Review by Adam Casey
60 minutes | Comedy, Improv, Storytelling | PG
Crush Improv are stalwarts in the Ottawa improv scene, and the format of their Spotlight On… show is likely familiar to anyone who has been following them over the past few years. Each performance features a storyteller who recounts anecdotes from their past, and then the members of Crush Improv use these stories as the basis of a series of improv sketches. Each show during Fringe will have a different storyteller, and so each show promises to be different.
For the first show, the featured storyteller was Kevin Reid. I wasn’t familiar with Mr. Reid, but he explained that he is an internationally renowned author of Xena Warrior Princess fan fiction. As one would expect from such a widely-celebrated author, he proved to be a great storyteller. His anecdotes convinced me that his life is far more interesting than my own and they proved potent inspiration for some entertaining improv sketches.
Following Mr. Reid’s lead, the members of Crush Improv led the audience through a series of skits that had the outlandish premises and constant energy that one expects from well-executed improv. Some highlights included a demonstration of the risks of working for the postal service, a reflection on the potency of coupling roses and Big Macs as tools of seduction, and a story about a drug-fueled odyssey to the Chateau Lafayette that added a bit of local Ottawa flavor to the show.
This show wasn’t wildly different from most improv shows that I have seen, but the featured storyteller format is effective and the show was well-performed. Each of the actors flailed their limbs and built upon Mr. Reid’s stories with the aplomb of seasoned improv veterans.
My sides didn’t ache from laughter when I left the theatre, but my cheeks felt tired from grinning for the entire duration of the show. This show is a safe bet for anyone who appreciates good improv, and I wouldn’t hesitate to see it again.
Spotlight On… is playing at the Arts Court Theatre (2 Daly) on Saturday, June 20 at 4:00pm; Monday, June 22 at 7:30pm; Tuesday, June 23 at 10:30pm; Thursday, June 25 at 6:00pm; and Saturday, June 27 at 8:30pm. Tickets are $12.
