Canberra Unscripted: Six shows, one weekend, no script

Posted on 6 August, 2018

A festival of family-friendly, improvsed theatre offerings is what Canberra Unscripted will present when it hits The Street Theatre this weekend.

Across 10-12 August, four companies; Alchemists Improvision, BnC Theatre, Chrysalis Theatre and Lightbulb Improv will delight audiences with an amalgamation of theatre featuring improvised music, comedy and genre shows.

“I have observed that children are already masters of improvised theatre,” explains Amy Crawford, co-founder of Lightbulb Improv and director of (as well as an actor in) ‘Outta the Box’, a production which will form part of Canberra Unscripted.

“They build new worlds from nothing, accept all creative offers from their friends and are absolutely present in the moment.”

Outta the Box, is an interactive family show that will tap into the wonder and curiosity of children. As a mother of two, Amy has observed that children easily take to improvisation, as their imagination roams free every day. Adults, on the other hand, rarely have the inhibition and creative freedom innate in a child’s mind, and Amy claims that mature performers “work extremely hard to regain those skills”.

In Outta the Box, cardboard boxes are used as the main prop, and children lead the outcome of the show whilst engaging in performance games, puppetry, songs and stories. The director explains that the inspiration for the play came from a children’s book.

“The idea was inspired by the beautiful, yet simple, children’s book Not a Box by Antoinette Portis. The stage will be set with plain boxes and children will interact with the performers. The children will shape the show with their imaginations.”

Amy is excited to bring improvisatory theatre to Canberra as the city “has not seen a dedicated children’s improvised theatre show in many years”. She also can’t wait to see how children respond to the unscripted format, where they can let their unique creativity run wild. “It will be amazing to build a show where the audience is already as free in their imaginations as the performers.”

Outta the Box isn’t the only type of theatre you’ll find at Canberra Unscripted – there is truly something on offer for everyone in the family. Musical theatre will have its unscripted moment together with a live house band in ‘Singin’ in the What?! An Improvised Musical’, and a real-life escape room scenario unfolds with entertainment and suspense in ‘Escape Room Live!’. All performances promise to challenge, delight and surprise audiences.

Outta the Box is showing on Saturday 11 August at 11 am and 2 pm at the Street Theatre, 15 Childers Street, Acton. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at thestreet.org.au

Canberra Unscripted is happening across the weekend of 10-12 August at the Street Theatre, 15 Childers Street. To see the full line-up of shows, visit The Street Theatre website.