The Victoria Events Centre was laid out exactly how I was hoping: cabaret style. I was pleased that didn’t have to cringe at the typical theatre seats, always set up row-by-row, forcing me to trip over old ladies just to get to my seat in the middle of the theatre.
A young and boisterous crowd flooded the door for the opening night of Sin City, a completely improvised, multi-episode theatre experience that takes place here in Victoria.
Sin City caught my attention as a unique theatre experience because each season has a completely different plot and is carried out through a series of episodes.
This fifth season’s subject is space: astronauts are on a mission to replace a crew at an interstellar space station in the future. Did I mention that the whole act is improvised? Brilliant.
The lights dimmed and everyone sitting around me started hollering like bedlam in an asylum. It started to feel as though everyone was a part of some inside joke that I didn’t quite understand. People were giggling and laughing at jokes that I didn’t even know were jokes.
The crowd’s enthusiasm really encouraged my high hopes for the play, yet unfortunately the skits started out a little rough. Luckily, once the actors warmed up, I found that they were extremely professional and their onstage chemistry was undeniable. And I will admit that I howled with laughter more than once.
My only wish was that some of the actors had carried through with their improvisations. There were some really great opportunities to build on the stories that fell short because the actors didn’t take full advantage of them.
Regardless, I left this episode of Sin City with a grin on my face, feeling very entertained. What will happen in episode two? I’ll be “tuning in” next week to check it out.
Sin City: Space
Until March 31
Victoria Events Centre, $12-$15
sincityimprovserial.com