Kevin Gillese & Kayla Lorette perform Thread Bear and Veritas Tassle

In Scratch two actors literally spin in and out of each other's characters, bounding across the stage with a physical comedy that becomes like a bizarre modern dance by the end. We see three stories and tons of different characters come together in cartoonish and absurd ways. Accents, funny walks, action sequences, all tied up in a neat little bow.

Catch the original Scratch duo on their final European tour of the show. Kevin and Arlen refined this character changing, multiple story improvised show across the Canadian Fringe Theatre Festival circuit. That was back in 2005-2006, since then the show has gone on to tour across Europe, Australia, and a whole lot more in Canada. They have also appeared at various festivals including the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, the New Zealand International Comedy Festival, the Vancouver International Improv Festival, the Naked Stage (Slovenia), the Wuerzburgean Improv-Festival and many others.

Based on a classic three story approach, Scratch spins the usual approach to long form on it’s head by literally spinning in and out of each other’s characters. With a flair for physical comedy the two men bound across the stage, bringing the stories together with a blend of outrageous characters, music and movement. Along the way we flash forward and backward in time, filling in the narrative gaps, and allowing for absurd tangents along the story lines. This format, refined from years of touring, and presented with the original creators, is a beautiful combination of the fun, accessible comedy of short form and the fully formed, satisfying journeys of long form.

For their final European tour with Scratch, Kevin and Arlen are again teaming up with Niko of Cellolitis. This year the boys (Kevin, Arlen and Niko) have already toured Australia, New Zealand, several cities of Canada and now the season ends with Europe. We look forward to working with you!

Thread-Bear is one, real-time scene in one location where two characters delve deep into their relationship. Like a classic American one-act play, we engage and affect each other until the truth spills forth. Alternating quickly between comedy and drama, this show is rides an emotional roller coaster until we are left with a very full view of these complex people.

Two characters, one location, sixty minutes.

This format, seemingly the polar opposite of Scratch, is more like a one-act play than a typical act. There are still plenty of laughs, but here they emerge from shockingly real moments with our characters, and the minute details of their relationships. The tone is more realistic, less absurd, the audience is drawn into the personal stories and we go deeper and deeper until we learn the truth about who they really are. This is an improv show built on acting, theatre and emotional truth; which we see as just another route to great comedy!

Thread-Bear first toured Europe in 2008, although at that time it didn’t have a name yet, we just called it “the other format we’re working on.” And the response has been overwhelmingly positive.

Per Gottfredsson, Artistic Director of Stockholms Improvisationsteater, said: “Thread-Bear is great because it takes improvised theater to a new level. Because they only use one environment and because they only play one character each, the whole show the improvisers can go deeper into character. Play out the relationship drama or the situation they are in. The improvisers are very skilled, its fun to see them work together on the stages. Don’t miss this high-class improvised act.”

The show was originally developed at the Vancouver International Improv Festival in 2006, then workshopped and developed further at Rapid Fire Theatre in Edmonton from 2006-2007, then road tested on tour in Europe in 2008 and now it is all grown up and ready for the world!

First developed at RFT during the regular season then premiered at Improvaganza, Rapid Fire Theatre's annual improv festival, this new format finds the joy in telling the truth. Its first full production will happen at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival in July 2009, where it has a ten show run. The strength in this show is its ability to build connections between the audience and the performers, as they reveal more and more about their personal lives as the show moves forward. And it is by connecting these real world details into the ongoing improvised stories that makes Veritas Tassle a fun, new improv format.