Violet lights. A hipster bar. A narrow stage and a few wooden chairs. These were some of the things I was greeted with as I quietly entered Improv Comedy Copenhagen’s theater on Rådhustræde. Having arrived slightly late due to another event going overtime, I sat in the back row and attempted to piece together the story being told by the first group of the night, made up of four student actors. It was only a matter of time before central themes began to arise: a butterfly collection, the power of metaphors, and stalkers scavenging through others’ trash. Furthermore, the structure of the performance became evident as actors communicated in pairs while others dictated when the scene would end by clapping their hands or snapping their fingers. It was after I grew accustomed to these cues that I could begin to engage with the humor and playfulness of the performance.
Reflecting upon this first and less experienced group, their comedy was most successful when approached in one of two ways. The first method was to embody an overly dramatic character who remained completely committed to their role for the duration of a scene. A quintessential example was an actor who played a stalker: from his big googly eyes to his impulsive proclamations of love and devotion, every line he spoke triggered a raucous outburst of laughter from the audience. On the other hand, the second approach was one in which the performers blurred the lines between being an actor in one scene and an audience member reacting to the events onstage in another. For instance, if an actor would say something completely absurd and arbitrary, his or her stage partner may say: “Well, that doesn’t make much sense, but….” In some ways, this method contradicts the fundamental principle of improv comedy—that is, to fully accept what is thrown at you—yet hearing the actor speak for the audience allowed those watching to breathe a sigh of relief and laugh off lines that may have confused or distracted them from a scene.
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| Actors performing at the ICC Theatre |
Following a short intermission, two older actors welcomed us back with a spontaneous dance intro and a request for an audience suggestion for the subject matter of their performance, to which a young woman shouted out “living a double life.” What followed was a thirty-minute improvisational extravaganza featuring a gay British owner of a criminal record vinyl shop with dreams of becoming an actor, a Nazi officer with secret Rapunzel-like locks and an affinity for the German Bauhaus movement, and a detective’s wife in a failing marriage with an unwavering passion for her 24-hour knitting blog.
This group’s performance went leaps and bounds beyond that of the first group by adopting subtle yet effective ways of communicating with and supporting one another. In particular, I was impressed by how each actor took on a specific role in making the show successful. On one end, the seemingly more experienced actor appeared to carry most of the scenes by initiating new topics and delivering most of the punchlines. Yet, the other, more subdued actor played an equally, if not more crucial role by setting up the jokes or leaving room for the first actor to make bold comedic choices. In doing so, the comedy did not feel forced and jokes had the time to land with the audience. Moreover, this group’s manipulation of time, space, and theatre genre were especially commendable. By incorporating flashbacks and changes in location, such as present-day Copenhagen to 1940’s Germany, audience members experienced a larger diversity of characters and conversations, allowing for a more captivating performance. Additionally, the occasional fluctuations in performance genre—most notably, a sudden shift to a musical number with interpretive dance—made for some of the funniest and most memorable moments of the night.
In the end, the success of the show as a whole was indisputable. I smiled ear to ear while walking home, recalling jokes that had just been made and reflecting upon the many intelligent choices that had been invoked by every actor on that stage. I would recommend Improv Comedy Copenhagen to anyone looking for a good laugh in a casual spot with a friendly, English-speaking crowd.
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