They say laughter is the best medicine, and this show was the ultimate prescription.
Shellshock’s sold-out Hill vs Bailey competition was the perfect finale to the summative season. If you missed it, you missed out on some of the most fantastic comedy Durham has produced. The improvisers were split into two teams, with four representing the Hill colleges and the other four representing the Bailey. Each game awarded points, tallied by the witty comedy duo: Nemo Royle and Ben Bradley.
The room was filled with electric energy from the start as the improvisers charged in like battle-ready barbarians. The crowd matched their excitement with cheers for their respective colleges – a true display of Durham’s collegiate camaraderie. The phenomenal compères set the tone for the evening, engaging the crowd and injecting wonder and excitement with audience participation.
The set began with all the improvisers on stage, led by Royle and Bradley, the cast told the age-old tale of Paddington and his noble quest for a chainsaw. In this game, “Story, Story, Die,” the improvisers had to continue the story from what the person before them had said, with any stutters or inconsistencies leading to disqualification. George Lea immediately crumbled under the pressure, which was hilarious. The audience was captivated, and the competition was off to a thrilling start.
William Hines, Jess Harris, and Ben Braje triumphed in the next scene about… wait for it… an IKEA shop on the top of a volcano. I know, I wasn’t expecting it either, but it worked magic on the audience as Hines and Harris were characters acting and orchestrating in the scene, and Braje was acting as every object that the imaginative pair dreamed up. From a mahogany cabinet to a flock of birds, Braje could do it all. The physicality of the scene was fantastic, and it left the audience in stitches.
The game “Objection” was a standout. Four improvisers, two from Hill and two from Bailey, made wild and outlandish suggestions, objecting to each others’ scenes. The suggestion of a “butter churning competition” sparked a hilarious and chaotic scene. Jess Harris and Keira Lane from Bailey delivered standout performances, challenging their Hill opponents, and in doing that, Harris had the audience in the palm of her hand for the rest of the night; every word that she uttered was killer. She is certainly a must-see in the Durham comedy circuit.
Beau Dunnett and Anthem Curass showcased their versatility as performers, with Anthem even taking on the accent of the moon – yes that’s right, the moon. In another scene, Dunnett and Currass displayed their impeccable physicality as they portrayed bickering world leaders during a school drop-off. Dodging hits and metaphorically swinging axes to protect their child ‘Jiminy,’ their playful banter was a sight to behold, and they did their scenes justice fantastically.
A charming dinner date scene came next and involved two opposing team members, Beau Dunnett and Keira Lane. They left the room while the audience suggested ideas for their date. Upon their return, they had to guess the meal and theme as the cast created a rainforest ambiance with a side of Dodo egg and triple-cooked poisonous chips. Lane’s character work in this scene was utterly fabulous as I have never seen someone more in love. The devotion to Dunnett as they skipped through the door was enough to make anyone question their own relationship. The guessing game portion went hilariously off the mark, with Dunnett forcing Braje to make rain noises throughout the scene – much to the amusement of the audience and the dismay of Braje.
The ‘pan left’ game saw the Hill team, composed of Anthem Currass, George Lea, George Terzopolous, and Beau Dunnett, deliver four fantastically wacky scenes in rapid succession. A standout moment was when the two Georges channeled Arnold Schwarzenegger but were, at the same time, Teletubbies? It was a testosterone-fueled muscle fest hilariously juxtaposed with the innocence of a children’s TV show. Speaking of which, George Terzopolous impressed with his portrayal of Sesame Street’s Big Bird, despite not being familiar with the character. His quick thinking and mental agility consistently elevated every scene he was in.
Lea and Hines took to the stage to create a scene based on audience suggestions written before the show. They brandished two cups filled with suggestions and created a scene that was shocking in every way imaginable. It had all of the components of a thrilling scene – conspiracy, outlandish movie quotes, and of course, romantic tension. The chemistry of the pair was palpable, and it was clear that the audience enjoyed the scene as much as they did. Lea is known for his dry, witty and awkward humour, he often brings a welcomed edginess into scenes. His remarks are creative and incredibly natural – as if he takes improv to mean instinct. He is complimented remarkably well by Hines who is phenomenal at leading a scene by playing large and bolshy characters, with his fantastic booming voice and sharp remarks. They were quite the pair.
Shellshock! were ha-ha-hardly done there, as they capped off their joy-filled night of improvised comedy with the ultra-short form classic, the game we all know and love: sex with me! – The whip-smart cast took audience suggestions and weaved them into clever and comical quips and narratives about their own sexual escapades. I never thought that sex could hold any resemblance to a garlic press, toaster, or an engineer but I was swiftly proved wrong. Harris, Hines, and Lea shone particularly brightly in this portion of the evening.
The night was a real tour-de-force in improvised comedy. One review cannot begin to fit in all of the scenes, the laughter, or the incredible atmosphere created by the endlessly talented cast. The show was orchestrated masterfully. Shellshock is a comedy troupe that I sincerely could not recommend enough.
Shellshock! will continue to perform throughout the academic year. Keep an eye on their instagram account and the DST website for their future performances!