Blank Canvas Theatre, a Melbourne collective of improvisational actors, find a realistically animated and uplifting point of intersection between imagination and honesty in True Fiction. 

Part mockumentary, part improv comedy and part insightful theatre, three men and three women take suggestions from the audience and turn it into a zany mockumentary. For instance, they asked the audience to choose a topic; sport, history, science. After choosing science, an audience member was allowed to choose a scientific phenomenon that they would wish to defy and suggest where this scientific discovery occurred. From this, a BBC-style film about the discovery of orangutans with the ability of flight in Borneo was produced right before our eyes.

The cast rotates each night, but features such talents as Jason Geary, Amanda Buckley,  Candice D’Arcy and Mark Gambino. Watching them interact and work out which direction they each want to take the story in makes for a exciting experience. Each actor jumps into their individual character before it is fully developed so it is especially interesting to see these actors develop these characters on-the-spot, rather than being already aware of their character’s background, as they interrupt each other to give more and more backstory.

To make the story easier to follow, each character is a stereotype or an archetype of a classic story, whether it be the bumbling undercover KGB agent, the uptight scientist or the gruff American hunter. But while the story and the characters remain simple, certain twists, sub-plots and red herrings are thrown into the mix to muddy the waters of what would appear to be a simple absurd farce.

As is inevitable when the story is made up spontaneously, not every character is fully fleshed out and several plot lines are left hanging. Regardless, True Fiction is a consistently charming and humorous improvised play which showcases considerable talent and finds great truth in its fiction.

True Fiction is on at The Improv Conspiracy, Level 1, 19 Meyers Place, Melbourne from 26 September – 3 October at 7:45pm. For more information or to book tickets, please visit the Melbourne Fringe website or call the ticketing team on 9660 9666.