Iron Improviser - Friday 13th
Last night we performed ImproMafia’s annual Iron Improviser format to a packed house of about 100 people at the Metro Arts theatre. The format’s based on Maestro/Micetro, where we start with 12-18 players and eliminate them a few at a time until we are left with a single winner.
Iron Improviser, as its name suggests, has its roots in the pageantry of Iron Chef. Winners have been crowned with Japanese sounding titles (Iron Improviser Cherry Blossom and Black Dragon are two examples), scores have been given on a scale of Ichi, Ni, San, Giant Monster Attack, competitors enter the stadium to a voice-over which uses a lot of grandiose language, and the musical score has been inspired by what you’d expect to hear on Iron Chef.
As our show fell on Friday 13th January we decided to go for a spooky tribute to classic horror films as well as some more modern classics. As MC I wore a Shaun of the Dead costume, complete with a foam cricket bat and a name badge with my own name on it! Our judges were a vampire, the grim reaper, and zombie Snow White. Our set and props guru, Scott, built a “Welcome to camp ImproMafia” sign and some tent fronts, our audience entered the theatre to theme songs from modern TV shows that drew from supernatural and teen horror themes.
After two rounds, and to take us to the break, our judges eliminated six players. Our make-up artist, Olivia, appeared from backstage dressed as the woman from the Ring films and killed the eliminated players, who dropped to the stage, dead. At half time they were made-up by Olivia to look like zombies, and came back to stage to eliminate the players at the end of the next round. The next eliminations came at the end of round 4 where I sent three players backstage, one at a time, to investigate that horrible thumping sound. The evidence of their deaths was Jim’s amputated hand being thrown from backstage, Lucy falling over with a bloody machete protruding from her midsection, and then Drew coming back on stage with fake blood pouring down his shirt from where he was clutching his neck. The final eliminations at the end of round 5 saw two players slashed by Scott, dressed as Jason Voorhees, while Drew and Lucy remained on stage from the previous round (and yes, players had to play around them).
Our winner, Brit, was crowned champion with a crown and sash before having a bucket of blood poured over her, a la Carrie. The elimination mechanisms and crowning blood had been kept secret from the players in the lead-up to the show, so everyone felt the shock of Brit being covered in fake blood, pouring over the edge of her crown and all down her front and on to the stage floor.
There were a lot of fun moments in the night. A “Pillars” game with two audience members providing random words for Jim and Taylor, two friends trapped in the wood with one threatening to eat the other. A submarine crew exploring the ocean depths and what it means to be a man in an “Oscar Winning Moment”. A scene inspired by the real life fear of last year’s winner, read out to the players as though it was his last will and testament. A song about falling out of love with someone because of their stinky feet. A scene featuring a puppet (from whom a leg was lost and eaten by a zombie pre-scene) suspected of defrauding Centrelink.
I can’t thank Rose and Meg enough for stage managing and teching our show. They did an amazing job under some really challenging circumstances. I’m looking forward to getting some photos back from Mike and Tay to see what the show looked like from the audience’s perspective. Someone asked me if all Iron Improviser shows will be themed from now on. They’ve always had a theme, although we’ve not always gripped it as tightly, but I think there’s something to be said for picking an idea and going all out either opening or closing the year off with a huge production with all the trimmings.
