Dear People of the World…

Last Friday evening at the Theatre Passe Muraille Cabaret Space I was delighted and treated all at once to the launch of Impromptu Splendor’s Second Season with a play not written by David French. The play was entirely improvised by Naomi Snieckus, Ron Pederson and special guest star Ted Dykstra in the style of the Newfoundland playwright, best known for his Of the Fields, Lately (1973) and Salt-Water Moon (1985).
Ted Dykstra. Where to even begin. I had seen Ted Dykstra improvise with Impromptu Splendor early in January in their play not written by Samuel Beckett Longing Fortnight and he brought a palpable wisdom to the Splendor. Strongly rooted in Beckett, Dykstra had always insured that the play be improvised for the theatre, and that the style adhered so tightly to the chosen playwright that it seemed incredible that his lines had not come, had not been channeled, directly from Beckett’s imagination. In the not-Beckett, Dykstra was the foundation upon which Pederson and Snieckus (along with Matt Baram and Kayla Lorette) built their play. He inspired the brilliant moments that would emerge from the other improvisers, such as Pederson discovering the use of the bowler hat and Baram’s mind-boggling monologue reminiscent of Lucky’s in Waiting for Godot.
In the not-French, Dykstra became indomitable and gave a performance that would have been worthy of sincere accolades had it been scripted, but to know that he was improvising, so entirely and so effortless, was like watching a wizard weave straw into gold. He entirely transformed into the old Newfie whose whiskey tasted like vodka, demanded his wife (played by Snieckus with a hotplate) cook him six pieces of bacon and six eggs for breakfast, read the obituaries aloud thoroughly, and who says what he says and does what he does, drinks what he drinks and walks how he walks, sits how he sits and thinks what he thinks. He was at once incredibly funny, utterly deplorable and beautifully heartbreaking.
Here, Naomi Snieckus and Ron Pederson provided a solid foundation for Dykstra’s ability to create this formidable character. They proved beyond doubt why they were voted Best Improv troupe at the Canadian Comedy Awards to be sure. Impromptu Splendor is a theatrical wonder because it proves how powerful the dynamic is of the audience knowing that everything they are seeing is being discovered in the moment. It allows humor to crawl into places that is usually quite devoid of laughter. It fosters a strongly intertwined relationship between laughter and tears that is utterly unique, beautiful and compelling.
Impromptu Splendor is a new theatrical form that proves that as wonderful, creative, and talented as playwrights and directors are, in the hands of a troupe seasoned with the very best Canadian Theatre has to offer, their services are not as essential as we have come to believe. If you have not yet witnessed the brilliance, the magic, and the art of Impromptu Splendor, I strongly urge you to treat yourself to a taste of the theatre that makes you laugh with your heart.
The next Impromptu Splendor show is on October 18th in conjunction with The Thistle Project as a fundraiser for their production of Peer Gynt, directed by Erika Batdorf and featuring Susan Coyne and Matthew Romantini. Impromptu Ibsen is at 7:00pm at the Church of Holy Trinity, 10 Trinity Square and tickets are $25.00. The next Impromptu Splendor at the Passe Muraille Cabaret Space is on October 23rd at 10:30pm and they will be creating a brand new Canadian play in the style of Brad Fraser with Guest Star Chris Craddock of BASH’D (Mainstage Passe Muraille). For more information, you can visit this lovely website.
I hope to see you there!
Amanda