hooligans” and give us a variation on the Snow White story so twisted that we may well have an army of Disney lawyers on our ass before this fest is done.

Finally, it was up to local improv legends Uncalled For to bring it all home. Last night featured the strip-down-back-to-basics line-up of Anders Yates and Dan Jeannotte. These guys delivered so many great lines that I could dedicate the next three days of blogs to just that. But that wouldn’t really be fair to the other troupes, would it? Some of the highlights included “You’ve done so well, I’m giving you the keys to everything”, “When life gets tough, the weak complain”, and my personal fave, a love letter that opened with the line “To Whom It May Concern…”

IMFEST moves into Mainline Theatre tonight with Rapid Fire Theatre, On The Spot Improv and Without Annette. More on that tomorrow….

Plus a big shout-out to the Storybox Theatre crew as they make their 15 hour drive from Chicago!

Terence Bowman
Big Cheese/Head Honcho
IMFEST

IMFEST Day 1

IMFEST: The 3rd Annual Montreal Improv Festival, after months of preparation finally got on its feet last night.

Playing to an enthusiastic crowd at The Comedyworks, IMFEST opened with the classic technical-difficulties-with-the-opening-music-and-intro bit (which, as always, brought the house down).

After that, the actual improv of IMFEST got under way with a set by The Comedyworks’ veteran house troupe, On The Spot Improv, consisting that night of Lea Rondot, Brian Wrench, Tommy Malone and myself. Given that I am a founding member and the Artistic Director of OTS, you may want to keep in mind that I could have a small amount of bias when I say that our set contained some of the greatest improvisational comedy that God has ever seen fit to place on this Earth. And it was funny when Tommy fell on his bum.

Next up was Dan Bierne and Brent Skaksford representing the considerable improv talents that can be found each week at Theatre Ste-Catherine (appearing under the moniker of TSC Improv at IMFEST). In their own unique, casual and energetic style, Dan and Brent proceeded to spontaneously create an entirely original space opera complete with warring alien races, no less than three star cruisers and an epic story that spanned the entire galaxy; all on a 4 x 6 foot stage!

TSC was followed by Without Annette featuring Nikki Silver, Sean Michaels and Bryan Walsh. They presented Without Annette’s trademark long form improv style Uno. Last night, Uno gave us a tale involving the lateral canoe, a guy who writes on-line reviews of his girlfriends and that revealed perhaps a little too much about the depths of Bryan Walsh’s knowledge of Star Wars collectibles.

The whole night closed with the players from the all the troupes sharing the stage for one big-assed improv jam. The highlight of the jam was an improvised tribute to all five Baldwin brothers.

Plus I learnt that you can never go wrong with an obscure reference to a great historical tragedy.

Tomorrow night IMFEST is back at The Comedyworks with Edmonton’s Rapid Fire Theatre, TSC Improv, Uncalled For and, of course, the host, me. More on that tomorrow.

Terence Bowman
Big Cheese/Head Honcho
IMFEST

IMFEST Minus One

Wow. We are just one day away from IMFEST: The 3rd Annual Montreal Improv Festival.

I can hardly believe it.

Work on this year’s festival began, appropriately enough, the day after last year’s fest closed. Throughout the sometimes frantic (i.e.: late August), sometimes lackadaisical (i.e.: January) pace of preparations, my only goal was to make this year’s IMFEST even bigger and better than last year’s. Over the course of the past year, troupes from Ottawa, Toronto, Halifax, Los Angeles, the U.K., Australia and even Dubai have all fallen through the cracks for one reason or another (but, hey, watch for ‘em next year).

Somewhere in there, though, I did manage to land Edmonton’s Rapid Fire Theatre, a major Canadian improv troupe and a veritable fixture at The Edmonton Fringe Festival. I have had the pleasure of working with many of their members in my improv travels over the years. Also from out-of-town, I secured the talents of Chicago’s Storybox Theatre: a unique long form improv troupe who borrow from many diverse theatrical styles. They originally approached me last year but IMFEST’s only venue at that time was The Comedyworks. Somehow, the thought of improvised Japanese Noh Theatre inspired plays in a comedy club just wasn’t quite gelling for me.


On the local front, lined-up this year are our own Montreal Fringe Festival fixtures Uncalled For, The Gazette’s favourite-named improv troupe, Without Annette, the guys who pretty much maintain this city’s improv scene year round, TSC Improv and Montreal’s eighteen-year improv veterans (my very own) On The Spot Improv.

And this year, of course, finds the IMFESTation in three, count ‘em, three, venues: The Comedyworks, Mainline Theatre and The Comedy Nest.

It’s been a year of frantic phone calls and emails; taking care of everything from posters and press releases to publicizing BYOB spaghetti dinners to going fabric shopping for only American guests.

Now, with any luck, all the hard work pays off.

Time, scheduling, and lack of typos permitting, I will be blogging each day for all five days of IMFEST: attempting to keep everyone in the loop on memorable scenes, behind-the-scenes antics and the current state of my mental health.

Hope everyone will have a blast at this year’s fest ‘cause as of tomorrow:

The IMFESTation is on!

Terence Bowman
Big Cheese/Head Honcho
IMFEST