AUGUST 27
Getting back my mojo

I love theatre, I love producing it and I also watching it. But sometimes you just need a break and sometimes you need to see exciting new shows to replenish your love. I was admittedly a little over theatre and needed a jump start. I was fortunate enough to see an amazing show last week which is giving me back a love of great theatre. Sometimes you see unique theatre experiences which give you faith that originality exists. I’m talking big here, and I think this show deserves it. The show is The Director’s Mind at the Newtown Theatre. It closes this Saturday so go and see it.

Created by the funny Cale Bain and presented by Impro Australia, it really is improvisation at its best. Directed in action from the side of the stage by a new top improviser nightly, The Director's Mind challenges one player to set-up plotlines while Sydney's top improvising actors spend the night filling in the lines.

The night I saw was pretty damn good. After starting with small monologues the director started setting up very different scenes which the actors performed in. Some very funny stuff. These crossed some very different genres, even crossed timelines but somehow by the end of the evening all the stories were woven together in very hilarious fashion. The much loved daughter of a homicidal detective was secretly an alien, whom a NASA reject had to hunt and kill. Beautiful work by the whole ensemble, but the highlight for me was Ben Jenkins, his 12 year old British snooker champion was sublime. The thing that astounds me is that every night there is a completely different show.

This is a unique theatre experience that I urge any fan of comedy to go and see. Improvisation is seen by many as one of the toughest acting tasks, these actors make it seem easy. Go see The Director’s Mind, funny stuff!