Celebrity Theatresports 2025

In this riotous annual afternoon ,Impro Australia brings together actors and celebrities in a special program to raise money – and awareness – of Canteen, that wonderful organisation that supports young people whose world has been affected in some way by cancer. This year Canteen celebrates 40 years of standing by and empowering 12-25year-olds dealing with that dreadful disease.

Two of those young people, Canteen Ambassadors Leavea Vaifale and Tynielle Gomez, spoke of their own experiences with cancer and what Canteen means to them. Other Canteen Ambassadors sold tickets raffling a cornucopia of prizes donated by the celebrities themselves and old Theatresports aficionados like Andrew Denton.

Coincidently, Theatresports has been improvising in Australia for 40 years, so last Sunday was a double celebration. And who knows best how to make a party swing that actors and comedians! And what better place apparently to swing than … Ancient Rome? No?  Well, that was the theme for this year’s show okay? And it worked!

Imagine the host! Comedian, actor, writer and producer Gary Eck as a Roman Emperor complete with a toga, leather gladiator’s vest, a sword and a laurel wreath. And co-host Drama educator extraordinaire Jane Simmons as a Roman patrician, robed in white and stunning gold.

Now imagine twenty-five enthusiastic, energetic performers, a support cast of judges, scorekeepers and an improvising musician all variously attired in vestiges of Roman garb. White togas, gold helmets, shields, lots of laurel wreaths, even a few swords!

Get the picture?

Now imagine the names of the teams …  Pompeii Posse, Rome and Away, Lend me Your Ears, Caesar Word Salad, Et Tu Brute and even Gladiatorade!

The humour began with the costumes and the titles and went on through twenty crazy improvised scenes including some of the all-time favourites like Expert Double Figures and Emotional Replay – and off-beat suggestions recorded by past celebrity Theatresports hosts and performers like Rove McManus, Susie Youssef and Kitty Flanagan.

As always, some of the games were more challenging than others …for example ….

‘Inspecting a Rental Property’– as a seal, a bat, a snake and a panda! (Ewan Campbell’s seal sliding upstairs to inspect the second floor was an improvisation tout de force!

‘Something Wrong with a Clown at a Children’s Party’ performed in Rhyming Couplets.

‘On an Island where a Canadian Wizard Appears’ – in Shakespearean style.

‘The Quest for the Perfect Perfume’ – at Play School! (Emma Palmer had no problem with this! Her “Hello!” and wave took the audience straight to the ABC!)

Teams chose some difficult tasks – like suggesting a “rollercoaster’ of changes for the topic ‘The School Formal’. Co-host Jane obliged with profusion of changes including the parents at home – which got other teams involved including a very suggestive Adam Spencer!

From two minute games to more complex three and four minute challenges, the action was fast and funny. No script, no preparation other than lots of improvisation experience and the ability and intelligence to think quickly, accept ideas, and keep things moving and coherent.

Based on the considered verdicts of the three judges – Lyn Pierse, Gretel Killeen and Liz Hovey – and the mathematical expertise of Scorekeeper Arnie Walsh, the winning team was Et Tu Brute and team members David Callan, Genevive Hegney, Jacqui Bramwell and Ewan Campbell accepted the Celebrity Theatre Cup amid thunderous applause from a very happy audience.

Congratulations to the production team for yet another great afternoon of impro fun.

Carol Wimmer

Photographer: Stephen Reinhardt

Find out more about Canteen – and perhaps join those who donate – at canteen.org.au

Find out more about Theatresports courses at … improaustralia.com.au/courses

Find out more about Theatresports in Schools at: tscadmin@improaustralia.com.au