Playshop LIVE returns to Friday Nights

Playshop LIVE returns to Friday Nights with 'smarter, slicker, faster improvised comedy'

With a fresh re-brand and sharp creative focus, the Capital's most innovative and prodigious comedy cohort is chomping at the bit for its 2018 season of PlayShop LIVE to kick off at BATS Theatre on April 6th.

The Friday night LIVE show has become a fixture of Wellington's comedy calendar, with a rotating cast of PlayShop talent pushing quick-thinking to the limit in front of throngs of late-night revellers "most Friday nights" since 2012, first at the Paramount Theatre and then in BATS Theatre's Studio, the company's current LIVE homebase.

“... side-splittingly funny.”
“... a very fun house party surrounded by hilarious friends.”
“... an absolutely heartening and enjoyably energetic 60 minutes.”
- Audience responses, 2017

Now in its sixth year, PlayShop regularly produces full length comedy shows, kids shows, improv workshops and corporate packages on top of the late-night LIVE shows presented to audiences almost every week. Artistic Director Lori Leigh is excited to explain how PlayShop's rebranded look and fresh approach reflect the company's new sense of achievement and momentum.

"We've grown each year, both in terms of the company's repertoire and the skills and ability our performers have developed" she says. "With six years under our belt, not only do we have a bunch of credits to our name, we've got a company stacked with absolute pros. PlayShop has garnered a great following of regular attendees, and we're seeing new faces in the LIVE audience each week."

With a hefty list of credits to its name and no sign of slowing down, this year the company identified a desire to push itself even further. Spearheaded by Leigh and PlayShop members Jonny Paul and Sam Irwin, the refreshed ethos centers on leveraging the company's strengths to deliver better and better work. "We love what we produce, and we all agreed that we're best at what we do when we're invigorated and excited about it" Sam explains. "Our brilliant new branding and the internal decision to sharpen our creative focus reflect a driving force we're really excited about: bringing smarter, slicker, faster, highly professional improvised comedy to each and every Friday LIVE show."

PlayShop's commitment to packing more fun, more energy and more top-notch improvised genius into every weekly LIVE show was also the driving force behind Designer William Duignan's approach to the company's re-brand. "I wanted the new brand to feel alive and spontaneous, leaping off the page," he says. "And at the same time as feeling fun and exuberant, the design also needed to communicate professional slickness and skill. The balance had to be right."

Leigh says the company is " ...thrilled with the end result. This refresh has made us even more excited than usual to kick off PlayShop's year. I can't wait for audiences to see what we're bringing to 2018, and join us at BATS this Friday to get this year's LIVE season opened with a bang!"
ENDS

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