Dawnstar it's not that the title itself i found odd (i actually think it's brilliant!) it's just how quickly it came up!
I'm not much on Twitter but I'm very much interested! Since it's the improvis show it's different every night so I believe it's the most curious thing to know and discuss! I hope I'm not the only one ) anyway, if you could find a minute to copy your reports here (or in a PM) it would be grand!
Oh, I misunderstood. I didn't find it that surprising because I've heard some fabulous title suggestions at Lights! Camera! Improvise! and Showstopper in the past. In fact the title suggestions for MMN have been a bit below par by comparison. Back when it was still called Lights! Camera! Improvise! it had my favourite ever improv title, a Western called "Fifty Shades of Hay"!
Right, I've patched together the cast/character lists that I've been keeping plus all my tweets relating to each show. Sorry, I can't face sorting out all the @s so they're still in there.
Warning: none of this may make any sense!
13th December 8.30pm “Bend It Like Peckham” (didn’t get round to doing a character list for this one at the time & now can’t remember any character names)
Jonathan Sayer (Oscar), Henry Shields, Ellie Morris, Dave Hearn, Charlie Russell, Bryony Corrigan, Henry Lewis, Harry Kershaw
Pleased to report that their sojurn in NY has not in the least bit impared @mischiefcomedy's ability to create utterly bonkers improv!
What are the odds that I see 2 improv shows within a week, by different companies, that both include Ikea & rubix cubes?! @criminalimprov @mischiefcomedy
I'm guessing that @mischiefcomedy's pre-MMN rehearsing didn't involve enough practicing with the trap doors in the set: @henrywlewis almost got stuck in one mid-show!
Trying to work out how @davehearn2 managed to still look cool in tonight's @mischiefcomedy final dance when no-one else did. Inclined to think it may have been the leather jacket.
16th December 7.45pm “Jingle My Laser Beams”
Jonathan Sayer (Oscar), Harry Kershaw (Terry), Ellie Morris (Jill), Henry Lewis (Frank), Joshua Elliott (Lord Zygon/Mike), Charlie Russell (Nyankae), Henry Shields (Emrick), Dave Hearn (Dan/Santa)
16th December 9.15pm “Barred II”
Jonathan Sayer (Oscar), Henry Shields (Bob Biggins), Charlie Russell (Liz Lizard), Harry Kershaw (Dr Zebargo), Henry Lewis (Tommy/Hingis), Dave Hearn (Jenkins/Felicity), Ellie Morris (FBI Chief), Joshua Elliot (Perkins)
Only @mischiefcomedy could manage to do the middle part of a film trilogy! Action adventure Barred II included a couple of homages to @bankrobberyplay, some fabulous fan work from @davehearn2 & a heck of a shock ending!
Forgot to include 1 other highlight: @jonathansayer1 dashing across the stage & smacking @davehearn2 for swearing in what's supposed to be a family-friendly show!
22nd December 7.45pm “From Bussia With Love”
Jonathan Sayer (Oscar), Dave Hearn (Gerald Geraldine), Henry Lewis (The Phantom), Ellie Morris (Celeste), Ruth Bratt (P/Grandmother), Josh Elliott (Marcus Geraldine), Henry Shields (Boss/Rupert), Harry Kershaw (Bus Driver)
MMN 7.45 "From Bussia With Love", an espionage movie where it was hard to tell who were the baddies when most of the characters spent their time killing each others' relations in humerous ways! @mischiefcomedy
22nd December 9.15pm “Santa And The Goat”
Henry Lewis (Oscar), Harry Kershaw (Santa), Jonathan Sayer (Manta), Ellie Morris (Jeannie), Ruth Bratt (Bethany), Henry Shields (Elvis/Melvis), Josh Elliott (Patsy the Goat), Dave Hearn (Papa Pixie)
Yes! After nearly 3 years of waiting I finally got to see @henrywlewis as Oscar & @jonathansayer1 in the main group. @mischiefcomedy
MMN 9.15 "Santa and the Goat", a Christmas movie with @kershawharry as Santa, @jonathansayer1 as his jealous younger brother Manta & Josh Elliott pulling the sleigh as Patsy the goat. @mischiefcomedy
One of the highlights was the duet between @jonathansayer1 & @ruthbratt, who was playing his Lady Macbeth-esque wife Bethany. I mean, if you borrow @ruthbratt you've got to get her to sing!
Oh and there was the Carry On-style scene. Not sure I'll ever be able to unsee what @jonathansayer1 was doing with that orange fur scarf! @mischiefcomedy
23rd December 4pm “It Was Me”
Jonathan Sayer (Oscar), Dave Hearn (Luke Steele), Josh Elliott (Garth Hader), Ellie Morris (Gibbs), Henry Shields (Traggs), Ruth Bratt (House Owner/Nimrod), Henry Lewis (Scavenger Joyce), Harry Kershaw (Scavenger Bob)
MMN4pm "It Was Me" (title utterly irrelevent to show!) A sci-fi set in post-apocalyptic Burnely that had a lot of similarities to a certain popular series of films that share a producer with @bwaygoeswrong. @mischiefcomedy
I take it @cf_Russell is still busy Bank Robbing as @ruthbratt is still MMNing. My personal highlight this afternoon was the "What have I got myself into?" look on Ruth's face when she realised she had to piggyback on @kershawharry!
Highlights included the R & B rhinos & reggae giraffes, an epic Light Fader battle & a final scene with a ridiculous number of coincidences.
23rd December 7.45pm “Nuns On The Run”
Jonathan Sayer (Oscar), Henry Lewis (Mother Superior), Ruth Bratt (Sister Mary), Ellie Morris (Sister Eloquatia), Josh Elliott (Pope), Henry Shields (Sister/God), Dave Hearn (Cardinal Giuseppe/Monk Steve/Volcano), Harry Kershaw (Subtitles/Cardinal)
MN 7.45pm Disaster movie "Nuns On The Run". I hope none of tonight's cast are devout Catholics because I think @mischiefcomedy may be excommunicated!
Casting highlights included @henrywlewis & @henryshields as the chief nuns, Josh Elliott as the womanizing Pope & @davehearn2 as a volcano.
The pas de deux between the dying Pope & the lava was indescribable. Those involved are probably now in need of physio! (I imagine @mischiefcomedy keep a number of physios in business.)
There were 3 songs. The presence of @ruthbratt seems to be inspiring @mischiefcomedy to do more singing or, in the case of @davehearn2, loud, off-pitch droning!
23rd December 9.15pm “Teenage Rampage”
Henry Lewis (Oscar), Harry Kershaw (Mr Beans), Henry Shields (Fred Eggs), Ruth Bratt (Janine), Jonathan Sayer (Peans Beans), Ellie Morris (Jane), Dave Hearn (Cowboy Dan/Mr Eggs/Soda Water), Josh Elliott (Boy in Hat)
MMN 9.15 High school movie "Teenage Rampage" about the feud between the Eggs & Beans families. There were a LOT of bad egg jokes! @mischiefcomedy
Musical highlights included a @jonathansayer1-@ruthbratt duet featuring @davehearn2 as dancing soda water & a music video with @jonathansayer1 breakdancing (hope he didn't put his back out!). @mischiefcomedy
Oh and that's the first time I've seen @jonathansayer1 & @henryshields kissing each other. Given the length of this run, I wonder if ever cast member will have kissed every other cast member by the end? @mischiefcomedy
29th December 7.45pm “Spaghetti Hoops”
Jonathan Sayer (Oscar), Ellie Morris (Rosemary), Charlie Russell (La Bandita), Dave Hearn (Tony), Henry Shields (Randy/Velociraptor), Henry Lewis (Pa), Harry Kershaw (Grandma Jerry), Josh Elliott (Frank)
MMN 7.45pm "Spaghetti Hoops" a spaghetti Western. Highlights included @cf_Russell as La Bandita (with her own backing chorus), @henryshields as a velociraptor and @davehearn2 & @henrywlewis as homoerotic tumbleweed! @mischiefcomedy
29th December 9.15pm “CPR Or Die”
Jonathan Sayer (Oscar), Josh Elliott (Dr Simon Simons), Charlie Russell (Cassandra Simons), Dave Hearn (Bernie Simons), Henry Shields (Andrew), Henry Lewis (Mr Simons), Ellie Morris (Patients/Marie Simons), Harry Kershaw (Patients)
MMN 9.15pm "CPR Or Die" a hospital drama. Highlights included an incredibly over-emotional reconciliation between @cf_Russell & Josh Elliott, @davehearn2 as a lovelorn secretary (slightly Max-ish) & @henrywlewis being surprisingly touching as an elderly patient. @mischiefcomedy
And after @henryshields's performance as an amnesiac nurse I have my suspicions he may have been the author of a particular line in @bankrobberyplay!
That was the fourth hospital-set improv show I've seen in the past 9 months, the other 3 being @theshowstoppers. Why is it such a popular setting?
30th December 4pm “Seamus Can’t Swim”
Jonathan Sayer (Oscar), Josh Elliott (Seamus), Charlie Russell (Julie), Dave Hearn (Angry Bob), Henry Shields (Old Jim), Harry Kershaw (Pete), Henry Lewis (Photographer), Ellie Morris (Pathologist)
MMN 4pm "Seamus Can't Swim" a thriller set at Loch Ness & rather darker than your average @mischiefcomedy with quite the body count. @davehearn2 appeared to be thoroughly enjoying himself as the villain!
Highlights included the cat mass suicide, a swimming scene that reminded me of @bankrobberyplay, Josh Elliott as Seamus who can sing if he can't swim, @cf_Russell as the conflicted Julie, and of course the Loch Ness Monster appearances.
30th December 7.45pm “T-Vet”
Henry Lewis (Oscar), Henry Shields (Terence Mittens), Ellie Morris (Jane Bernice), Charlie Russell (Mitzi), Jonathan Sayer (Brady/Phil), Harry Kershaw (Manager/Ribbett), Dave Hearn (Tom), Josh Elliott (Monkey)
MMN 7.45pm "T-Vet" a dinosaur horror movie. Hard to list the highlights because the whole show was one long highlight! I never thought I could enjoy a horror movie but @mischiefcomedy made it happen!
Favourite characters included @cf_Russell as Mitzi the cat (later dinosaur), @jonathansayer1 as both Brady & half-man half-leech Phil, and @henryshields as the T-Vet Dr Mittens. @mischiefcomedy
The incredible song "Sexual Fondue" alone made it worth missing the live broadcast of A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong in favour of MMN! @mischiefcomedy
Other brilliant moments included one of the most evil uses of the pause & rewind buttons I've ever seen by @henrywlewis and @cf_Russell sticking her tongue out at @elliemorris when the latter tried to give the former mouth to mouth resucitation! @mischiefcomedy
