The Pāua Ballards are back with a brand new improvised musical that will send your seasonal hearts soring, ‘Jingle Elves: The Musical’ from December 9 to 10, at BATS Theatre.
After two successful seasons of ‘The Musical: The Musical’ at 2020’s NZImprov Festival which had them nominated for Most Joyous Moment, and remounted successfully in NZ Fringe 2021, this seven person troupe of spontaneous singers are setting their sights on the North Pole.
Want to see what happens when you peak behind the workshop door? Do elves like their job or are they planning a strike? Have they run out of ginger biscuits in the staff room? Or perhaps it’s an elvish love triangle for the ages?
Well, who knows! It’s entirely improvised so even the performers won’t know until the first chords of the song plays after a mere suggestion from the audience.
Directed by veteran Pōneke improvisers Austin Harrison and Malcolm Morrison, you know that Jingle Elves are bound to be cheeky, naughty and will joyously blow your christmas stockings off the mantlepiece.
“If you’re after a surprising, fun, spontaneous and joyous time, then this is what Jingle Elves can give you,” Harrison said.
All the players are each comedically talented and skilled in silly yet grounded characters.
“I enjoy seeing how funny everyone is. I basically get a free show each night,” Morrison said.
“Audiences will be amazed and wowed at the fact that people can just make up entire stories and songs on the spot.”
Christmas doesn’t have to be all Mirah Carey and Jingle bells.
Performer Megan Connolly said, “It’ll be a refreshing reprieve. It’s not a Micheal Buble album.”
Catch Jingle Elves: The Musical at BATS Theatre from December 9 to 10 at 8.30pm with even your least spirited Christmas Whānau.
