Raiders of the Lost Improv

A Vancouver TheatreSports League production. At the New Revue Stage on Saturday, April 19. Continues weekly from Wednesday to Saturday

I don’t get out to Vancouver TheatreSports much. Once every few months, when a new show launches, I’ll make it down to Granville Island. Why don’t I go more often? This is what I ask myself every time I leave the New Revue Stage. Damned if they don’t always put on a highly enjoyable night of entertainment.

Their latest spoof is Raiders of the Lost Improv, in anticipation of Steven Spielberg’s latest blockbuster, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, due out in cinemas next month. It’s been 27 years since I saw the original Raiders of the Lost Ark, and going into the show on Saturday night, I couldn’t tell you one thing about that movie, other than a vague memory of a giant rolling rock. But it all came back to me watching the improv lampoon, strangely making me want to check out the film again.

Maybe I’m a sucker for bells and whistles, but half the fun of a TheatreSports production is the full-on experience it provides: set, sound effects, costumes, soundtrack, dry ice. But none of it would work if not for the actors. A forced line or bad choice can sabotage the evening, but the cast—which changes nightly—had no weak links on Saturday. Which is saying something, considering that my favourite, Randy Schooley, had the smallest role of anyone.

Nathan Clark was solidly stolid as Dr. Windermere Stones. Clark’s strength is never imposing himself on a scene, but deftly moving it along with subtly great lines. Eric Fell played the baddie to perfection and introduced—unintentionally, I’m guessing—a dirty element to the proceedings. VTSL always keeps their improvised plays almost squeaky clean, but when Fell entered riding an elephant, which was nothing more than a puppet held between his legs, well, the double-entendres were flying. Bill Pozzobon, who was hilarious in many roles, warned Fell when he had to pass through the legs of David Milchard (representing a tunnel): “Careful your elephant’s trunk doesn’t tickle the top of the cave or a stalactite may come down.” And on it went from there.

There didn’t appear to be as much audience participation as usual, but there was enough. A scene where they asked for the help of a “local” to fight off henchmen was brief and almost pointless, but the charm of the kid they plucked from the crowd made up for it.

I realize I haven’t laid out the plot points, but does it really matter? It’ll be different when you go. Windy Jones will need to find something, and someone will try to stop him. Dry ice will ensue. ’Nuff said. Plus, it’ll leave you jonesing for the latest filmic installment.