Pure improvisation is a difficult craft to master. By its very nature, it’s a skill which is constantly being refined and developed to no end.  Almost everyone, not just trained actors, has experienced that moment of terror where you are forced to trust your instincts and follow through on an idea which has had mere seconds to develop. Whether it is improvising an excuse to get out of a tricky social situation or the amateur theatre sports often engaged by high school or university students, the rush of adrenaline upon getting it right can be pretty incredible – however, it can also go terribly wrong, resulting in many an awkward silence.

With all this in mind, I congratulate the cast of Word/Play for taking a bold risk in facilitating an entirely improvised show. The gamble has definitely paid off with the result being a truly original and entertaining show. While some Fringe shows suffer from under-rehearsed performances and a lack of preparation, the format of Word/Play requires neither and thus relies on the strong improvisational and expressive skills of a talented group of actors.

The idea behind Word/Play is quite simple.A different local writer reads selected passages from their work during each show; the actors then use their creative license to interpret themes, ideas or narratives from each passage and improvise short scenes. The interpretations range from literal to vague or symbolic. Two notable examples from the evening I attended were high school peers meeting by chance years after graduating and throwing back-handed compliments at one another in a witty dialogue, and a group of sperm giving each other motivational talks about going into “battle” to reach the elusive egg.

While it was evident that it took the performers a little while to ‘warm up’ and sharpen their skills, the calibre of performances developed as the show progressed. Some actors also possessed better chemistry with certain other actors rather than the entire cast, with the occasional joke falling flat. However, these occurrences were a small penance to pay in order to witness the raw and unbridled creativity which perpetuates this performance of an innovative concept which ensures that each evening’s show is entirely unique.

Word/Play runs until 13 October in the Ballroom at Revolt Melbourne. Tickets are $23 full price and $18 concession.