With the will to make fools of themselves

On Wednesday last week, Norway´s largest improvisation theatre celebrated their 4th anniversary by starting their seventh and most intensive season at The Norwegian Student Society (DNS).

Randy expressionism

The young, the less young, the veterans, the green, the introverted, the fearless. All the attending are standing in a large circle, and suddenly everything sets off with a bang. For an outsider, the group´s warming up looks like organized madness. With producer Simen Hovd in the lead, they all scream simultaneously and wave their arms in the air while running around in circles. In about an hour, some of them will, for the first time this decade, expose their ability to think quickly and be creative, all in front of a jammed-packed hall at DNS.

– All sorts of people come to the rehearsals, says Hovd.

– Students, accountants, teachers... As long as you to some extent have some randy expressionism, an ounce of creativity and some will to make a fool of yourself, then you belong here.

The rehearsals are open for everyone and are held at Chateau Neuf before the performance starts. Before the show one or two lucky novices get picked out to try their luck on stage, along with about ten of the other more experienced actors.

Sadomasochistic cave

The competition itself contains of about a dozen participants who fight for the audience´s favor. The winner, who earns the title «Micetro» of the night, is given the traveling trophy – a framed hundred kroner bill. The scenarios are written beforehand by a panel sitting in first row, informing and directing the actors during the show.

After the actors have improvised their way through a countless number of space stations, empty islands and sadomasochistic caves, it is up to the audience who excels in each round and who wins in the end.

– That feeling you´re left with when you win, is one of the best in the world. A feeling that you know exactly where you want to be, and that everything floats naturally. It´s an adrenaline kick that has to be lived and felt, says participant Ole Hval. Produces Simen Hovd nods in agreement and adds:

– On the other side, though, the moment when you stand there and it all stops, is not particularly funny. But the good thing about the format of the show is that if you´re having a bad day, then you get voted out early in the show. In a way you get saved from yourself, and the audience won´t have to see you anymore.

– The ultimate artistic discharge

About half of the 25 veterans and the average 15 beginners on each rehearsal are students. Many of these attend the actor line by the Oslo National Academy of the Arts and have lots of experience, but shoulder to shoulder with these stand many who have never set foot on stage.

– At the end of the day, what we do is to play, says Helene Abrahamsen, who is an active participant in the performances along with being the teacher for the beginners on the rehearsals before the curtain goes up.

– The saddest thing that happens when you become twelve, thirteen, is that you stop playing. All humans have a need to create and be creative. To play is so incredibly human and easy.

Abrahamsen has been doing improvisation for about three years, and says that a successful night can keep her motivation up for a longer time than what could be expected.

– I can live on the success I had a night two years ago. That´s why I´m doing improvisation. Improvisation is the ultimate artistic discharge.