If anyone in this cast is going to sound like they're going all PR on you, it's going to be me. Forgive me - I'm designated publicist so it's compulsive behaviour. For hi-res images, press releases, interviews...
*ahem*
I'm going to look back on a year of BLANKs (wow - Seasons of Love from the stage musical RENT just started playing at random on my iTunes. Normally I'd hit skip, but it seems oddly appropriate right now). As this blog is an expression of our self-obsession, it seems like the right thing to do.
So, how do you measure a year in BLANKs?
Last Tuesday night's A Very BLANK Christmas show at The Roxbury Hotel was "Ham the Musical". Though we had an absolute ball, we did violate a policy we created a few months ago: "No more food BLANKs".
But I think we can forgive ourselves. Food vocab is incredibly evocative - rife with associations, puns and double-meanings. Someone should do a thesis on that and use BLANK as a case study. Or maybe they should go for a walk outside in the sunshine and enjoy themselves - I’ll leave it to them to decide.
But there has been a lot of food. Our first-ever full-length BLANK, at Coogee Arts Festival, was "Cucumber the Musical". Our second, at Twisted Melon Impro Festival, was "Bacon the Musical". And in rehearsals we've had "Cracker", "Corn", and "Coffee", among others.
But they're not all food. During our season at The Old Fitzroy Theatre we had "Camera" (what's with all the C-words? Somebody trying to tell us something?!), "Antarctica" and the even less edible "Undulating" (what were they thinking?!). I'm not sure you'd want to eat a "Tinkerbell" either (mmm, crunchy), which was one of our Cracker Comedy Festival shows.
Taking the show to BrizImprovFest was certainly not food-related. In fact, good food was very hard to find...
I'm going to look back on a year of BLANKs (wow - Seasons of Love from the stage musical RENT just started playing at random on my iTunes. Normally I'd hit skip, but it seems oddly appropriate right now). As this blog is an expression of our self-obsession, it seems like the right thing to do.
So, how do you measure a year in BLANKs?
Last Tuesday night's A Very BLANK Christmas show at The Roxbury Hotel was "Ham the Musical". Though we had an absolute ball, we did violate a policy we created a few months ago: "No more food BLANKs".
But I think we can forgive ourselves. Food vocab is incredibly evocative - rife with associations, puns and double-meanings. Someone should do a thesis on that and use BLANK as a case study. Or maybe they should go for a walk outside in the sunshine and enjoy themselves - I’ll leave it to them to decide.
But there has been a lot of food. Our first-ever full-length BLANK, at Coogee Arts Festival, was "Cucumber the Musical". Our second, at Twisted Melon Impro Festival, was "Bacon the Musical". And in rehearsals we've had "Cracker", "Corn", and "Coffee", among others.
But they're not all food. During our season at The Old Fitzroy Theatre we had "Camera" (what's with all the C-words? Somebody trying to tell us something?!), "Antarctica" and the even less edible "Undulating" (what were they thinking?!). I'm not sure you'd want to eat a "Tinkerbell" either (mmm, crunchy), which was one of our Cracker Comedy Festival shows.
Taking the show to BrizImprovFest was certainly not food-related. In fact, good food was very hard to find...
All the same, the tour to Brisbane was definitely a highlight of BLANK 2007 - aptly-titled "Light-Switch". I may never forget about ol' Grandpappy Slappy, the ancestor without vertebrae. How we got there from "light-switch" is really anyone's guess. But that's BLANK for you.
At the Old Fitz, I loved "Weasel" and "Hostage". Thanks to our special guest, Rebecca De Unamuno, we learnt how to weasel our way out of anything - including OCD and speech impediments.
At the Old Fitz, I loved "Weasel" and "Hostage". Thanks to our special guest, Rebecca De Unamuno, we learnt how to weasel our way out of anything - including OCD and speech impediments.
Another show that I really dug was "Bacon". And, lookee here, we're back to food! With Bacon and Ham, we’ve had two pig-based BLANKs, no less. "Pork" must be in waiting somewhere (but, dear audient, that is all up to you...).
Of course, "Bacon" was more about bakin' bread or bakin' on various illicit substances than it was about the meat. There was also an upstanding cop "bringing home the bacon" to his 'ho of a wife (FYI, we tend to have a few 'hos wind up in our shows because it's an easy rhyme) and a vegetarian/vegan/"I'm not sure which yet" who refused to eat anything if it comes from an animal. Unless it's dairy.
It may often be edible but, admittedly, BLANK isn't always delicious (*cough*Scapegoat*cough*Wisdom Teeth*cough* ... *ahem*). Sometimes things don't quite go our way. But two not-so-great shows out of sixteen in an improvised production's first year ain't bad at all.
Then, with a season back at The Roxbury, a reprisal at Cracker, more touring and a debut at Melbourne International Comedy Festival all slated for next year, the future of BLANK is looking pretty damn sweet.
Not surprisingly, then, at the end of 2007 we’re all feeling pretty chuffed with ourselves - and most grateful to you for supporting us.
Viva la BLANK!
Keira
3 comments:
Tim confronting The Nacho is one of the all time great photographs.
Such a great photo, that it ought to be reason for a competition! [conditions apply]*
The competition here is to provide a motivational caption for the photo that makes it worthy of inclusion in an uplifting, confidence-building calendar.
By participating, you're not only in the draw to win the fabulous prize(s) [conditions apply]*, you're potentially helping a wounded soul! I know a few people who could do with an extra jab of motivation, Tim not least of all; when behind every layer of mince and salsa lurks a misshapen giant, who can blame him!?
At any rate, I'll start the ball rolling with the apparently irrelevant but somehow resonant motivational caption for Tim vs The Nacho... "Dream, Believe, Achieve"
Come on, people, captions will make this photo, changing its whimsical simplicity into razor-edged brilliance.
*[conditions]: The winner of this competition will receive their choice of a banana or a packet of corn chips in due course, purchased BY ME at a green grocer or supermarket on an agreed day or night.
That explanation was somewhat clunky, but the best prizes always come with pages and pages of contracts and disclaimers and so on. If you choke on the banana, I accept no responsiliability. Pardon my legalese.
What about sailor the musical at the old fitz. Where i was skinned on stage!! Classic moment if ever there was one.
I took it! I took the photo!
And I object- I thought Wisdom Teeth the Musical was GOLD.
How often do I get to sing the words "Space time continuum?"
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