We're really looking forward to our 10th Anniversary show at the Waterside this weekend with an Oldies vs Newbies special. Some of our players have been looking back over the past decade and wanted to share some of their favourite memories.
“I remember our very humble beginnings at the Waterside,” says ComedySportz Manager Brainne. “Our first few shows we were playing to crowds of maybe 3 people. It's been amazing to see the audience grow, support new shows and even come to our workshops.”
“We've also literally watched our audience grow – some of whom weren't even born when the show came to Sale,” adds Sean before staring into the abyss of his own mortality. “My memories are all audience based. An impromptu game of musical statues lead by the announcer and ref during the interval or the tension in the audience that time we found out one of our volunteer players was responsible for all the roadworks on the M62.”
“The most striking memory I have of our time at Sale is when Mark kicked me in the face,” says Marcus. “Literally the most striking memory.”
“For me, it was the guessing game where Rob couldn't guess Chorizo. He refused to believe that it exists,” says Steven. “We still send him pictures of Chorizo. ComedySportz never forgets.”
“I remember doing the children’s workshop and showcase a couple of years ago and the kids did a scene at a bus stop. They were talking and arguing and completely ignored me coming on as the bus driver, waiting, then driving off again,” reminisces Rob who really loves it if you ask him about Chorizo. “Also: winning Annual Improv Championships.”
“At one of the open days we asked for the suggestion of 'what do you want to be when you grow up?' A little boy said 'a good daddy', the crowd just melted,” adds Rachel. “Also the game of Farting Santa.”
“Oh yeah, we've had some great Game-O-Matics that will never be played again. Like Silently Hiding Knives,” agrees Darryl who invented the game Silently Hiding Knives.
“We've had plenty of guest players from ComedySportz teams across the world and they've all absolutely loved the crowds at the Waterside,” adds Brainne. “If it weren't for the audience and their brilliant suggestions and volunteers... we'd have no show.”
“At this years March Madness match, I remember the advice of one of the Audience team managers... You're doing well but you're acting could be better,” says Sean who has decided this might well be his epitaph.
“Or the audience volunteer who leant me her phone for a game of Texts From Last Night who forgot that she had been sending some not exactly family-friendly pictures to her boyfriend,” says Rachel, who is still blushing.
However the memory that still lives on in the mind of most ComedySportz Manchester players is the fantastic audience volunteer Jonathon who joined us for a game of Waiter Waiter. “We would get audience suggestions and Jonathon would then say whatever he wanted,” remembers John. “We stopped getting suggestions and just rolled with whatever Jonathon said. If there was ever any doubt that we make everything up on stage we proved we could improvise that night!”
Thanks to all of our audiences new and old for your laughter, your suggestions, your heartwarming feedback and all those who have volunteered to join in and games. Thanks as well to all the staff at the Waterside who work tirelessly behind the scenes, from front of house to tech to online and publicity.
We've loved every minute of our last 10 years at the Waterside and can't wait to see what the next 10 years will hold!
Tickets for our 10th Anniversary show can be purchased here.
Tickets for our ComedySportz 4 Tots show can be purchased here.
Want to know more about our players? Check out the players page here.
