Palmerston North comedy club SpontaneoUS seeks improv members

Palmerston North comedy club SpontaneoUS feeds off its audience at one of its monthly shows.

What informative tidbits will wildlife expert Nigella Strawberry share about the animals that call Victoria Esplanade home?

What delights will Doris Plum share about the tea rooms? And what Farmer Kev will get up to is anyone's guess.

SpontaneoUS members were to have taken visitors on fun and interactive tours at Explore Esplanade Day on Sunday. Palmerston North City Council announced on Wednesday the free event was postponed due to the city being under Covid-19 level 2 restrictions on large gatherings.

"Given the current level 2 restrictions and no certainty at this stage that it will change, we have had to make this decision," general manager marketing and communications Sacha Haskell said.

The council intends to hold the event at another time. "We are hopeful we'll be able to let you know when this will be next week."

SpontaneoUS is a Palmerston North comedy group and three members were to share the Esplanade's rich history by being roaming characters with a comic twist.

SpontaneoUS won the 2017 and 2018 National Theatresports Champs and is a regular on the Centrepoint stage.

Leona Revell was to be Farmer Kev, Amberley Caldwell Nigella Strawberry and Ryan Knighton Doris Plum.

Leona says the improv company has a performance side that does monthly shows at either Centrepoint or the Dark Room and the corporate side.

Recent corporate gigs have included a combined 70th and 80th-birthday party, flirtatious French waiters and Mrs Claus delivering presents.

"It is super adaptable what we do, that is why we're SpontaneoUS," Leona says.

SpontaneoUS started about eight years ago and its monthly shows sell out, she says.

Audience members often come up to them after a show and say they've had a crappy week but the show has allowed them to forget about it for awhile.

They never get the same show twice as the improvisers work off the audience.

SpontaneoUS Start is for beginners who the company hope will become part of the core cast.

Leona says improv is an incredible skill to have. "I call it my superpower. It's something I have with me on a daily basis."

Skills include storytelling, accepting offers (saying yes to your fellow actors and not blocking their character development) and justification of your character's position.

Improv also teaches you listening and makes conversations so much better as you pick up on information the other person gives, Leona says.

She also works at The Herb Farm and Centrepoint Theatre.

Fellow SpontaneoUS member Jacob McDonald says they identified a hole in the market for reasonably priced monthly entertainment.

"Every show is based on the audience so if we have a great audience we have a great show."

Jacob, who is a Samsung brand ambassador, says SpontaneoUS started with the members having fun on stage.

"We've really developed from where we started and it's exciting to see where we're going to take it."

Leona says there's nothing better than going on stage and knowing the other performers have your back. Improv is about learning to live in the present and enjoying the moment.

"There's something absolutely magical when you do that, it's an incredible feeling."

SpontaneoUS is holding open auditions on Sunday, March 14, for new cast members and musicians. For details, see their Facebook page.