comedy feature

They're just making it up as they go! (Part Two)

ThreeWeeks meets The Maydays' Jen Rowe

ThreeWeeks loves improv, and always has done. With a crazy, crazy love. Crazy enough to make us stalk, corner and question not one, but two Brighton Fringe improv types: here we talk to Jen Rowe from musical improvisers The Maydays.


TW: For the uninitiated, tell us how a Maydays show works.

JR: We distribute copies of the local newspaper to the audience and ask them to cut out any articles that tickle their fancy, eg ‘cat stuck up tree’, ‘woman hit by flying aubergine’ - that kind of thing. Then we pull an article at random out of a hat and use it to inspire our completely made up scenes and songs.


TW: Where did the idea for Argus! The Musical come from?

JR: We wanted to do something topical, that might draw in people who have never seen comedy improv before. There’s also a show in Chicago that uses newspaper clippings to inspire them, although we have
a different format for our show.


TW: How do you go about improvising the musical bits – are there any tricks of the trade you can tell us about?

JR: Although we don’t have a clue what we’re going to sing about until the moment we sing, most songs are in the context of a scene, which helps. We all went to Chicago to study improv last Summer and picked up some great tips, including song structures, eg rhyming schemes such as AABB or ABAB. Also, on May 9th and 10th, we are hosting a workshop run by Nancy Walker - one of the US’s foremost musical improv teachers, so if anyone wants to learn how to do it, they can come along to that.


TW: Are you hoping there are any particular news stories that break this May so they can be incorporated into the show?

JR: We don’t mind - it’s the little things that are often the funniest. BIG news can be a mine of great ideas but ‘little’ news, agony aunt questions, adverts and local events are usually where we get the big laughs as people really identify with what’s happening ‘up their street’.


TW: What’s the best thing about doing improv?

JR: That’s quite a personal question! I think every Mayday would have their own take on that. For me, it’s when everything just fits into place on stage - almost as if we weren’t trying. The more you work with the same group of people, and the more improv you do, the more likely that is. And, of course, feeling the buzz in the audience when people are laughing and hanging on our words - it’s very satisfying.


TW: What’s the worst?

JR: Another personal question! Um...there isn’t one!


TW: The Maydays have become Brighton Fringe regulars – what’s it like ‘doing the Fringe’?

JR: Fantastic! The Fringe is such a buzz - it’s great to meet other performers new and old - this year we also see two improv groups who we initially taught at workshops now going off to do their own thing in the festival, not to mention ‘Katy and Rach’ from The Maydays doing an improvised 2-hander. Fringecity is great too - look out for us performing impromptu songs in Jubilee Square!


TW: Are there any other improv comedy people, past, present, superstars, unknowns, who you admire?

JR: Too many to mention! A lot of the teachers in Chicago are fantastic and we hope to get more of them over here to impart their improv wisdom.


THREE WORD HARD SELL: Topical, musical, comedy.

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MAYDAYS LISTINGS:
Komedia Studio, 10, 17, 25 May, 6.00pm (7.30pm); 22, 24 May, 11.00pm (12.30am); 31 May, 8.30pm (10.00pm), £7 (£5), fpp 16.

More: http://www.themaydays.co.uk

published: May-2009

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