There’s something magical about laughter when it’s unplanned, raw, and alive in the moment. That’s exactly what unfolded at today’s Celebrity TheatreSports at the Enmore Theatre. The historic venue buzzed with anticipation, its art deco charm cradling a crowd ready for anything.
From the first beat, the energy was electric. Jeromaia Detto took the stage to warm up the crowd, as the audience has an important role to play, to engage with the performers.
Host Gary Eck steered the Roman Empire inspired chaos with charisma, while an all-star lineup of Aussie favourites: Peter Berner, Gretel Killeen, Adam Spencer, Emily Weir, Joji Malani and more, hurled themselves into wild scenarios on the spot, without hesitation.
Every scene swung between brilliance and absurdity, the kind of comedy only possible when performers surrender fully to the unknown. Actors are notoriously brave, and for a show like this, they have to be not only brave, yet spontaneous, responsive, and highly creative. The teams worked together beautifully, and some of the team names, such as, Caeser Word Salad; and Rome and Away; set the tone for what was to come.
The improvisation legends were the backbone of the event. With sharp timing, bold choices, and the wonderful Benny Davis underscoring it all musically in real time, the show pulsed with non - stop creativity. Benny, the solo musician on keyboard provided a perfect soundscape to compliment every moment of the show. His mix of sound and silence, dynamics, genres, and even entirely improvised songs about AI, Elon Musk, a snippet of Rock Opera and more, brought so much to the show. Benny was a highlight and was truly exceptional.
The celebrity “Audio Challenges” were surprise curveballs from Kitty Flanagan, Rove McManus, Jonesy; Amanda, and the Umbilical Brothers, and pushed the games into delightfully unpredictable territory. The audience loved every second. The genre and emotional roller coaster themes added even more challenges for the actors who delivered every time.
Beneath the laughter was compassion and heart. This wasn’t just comedy for comedy’s sake. The event proudly supported Canteen, reminding us that joy and generosity can share the same stage. Hearing the stories of two young Canteen Ambassadors and their overcoming cancer stories was inspiring, and it was encouraging to see so many creative professionals on and off stage donating time, skill, and effort for kids aged 12 – 25 who have had their lives turned upside down by cancer.
In the end, Celebrity TheatreSports was everything live theatre should be: unpredictable, courageous, human, and uproariously funny. You don’t just watch it, you feel it.
My only criticism would be that it was advertised as a “family friendly” event and there was content that was not appropriate or aligned with that content rating on a few occasions throughout the show.
Outside of this, it was an outstanding display of top tier improvisation, lightning fast comical moments, and live on stage collaboration that made for a fantastic event all round.
If you missed this round, keep your eye on the calendar. These improvisers will be back, and trust me, you’ll want to be there.
Reviewed by Simone Waddell