Spotlight On: Christine Brooks

Christine Brooks has been improvising for over 20 years. She has directed, taught and performed at improv festivals around the world including in Germany, Sweden, Ireland, France, UK, Australia and of course New Zealand. She is a founding member of the New Zealand Improvisation Trust and a former Artistic Director of the New Zealand Improv Festival.

Tell us a bit about your show and the idea behind it, and why/how it excites you.
The Restaurant is a large cast mono-scene set in a restaurant. A mono-scene is where the whole show takes place in the same space in pretty much real time. I've seen large cast shows, I've seen mono-scenes and I've seen improv in restaurants but never all three at the same time. I'm excited about it because it will have a large cast on stage all at the same time with the audience getting to see lots of smaller intimate scenes. The challenge will be in such a large cast working together as an effective ensemble to allow give and take of the various stories as we all make it up as we go along. 

What show other than your own are you most excited to see? Why?
I'm always excited to as much as I can at festivals but I'm particularly excited to see The Improv Show at the End of the World, Mothers, and Plot Mess. 

What's the best thing about improv?
He tangata, he tangata, he tangata*.

How would you describe your personal improv style?
A soothsaying manatee that failed mime school. 

Weirdest/best way improv has helped you in daily life?
I think improv has helped me care more about the important things and less about the unimportant things. 

What's going on in the improv world where you are?
Wellington is an exciting place to be an improviser at the moment. As well as a number of established groups, there are new projects forming all the time. I'm very excited to see what happens with the new improv theatre that is being set up! Will be great to have a home just for the 'provs.

What's going to be the NEXT BIG THING in improv?
Robots taking our jobs.

Christine directs The Restaurant at BATS Theatre, 9:30pm Tuesday 17 October. Our full programme runs 17-21 October, and tickets are on sale now!

*He aha te mea nui o te ao?
What is the most important thing in the world?
He tangata, he tangata, he tangata.
It is the people, it is the people, it is the people.