Whangarei Improvised Comedy To Raise Funds for Christchurch

Improvised Comedy Show To Raise Funds for Christchurch

The Improv Mob is putting on a theatresports show in Whangarei on the last Saturday of April to raise funds for Victim Support’s Christchurch appeal.

Hilarity For Charity, to be held at OneOneSix on Saturday April 27, sees two teams of actors improvising scenes for the audience’s amusement in the style of Whose Line Is It Anyway?

The first improv battle in two years, Northland’s Improv Mob will be competing against the Fig Mints of Auckland across up to 20 diverse games.

The night runs 7.30pm-9.30pm with comedian and The Project entertainer Steven Lyons as MC, host and judge.

Organisers Vivian Thonger and Michael Botur have been with the Improv Mob since it was founded by eccentric Dutch traveller Johannes van Staveren at Northland Youth Theatre in 2016. The troupe moved to OneOneSix at the start of 2018 and have been going from strength to strength, putting on sold out shows in 2018 and performing at ArtBeat.

The last Improv Mob show, in September 2018, raised $1000 for OneOneSix with ticket and drink sales. When the opportunity arose for an improv show to be performend on April 27, giving funds to Victim Support seemed a natural fit, Botur said.

Improvisational theatre, also known as theatresports, is the art of creating high energy scenes with minimal preparation and maximum laughs. Scenes, characters, dialogue and plot are made up on the spot. The art form has a large following across New Zealand, from secondary schools to regular Auckland theatre shows. Improvisation, sometimes known as theatresports, is believed to have emerged as a distinct form of theatre in the United States and Canada in the 1960s and 70s.

Van Staveren brought experience in the competitive European university improv world when he founded the group in Whangarei. Thonger brings a background in street theatre and Botur brings experience with performance poetry. Regulars at Improv Mob – which are open to the public - often dabble in other performance art forms including standup comedy, art and design, stage theatre, music and singing.

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Tickets for the two hour April 27 show are $23.

50% of proceeds go to Victim Support’s GiveALittle fundraiser for Christchurch. The other 50% pays suppliers, crew and the venue.

Tickets only through Eventfinda: https://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2019/fundraiser-for-christchurch-hilarious-improv-battle/whangarei

Please note this is an R13 event.

Nibbles provided by chef Amber Wallace.

You are welcome to bring your own food and drink.

Date: Saturday April 27 7.30pm-9.30pm

Doors Open: 6.30pm.

Location: 116a Bank Street Whangarei

Tickets: $20 per person + Eventfinda fees making it $23, sorry.

Help / requesting group seating / questions/ vthonger@gmail.com / 021 250 7486

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