The Anywhere Festival is known for taking theatre out of traditional settings and placing it in unexpected locations. Recently, I had the pleasure of attending 'Hysterical' at the Paint Factory in Yeronga; an entirely improvised performance by the Oh Artemis! Theatre Collective. This show delivered a delightful blend of humour and heartfelt moments that had the audience laughing one minute and wiping away tears the next.
The team transformed a large, echoing space into an intimate living space, complete with fairy lights that guided us to our seats. This inviting setup was more like gathering at a friend’s house than attending a traditional theatre performance—if your friend just happened to have an enormous warehouse at their disposal. Before the show started, we were invited to paint on blank cans with words that have been used to label us in our life. Mine? ‘Teacher’s pet.’ Others painted labels like ‘dramatic,’ ‘just a mum,’ ‘princess,’ 'weird,' and ‘snob.’ These cans then became part of the set, a literal reminder of the labels we all carry, whether they’re accurate or not. This clever touch blurred the lines between audience and performer, making us all feel a bit more invested in what was to come.
The beauty of 'Hysterical' lies in the unpredictability of improvisation. Guided by the talented Noelle Greenwood, the cast—Kelsey Hamill, Liz Talbot, and Chris Milne—brought to life in real-time scenes inspired by anonymous journal entries. There is a special feeling in realising that what you have seen is unique, a work of art created at that exact moment, never to be duplicated. This is the essence of improvisation—it's a shared experience between the performers and the audience that lives only in the memories of those present.
The audience randomly selected three journals for the actors to use to inspire a 15-minute improvised scene. The structure was simple yet effective: the journal entry was read aloud while 'labels' for the character were established through interjections from the other cast members, and then the scene unfolded with each actor taking turns stepping in, transitioning between different characters and time periods as the story progressed.
Liz Talbot kicked off the first scene with the tale of a high-schooler juggling teenage angst and future career dreams of becoming a ‘medical marine biologist lawyer’. Who hasn’t felt the pressure to be everything all at once? The scene tracked her journey from ambitious schoolgirl to disillusioned 20-something living at home, and finally to a content 30-something running a marine wildlife sanctuary. Liz handled the progression from youthful idealism to adult reality with a deft touch.
The second scene shifted focus to a couple planning a trip to Europe while dealing with conservative family expectations. Chris Milne and Kelsey Hamill’s quick-witted banter had the audience laughing out loud, while Liz Talbot’s turn as the conservative grandmother was a hilarious display. Kelsey's portrayal of a character trying to navigate societal pressures while staying true to her desires was particularly engaging. The ease with which she played off the others' lines created a dynamic that was both funny and oddly relatable.
The final journal entry, dealing with a cervical cancer diagnosis, brought a sobering shift in tone. The performers handled this delicate subject with sensitivity, delivering a scene that was both touching and saddening. One particularly memorable moment involved Noelle's character discussing her infertility with her husband, played by Chris. A leap forward into the future revealed Noelle's character finding solace in her role as a fun auntie, juxtaposed with the guilt of her husband's sacrifice and apparent acceptance that he will never be a father.
Adding to the atmosphere of this performance was a pianist improvising background music, with lighting that subtly shifted to match the mood of each scene. The epilogue, where each character returned for a ‘where are they now?’ moment, provided a satisfying conclusion to the evening, allowing the audience a glimpse into the future of these characters.
Improvisation takes A LOT of creativity and courage. For those who step into the scene first, it’s a daunting task. They have to build the foundation of the scene from nothing, creating a character and a narrative in real-time. It’s a mental juggling act, trying to process what the other actor is saying while thinking about how to respond and crafting a coherent story—all without the safety net of a script. The later actors who join the scene have a slight advantage—they can observe the setup, think about how they want to contribute, and plan their entrance. But this doesn’t diminish the challenge: the pressure to keep the narrative flowing and add something meaningful. As a writer who often struggles to articulate my thoughts even with time and reflection, I’m in awe of how these performers are able to create such clever and witty dialogue on the spot.
I have to wonder how much inspiration is taken from the actors' real lives. There’s an authenticity in their performances that suggests a deep well of personal experience. Whether it’s the awkwardness of family dynamics, the uncertainty of young adulthood, or the bittersweet acceptance of life’s challenges, the actors infused their characters with a sense of realism that made the scenes resonate on a personal level.
So far, 'Hysterical' has only had two performances, with each show unique to the audience that experiences it. If you have the chance to catch 'Hysterical' in the future, don't miss out—you're guaranteed a fresh, one-of-a-kind experience that’ll have you laughing one minute and reflecting on life’s big questions the next.
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