Improvisers fly in just in time for show
Miss Pole Queen New Zealand will be a tough title to win, with judges ranking each dancer on their costume, dance, tricks, and most importantly, ‘‘x-factor’’.
The dancers will first be introduced to the audience in evening gowns and will then have the floor, and the pole, for five minutes.
Miss Pole Queen will be crowned with a ‘‘full-on’’ tiara, of course. The winner will also receive a trophy and their own pole, Duffield said.
Other performances on the night include renowned Australian pole performer ‘‘Fontaine’’, who will also teach four workshops over the weekend.
While the pole community was ‘‘really strong’’ and still growing, Duffield said there was a lack of competitions for performers in New Zealand.
She intends to hold the Miss Pole Queen competition every year to help foster local talent, who would otherwise have to go overseas. ‘‘It’s bringing a lot more to Nelson as well,’’ Duffield said. The all-ages event will be a ‘‘full-on night of entertainment’’ at The Playhouse in Mapua, known for its great pizzas.
‘‘Pole dancers and pizza go together ... we’re all pretty physical doing pole, [so] we like to eat as well.’’ A Wellington-based improviser extraordinaire will be bringing her off the cuff talents to Nelson next Friday, as part of the region’s monthly comedy show.
Jennifer O’Sullivan is an performer and producer with a long history of making things up as she goes along. As an improv teacher she has travelled nationally and internationally, helping improvisers become fearless and work naturally on stage.
As a performer she has been in countless shows (mostly improvised) with many different companies, including the award winning ‘‘Awkward Threesome’’ which won ‘‘Tastiest Show’’ at the New Zealand Fringe this year.
She will join the local team of Off the Cuff improvisers for their show. This month the theme is: ‘‘It’s Time’’.
There is never enough time to do all that we want to do, but you need to make the time on July 29 at 7.30pm, says creative director Laura Irish.
‘‘The saying ‘you just had to be there’ often applies,’’ Irish says. ‘‘What you get is off the cuff. It has never been done before, it will never be repeated and that really adds to the enjoyment.’’
Irish and O’Sullivan have recently returned from Australasia’s largest improv festival ‘‘Improvention’’, based in Canberra, where they worked with some of the world’s most renowned improvisers. Now they are ready to bring that experience to the Theatre Royal stage in Nelson.
With this month’s theme, anything time-related is up for interpretation. All the scenes are entirely made up on the spot
They may not talk about shoes and ships and sealing wax or even flying pigs.
‘‘But we’re sure to talk about time flying, ticking time bombs, running late, having the time of your life, wasted time, get a bit cuckoo over a cuckoo clock or simply do the ‘‘Time Warp’’ again,’’ Irish says.