Improv Review ...Because Improv is Art, Dammit

Feature Feature is a large ensemble of talented improvisors who are in the midst of an extended run at the Upright Citizen’s Brigade Theater in New York City. Their show this evening was a disappointment – while the players talent was clear, it was a case of too many cooks (or in this case, too many story lines) spoiled the broth. Coupled with this was a lack of technical skill on the part of some of the players (it was sometimes hard to hear the lines spoken though I was in the first row).

The format is an improv form developed by Del Close called “The Movie”, and attempts to improvise a movie. Three plot lines are developed, and then meshed as the play goes on. The opening scenes of each are interspersed with running commentary by the other players describing the environment. What was distracting here was that nearly all the players were unable to do these descriptions without uttering three “ums” per sentence. It can be a very effective device, (as used by Carl & the Passions) but the lack of verbal dexterity left the audience struggling to keep up.

In this piece, the main story line followed the mishaps of two incompetent bank robbers, while the other two lines followed a pair of cops (one retiring) and a family of pushcart fruit vendors. While the first two storylines easily intermeshed, the third was never successfully brought into the play. While the action in the bank was taking place, and the cops working at resolving the situation, the fruit vendors were reduced to wandering the streets of their city, eventually stumbling onto the crime scene.

What this group is very good at is supporting each other’s scenes with whatever is needed, be it scenery, sound effects, or minor characters. Many of the “offstage”(all the actors are lined up in a semi-circle behind the action) actors quickly jump into scenes when called for, without trying to turn their contributions into major plot points.

Ultimately, I think Feature Feature’s cast is trying to do too much, and should give themselves more freedom to drop unproductive story lines. That of course might produce other problems, with a nine-member ensemble, it would be hard to provide good roles for every player. I’m hoping that this show was just an off night for this otherwise capable cast, and I hope to shoot over to UCBT and see them on their own turf.

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