Preview: Bristol Improv Marathon 2020: When in Rome

Stamina, spontaneity and (Roman) sandals will be the order of the day at Bristol Improv Theatre over the weekend of March 13-14, as the theatre hosts the sixth annual Bristol Improv Marathon.

Presented by Closer Each Day Company in association with Bristol Improv Theatre and The Wardrobe Theatre, the Improv Marathon sees a team of intrepid performers creating an entirely improvised, entirely unscripted play using nothing but their skill, imagination and a hefty dose of caffeine – and then sustaining it for a staggering 26 hours.

The theme for this year’s Improv Marathon is When in Rome:

“It is the age of empires and emperors, and the western world revolves and converges on one thriving metropolis: Rome. The Forum hums with the plots and machinations of power-hungry Senators and their hand-wringing advisors, while the marketplace buzzes and jostles with wealthy merchants and struggling farmers. To the East, the still-warm sand of the Colosseum is splattered with the blood of heroic gladiators, as the jeers and cries of the masses echo from pillar to pit.

………………………………

Bristol24/7 relies on your support to fund our independent journalism and social impact projects. Become a member and enjoy exclusive perks from just £5 per month.

………………………………

“The city streets are a medley of shrines and gutters, Roman legionnaires on leave spilling out of every taverna, while aspiring poets sing their songs for pennies on every corner. Meanwhile on the Palatine Hill, the lofty vestal virgins perform their sacred rites to protect the city walls. Home to plebeians, politicians, scholars and soldiers, Rome is the original toga party – and everyone’s invited.”

Here’s Bristol Improv Theatre’s artistic director Caitlin Campbell to set the scene.

How much actual preparation goes into each Improv Marathon? Obviously it’s something you can’t prepare for, but do you… make sure you’re all in tip-top condition? Do a bit of research about Ancient Rome?
On the production side: heaps. Choosing a theme in advance allows us to design and build a beautiful, elaborate set for the improvisers to play with. Because you never know where an improvised story will go, it needs to give the atmosphere of the setting, without defining so much that it limits the imagination.

For our 2018 Marathon Pirates of the Severn Seas, there were three discrete areas – a raised area that doubled as the deck of a ship and a balcony, an ‘interior’ that could have been a ship’s cabin or a tavern, and an exterior scene – complete with sand, palm trees and a huge treasure chest!

“The trick is to just stay positive, pick the next fun thing, listen to the caller and keep going”: Bristol Improv Theatre’s artistic director Caitlin Campbell. Pic: Lee Pullen

The improvisers have their own prep to do, but it’s less extensive – we send around a recommended reading and viewing list and invite the actors to swot up on the theme. We advise everyone to sleep in late on Friday morning. But the fun really starts when everyone’s in togas and making stuff up together!

And while it’s going on, how do actors make sure that a) they are keeping the story alive and fresh and b) not burning themselves out (e.g. will each actor / character get a regular break)?
The actors have a guiding hand from the ‘caller’: an offstage improviser who watches the entire show and speaks over the ‘god mic’ to set each scene. The story is everyone’s shared responsibility, but the caller gets the bird’s eye view that allows them to set up fun side stories, throw characters together and keep things interesting.

The whole 26 hours is broken down into 13 1 hour, 45 minute episodes, with 15-minute breaks in between each. Whenever the clock strikes an even hour, a new episode is starting! A core team of about ten of the improvisers will do the whole 26 hours – the rest of the 30-strong cast will step in for anywhere between 6 and 16 hours.

How do actors actually figure out, between themselves onstage, where the story is going? Do you ever need signals, code words, etc, or does it all evolve organically?
There are absolutely no secret signals – trust us, at five in the morning, no one would be able to remember them anyway! The trick is to just stay positive, pick the next fun thing, listen to the caller and keep going.

Will the performers have any idea at all of where the storyline is going to go?
None whatsoever – what you know as the audience is exactly as much as the improvisers know on stage. That’s the fun of it all! Each improviser might have their own idea (or maybe ‘wish’ is a more accurate word!) of what could happen next. But improvisation is all about accepting and building together, so you have to be ready to let go of your own ideas at a moment’s notice.

A scene from last year’s Improv Marathon. Pic: Daisy Tian Dhi

What images / tropes of Ancient Rome are you expecting to come up this year? E.g. political intrigue, exotic food, orgies… and any shows / books that may influence the story? (Plebs, Asterix…)
Ultimately we let the improvisers’ imaginations lead the way – you can expect to see everything you’ve mentioned and much more. We’ve sent out a pretty eclectic list of source material to get them started – to give you a taste it includes I Claudius, Up Pompeii, Plebs, Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, and Asterix!

Do you know how long audience members have tended to stay at past Marathons…. has anyone shown amazing stamina?
Every year we have a few audience members who stay for the whole thing, which is quite a feat. There’s probably a moment at 6am when they’re wondering why on earth they decided to do it – but the pay-off is huge at the end of the 26 hours when they’re counting down and cheering along with the cast! A special mention goes to one improv diehard from Birmingham who has come to Bristol especially for the Marathon for the last two years – he brings a sleeping bag, sits in the front row and Tweets updates throughout the whole show. At this stage he really feels like part of the family.

Bristol Improv Marathon: When in Rome takes place at Bristol Improv Theatre from March 13, 8pm to March 14, 10pm (non-stop, watch as much as you like). For more info and to book tickets, visit improvtheatre.co.uk/event/marathon2020 

Read more: Mayfest 2020 programme announced