Ensemble Teams – Scottish Storytelling Centre

Throughout you could feel both Ensemble Teams slowly guide you into the unpredictable and often unhinged nature of improvisation. Coached by Deborah Tarica and Alison Thea-Skot the two teams after one day of preparation took to the stage. Both teams were comprised of eight people. Interestingly despite all eight people standing on stage throughout the performance, once the scene started, they faded into the background and only became noticeable again once they entered centre stage or wherever the main action took place. Tarica’s and Thea-Skot’s influence was clear since there were similar methods employed by both groups. For example, both employed the same method to enter or finish a scene. Multiple times actors communicated through a tap on the shoulder or someone yelling “scene” which ended the current one and started a new one. It was fascinating to watch since it quickly became clear that each actor had to be aware of everything that was happening on stage as well as keeping the narrative propelling forwards.

The first team that graced the stage was (I believe) called Wild Willy and in some aspect, they certainly lived up to the name. After gaining a prompt from the audience we were taken into a scene where a woman was advised to wear just a top hat to her wedding which later developed into a reference to James Bond. The actor that played James Bond drew the audience’s attention and sustained it even when changing to play God. This was often because of the actor’s funny & quick responses; however, I did find the actor to be a bit quiet at times.

In the performance there were reoccurring themes e.g. people watchers in one scene became angel watchers in another, the humour of the scene was intensified and the line “I thought angels would have nice looking buttholes” was the cherry on top.

The second and equally talented team called Fern Baby used the prompt “pistachio” which they incorporated into their performance. One of the actor’s described the feeling pistachio’s cause and another interpreted the extreme reaction. The actor’s use of facial and body expression made a simple love for pistachios into something the audience couldn’t get enough of. Later when the improvisation reached a slow point the actor brought back the pistachio line which turned a potentially bad moment into a memorable one. Throughout the performance the actors made references to pop culture mentioning Jurassic Park and Steven Spielberg making himself into president. The use of these well-known names captured the audience’s attention and let them in on a sort of inside joke without having to do much explaining.

Reviewer: Marcelina Kruczynska

Reviewed: 23^rd March 2025

North West End UK Rating: