You don't need a chaperone for this one! Wit and Whimsy is one of the most unexpectedly hilarious and heartfelt improv experience I have ever had. As a professional improviser myself and someone who as taken notes and made an effort to make myself better in being a socially conscious and considerate comedian and stage partner, this amazing cast of performers makes it look effortless and was truly inspiring!

Their opening suggestion grab was delightful and compelling, after a genuine land-acknowledgement from the B.C. based performers they requested qualities one might associate with someone that we all love, immediately putting us into the romantic mentality.

They also incorporated an oracle card pulling to contribute to the main theme of the show; I dabble in the tarot sphere of reading so I have often associated Oracle Cards with 'levity' or 'lightness'. Here, however, giving power to these cards by having them be the expected theme of the show is something, I feel, should be commended.

Often what separates great improv from "expected" or "noticeable" improv (I'm avoiding saying bad because, typically, the metric of criticism comes from how well audiences can see that this is all made up on the spot) is cohesiveness and a thematic thorough-line. People can look at any form of structure given to an improv show and falsely criticize it for being "planned out". But this suggestion grab involving the oracle cards was an indicator that we were about to witness a show performed by expert story-tellers - Story-tellers who know that, in-order to make-up an entire romance juggling multiple performer personalities that also is expected to be funny and unexpectedly moving, you NEED NEED NEED a thematic structure to tie your impulses together.

And tie together they did. I have been a part of shows where we care for the secondary side characters but RARELY do I see it. It was truly the highlight of the show when the father and mother of one character, who appeared only to give a small level of stakes and comedic relief also had a romantic resolution that was honest to the characters and comedy they had established AND was true to the theme set up initially. Who know that drinking bath water to calm one's nerves could be one of the most honest romantic gestures.

And the main characters were also a delight to watch; from the stuffed suited male characters (presented by the all femme presenting cast) to the female characters that covered a full spectrum of personalities. Each individual had clear identifiers that made me excited to see who would come out from behind the curtain next.

When the moments that revealed the show was truly an improvised show occurred (Breaking on the humorous lines that you didn't expect yourself to say, or not being able to find the opening in the curtain to make your exit) It never pulled me out of the experience. If anything, I laughed even harder because the emotion that motivated the exit was so charged and, truly, which of us has not tried to storm out of a room that we couldn't find the exit out of? 🤣

This was recommended as an A+++++ improv show to me. I'll go one-step further: Wit and Whimsy is an improvised theatre show that encourages me to go to more and more Fringe shows. It is the kind of production that makes me excited for the festival and proud as an Edmonton Artist that this festival brings performs from all of the country and world to share their art with all of us!