Review: Impro Theatre Brings Stylized, Dramatic Improv to SB with TWILIGHT ZONE: UNSCRIPTED

Of the fascinating aspects of improvisational theatre, one that strikes me most notably is the assumption that improvised work is inherently comedic in intent. Improvisational games, usually short skits or trials of skill to hone quick thinking, are fun, but certainly challenging. These games are training exercises to prepare the brain for fast, improvisational reasoning and performance. A lengthy, stylized improvised narrative, especially one that isn't rooted in the predictable contingency of absurd comedy, is a sophisticated practice-one that Impro Theatre, a Los Angeles-based improvisational group presented in Santa Barbara by Instant Karma Improv Comedy, presents in abundance.

Impro's repertoire of genre-based, unscripted work comes in a variety of styles (such as The Western: Unscripted or Jane Austen: Unscripted). The common characteristic amongst these shows is the considerable utilization of the unique stylistic elements of these (very recognizable) genres. For instance, The Twilight Zone: Unscripted presented a series of fully improvised Twilight Zone-esque episodes. As directors Jo McGinley and Stephen Kearnin note, a substantial part of successfully re-creating theatre within a particular genre and telling a story appropriate to that universe requires complete understanding of the aesthetic form and thematic motivation of that world. In the case of Twilight Zone: Unscripted, Impro did an outstanding job of capturing the mysterious, noir world of Rod Serling's "other side of paradise."

The Twilight Zone television series played on American's post-war paranoia by presenting a bizarre "other" America--Serling's reaction to the country's illusion of protection based on the homogenization of American culture via the implementation of suburban living. Center Stage's black box theater space imitated well the black-and-white television cube in which the original episodes would have been viewed, and the use of shadow and monochromatic color schemes contributed to the stylistic duplication of the aesthetics of the original show. The episodes that Impro created were all concepts that could've been pulled directly from The Twilight Zone television series: a woman on her way to Hollywood has it in her mind to become a famous starlet, but a run-in with a mysterious man in a diner who shows her the dark side of her yet unrecognized dreams holds her back; a woman cleaning out her attic before a move meets the ghosts of the family members who died in the house, and they reveal the woman's selfish acts that lead to their deaths; a big-city ad exec meets aliens from a dying planet, desperate for her to use her powers of persuasion to convince the people of Earth to accept their refugees; a man at a wake has a final conversation with his friend-turned-enemy, who materializes as a ghost, and last discussions are had in earnest.

This is all typical of the fare used ceaselessly in The Twilight Zone, and Impro did an impressive job of channeling the stylistic elements and underlying sentiment behind these stories. The woman on her way to Hollywood speaks to America's (continuing) obsession with the glamour of celebrity and the immortality of being entombed on film. This piece was a harkening to an era when women were not expected to leave their homes to seek opportunity--not only was the dream-seer giving a naïve girl an honest view of the dark side of her dreams, but there was a distinct use of manipulation to prompt guilt that she'd abandoned societal norms. The question of alien refugee placement shows not only humanity's xenophobic tendencies, but also a typical example of popular science fiction of the time. Basic ghost stories are always a fair bet, and in true form of The Twilight Zone, there's always the doubt, lurking in the heads of the characters, as to whether these spectral entities are actual phantoms or phantoms of an incoherent mind-a popular (and frightening) narrative fallback in the age of our burgeoning understanding of mental health issues. While Impro's episodes were not always comedic (they are based on The Twilight Zone, after all, a show that, while campy, took itself seriously during its production), the humor came from performers poking fun at stereotypes of the 50s and 60s. It's funny when male characters handle female concern with: "Darling, you're upset. Let me get your phosphorus pills." It's not funny because we spent generations overmedicating people with harmful and ineffective drugs, but because we are aware of the "valium-housewife" stereotype, and we laugh at the exhibition of our own cringe-worthy history.

In terms of success, it's no question that Impro's ensemble players (Lisa Fredrickson, Kelly Holden-Bashar, Shephen Kearnin, Nick Massouh, Jo McGinley, and Ryan Smith) are exemplars of the improvisation craft. Yet Twilight Zone: Unscripted was a very different night at the improv than the usual comedic romp. A challenge of this particular form is the important narrative through-line of a scene or episode: the basic tenets of the story should be established early so the twist at the end of the scene has had a solid-enough set-up to surprise the audience with the inevitable. Even for an audience familiar with The Twilight Zone's formula, the contrast between the presented narrative and the unexpected ending must be recognizable, and the unstable nature of improvisation makes piece in this style difficult. Obviously, the faster and harder the performers can find that through-line, the stronger the reveal will be. The use of comedic physicality or ridiculous absurdity, being out of character for this particular style of show, is an absent safety net.

Impro Theatre's Twilight Zone: Unscripted was certainly not as raucously funny as some of their other productions, yet it showed improvisational performance in a more dramatic light; a style less explored. Impro Theatre is a truly talented group of improvisers who do not shy away from the challenge of a specifically rendered dramatic piece. Despite the challenges of this type of performance, the Twilight Zone: Unscripted showed an impressive range of creativity and versatility, especially with the spontaneous lighting and music choices. True, a less high-concept theme would yield more spectacularly hilarious results--but attempting a show like Twilight Zone: Unscripted is an intrepid choice to be admired.

See more at improtheatre.com

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