Friday, April 3, the College of William and Mary’s Improvisational Theatre comedy group held its annual long-form “Improvised Shakespeare” show in Andrews Hall. By combining audience suggestions with the word choice and style of the Bard, I.T. presented a comedy show unlike any other, entirely unique in its over-the-top silliness.
This completely improvised performance was full of twists and turns. Entitled “The Three Witches,” a name and topic chosen by audience and cast members immediately before the show began, it followed the story of three magical sisters on a mission to find a cure for an illness affecting one of them. Along the way, they discover that the cure requires a key. However, the key has been swallowed by a king who is constantly eating, meaning it can only be recovered from his waste.
While quickly devising jokes on their feet, I.T.’s members gave shape to the plot of their satirical Shakespeare story as the three witches located the key, reunited with their three imprisoned brothers and received the cure to treat their sick sister.
Students in the audience especially enjoyed the satisfactory ending that I.T. was able to create for the on-the-fly performance.
“My favorite moment was probably when they figured out that the key was there, and they could all work together, and everything came together,” Lyndey Brown ’29 said.
Cece Sturman ’26, another audience member, found the performance’s final scene, which contained a series of unexpected marriages between some of the characters, especially entertaining.
“I liked the weddings. I thought that was really funny,” Sturman said. “They were just fantastic. They are really talented at improv.”
While improvisation might seem like second nature to the performers on stage, it is a process which takes considerable time and practice to master. When asked how the cast prepares for a completely improvised performance, I.T. performer Zeno Lenz ’28 explained that the group practices three times per week for about an hour and a half. During these rehearsals, they focus on the structure and format of the show rather than specific content, especially since much of that content is created during a show from audience suggestions.
Lenz shared that one challenging aspect of performing improvisational comedy can be the amount of focus required.
“The biggest challenge is trying to remember everything and make sure we’re listening at the same time because sometimes it’s hard,” Lenz said. “You have to be thinking ahead to do well in improv. You have to be thinking of what you’re gonna do in the next scene.”
Lenz also noted the importance of teamwork.
“You have to watch out for your scene partner and make sure you don’t talk over each other and that you say yes to whatever the other person is saying,” Lenz said.
When asked about performing in a Shakespearean style, the actor admitted it can be difficult and takes time and practice.
“For the past three weeks, all practices have been entirely Shakespearean English,” Lenz said. “We would have conversations before practice about our days in Shakespearean English, to get used to common phrases and talking to each other in that style.”
Despite the intense preparation that went into the performance, Lenz’s goal for the show was simple.
“I just hope that people have fun,” Lenz said.
Judging by the audience’s nonstop laughter throughout the show, this goal was certainly met. Sturman added what the performance offers the audience.
“I think it brings us all together, coming and having something fun to do on a Friday night,” Sturman said.
When discussing his inspiration to join I.T., Lenz emphasized the close-knit dynamic between cast members that he first witnessed while watching one of the group’s 12-hour-long performances as an admitted student.
“I sat there and watched for three hours straight because I was like, ‘These people look like they are having a really good time,’” Lenz said. “They look like they are friends with each other, and I wanted to be a part of that.”
Through a blend of early-modern language and modern comedy, Improvisational Shakespeare demonstrated this communal connection between cast members while highlighting the comedic power of Shakespeare’s writing style. As characters were tossed into absurd situations and improvised, the elaborate phrasing only added to the comedic storyline and made dramatic expressions even funnier. By the show’s end, it was clear that, though Shakespeare may have written centuries ago, his language can still make us laugh.
