Improv meets Dungeons & Dragons in all-new Auckland Fringe Festival Show

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‘Improverished’ presents Can I get an Underground Location and a Mythical Creature?
When most people imagine Improvised comedy, they think theatre games and ‘Whose Line Is It Anyway’. They don’t consider an hour-long epic Dungeons & Dragons storyline.

Brought to the stage by theatre group ‘Improverished’, “Can I get an Underground Location and a Mythical Creature?” stretches the boundaries between improv as a performance art and the Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) setting.

“For us, it’s about exploring improv as a form of storytelling, and how flexible and exciting it can be,” says Improverished Director, Rebecca Stubbing.

Here’s the lowdown on how it works: The performers discover their roles on the night – Elf warrior? Dwarf wizard? – and take the stage as characters in the Dungeons & Dragons world. As in an improv show, the actors establish the plot and characters. As in D&D, the story is guided by a 20-sided game dice, with the performer’s rolling to determine the outcome of their spellcasting, battle attacks and more. Roll a 20? Great, you annihilated that goblin! A 1? Uh, you stabbed your own teammate.

“It’s not a show just for D&D fans, but anyone who appreciates innovative performance – and laughing a lot.” Rebecca says. 

“We have an hour, and we’ve got to create an entertaining and coherent story in the Dungeons & Dragons universe, no matter what’s thrown at us. Or more accurately what we throw!” 

‘Improverished’ first trialled the show at the Auckland Improv Marathon last year to rave reviews and the unique approach builds on the group’s previous ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ styled series where the audience had opportunities to vote on key plot directions. Now ‘Can I get a Mythical Creature’ takes it a step further.

“When planning this show, we asked audiences what they’d want to see next,” Rebecca says. “And D&D was overwhelmingly popular. So, in the true improv way, we went with that!”

Can I get an Underground Location and a Mythical Creature? plays:
Sat 29 Feb, 3pm-4pm – Nathan Homestead
Mon 2 & Tue 3 Mar, 7.30pm-8.30pm – Cakes n Ladders
Wed 4 Mar, 7.30pm-8.30pm – MOTAT

Event details:  aucklandfringe.co.nz/programme-2020/can-i-get-an-underground-location-and-a-mythical-creature

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