TRYING to be clever, funny and original on the spot – and suitable whole-of-family entertainment – is something many aspire to, yet few achieve.

But Just Improvise’s monthly Theatresports show at the Mount Lawley Bowling Club manages to constantly pack in the punters for sell-out shows, delivering thrills, spills and dills all in the name of family-friendly comedy.

Creative director and national Theatresports champion Glenn Hall has recently returned from the Adelaide Improv Festival where he was a guest performer with On The Fly Impro, ready to put together the next Theatresports show on April 7.

“The thrill of performing Theatresports, or watching it, is the risk of failure,” the WA Academy of Performing Arts improv lecturer said. “The wonderful thing for improvisers is that, even if you fail, the audience will love you if you fail happily.

“So you never actually fail in the eyes of the audience and that's very reassuring for Theatresports players.”

Under Hall’s creative direction, Just Improvise has been producing live scripted and unscripted theatre to popular and critical acclaim since 2000, including Theatresports.

Regarded as one of Australia’s leading improvisers, he has been performing for the past 25 years and has appeared in the hit shows Spontaneous Broadway and Impro Melbourne’s Celebrity Theatresports at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

Hall and fellow improviser Chris Bedding are also representing WA at the Theatresports National Championships, part of the Sydney Comedy Festival, in May.

“The key to improvisation is practicing the skills and having the confidence the practice will come to the fore when it's required in a show,” Hall said.

“Elite footballers never try to handball – they just handball – and it’s the same with improvisers.

“The challenges are quick and the improv teams have to think and act fast as they perform scenes and scenarios inspired by audience suggestions.”

Improv performers taking to the stage this April include Chris Ratcliffe, Adelaide Buchanan, Chloe Ng, Callon Leam, Manfred Yon, Felicity Glencross, Esther Longhurst, Jessica Messenger, Michael Breeze, Lance Magnus, Chantelle Magnus and Hannah Rice who will battle it out in the first half to take on current kings of the ring, The Knockouts (Paris Burns, Zac Hall and Neil Barnard).

They will be joined by toe-tapping live improvising house band The Cross-Eyed Cats.

Just Improvise’s Theatresports is on at the Mount Lawley Bowling Club from 5pm, April 7. A pre-show bowl and sausage sizzle starts at 4pm. 

All tickets are $14.50 – book through Show Ticketing on 9370 5889 or www.showticketing.com.au. Door sales available only if the show has not been booked out.

The Mount Lawley Bowling Club is on the corner of Storthes and Rookwood Streets, Mount Lawley.

Just Improvise also runs improvisation courses for the general public – One-Day Jump: Intro to Improv Masterclass is on May 26. Visit www.justimprovise.com.au for more details.