On a Sunday night at What the Dickens in Ebisu members of Pirates of Tokyo Bay bilingual Improv group are recreating the life of an audience member. The audience of Tokyo residents, visitors from around Japan and overseas visitors who learned about the show on Tripadvisor are laughing and hoping the scene doesn’t end. At the back of the bar I am also laughing, and also wishing the scene doesn't end, but for a different reason. When the scene is done it is my time to go on stage. My first appearance as a member of Pirates of Tokyo Bay. I step on the stage with two veteran Pirates, Jim and Matt. Based on audience suggestions we will improvise a scene about unplanned pregnancy pregnancy, in Japanese, while shoving marshmallows in our mouths each time a bell rings. Yes! This is exactly the challenge I was looking for.
After a couple of hard and lonely years people are eager to find something that will make them feel better. Attending a Pirates show will certainly make you feel better. During Covid I realised that rather than just watching shows I wanted to challenge myself to be on stage making others laugh. That started with the first challenge of auditioning for POTB.
The open auditions in October at Tokyo Comedy Bar didn’t feel like a “test”. It was a group of people who wanted to make each other laugh doing just that. The super supportive Pirates threw some of their biggest challenges at us and encouraged us to “Yes, and” and have fun. I left the audition laughing, and hoping the Pirates needed a pudgy middle-aged man in their group.
Getting the email welcoming me to the group was life changing. It meant that I now had to go to Shibuya every Sunday. Those Sunday afternoon practices are a highlight of my week. Getting a front row seat to the best bilingual improv in Japan and being able to learn from these experienced performers. Practices are a safe place to try out new situations, characters, styles and games. Even if a scene does not go well I can laugh and learn with the knowledge that no matter what the other Pirates have “Got my back”. I wanted to challenge myself to get onstage and make others laugh. I have done it in practice with the supportive Pirates and now for the real test.
I am standing on stage at What the Dickens. The audience laughs as we perform a scene in Japanese about a woman, her boyfriend and me as his mother. More marshmallows and more laughs as we find a resolution to our conflict. Then it is done. My first time on stage as a member of the Pirates of Tokyo Bay. The audiences at future monthly shows will see a completely different show. I feel privileged to see a hilarious show every Sunday at Practice. This is exactly the challenge I was looking for.
