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"A brilliant mind in panic
is a wonderful thing to see…"
Carl Reiner

Sydney's longest running comedy show enters it's 20th year next month when the THEATRESPORTS® CRANSTON CUP begins its Anniversary Season. The wildly popular 'cult' impro-comedy show opens at its traditional Sydney home Belvoir Street Theatre on Sunday September 21 and plays every Sunday night until 23 November. Its 'mega' Grand Final will follow at the Enmore Theatre on Sat 29 November.

A Sydney Comedy institution, the Cranston Cup season is the company's flagship - an annual cut-throat competition between teams of comic actors. Set the task of creating instant scenes, poems, songs and even operas with absolutely no preparation time, every show is 'on the edge'.

There's lots of audience participation and teams are scored by celebrity judges. The best of the best will face off at the Enmore Theatre Grand final (always a sell-out) on Sat 29 November, in quest of the biggest - and ugliest! - trophy in existence, the magnificently kitsch Cranston Cup.

Theatresports - and its flagship competitive season, the Cranston Cup - has launched the careers of scores of
high-profile actors, comics and comedy writers. Among them are Andrew Denton, Dean Carey, Jay Lagaia (The Lion King, Water Rats, Star Wars), Angus Sampson (Channel 7's Greeks on The Roof), Impro world champs Rebecca de Unamuno and Andrew "Beef" O'Keefe (Bec & Beef , Big Bite, Deal or No Deal) and plenty more. Other big-name stars who've trod the boards at the Belvoir show include Gia Carides, Penny Cook, Gabby Millgate, (Muriel's Wedding, Fast Forward, Kath & Kim) and Libbi Gorr.

The quick-witted improvisers of Theatresports® have also been the comic writing geniuses behind Who Dares Wins, Australia's Funniest Home Video Show, Good News Week, The Glass House, The Money or The Gun and Roy & HG among others.

Radio personalities with Theatresports 'cred' include Adam Spencer & Wil Anderson, Angus Sampson (3RRR Melbourne), Tanya Bulmer (Triple M Brisbane) and Amanda Keller (MMM, and new ABC TV show Mondo Thingo). Sydney Theatresports players have won Awards for their Impro shows in international comedy festivals and even won the Impro World Cup in Montreal in 2002.

In this anniversary season, directed by veteran, champion Theatresporter Ewan Campbell (Funniest Home Videos) - and featuring a Viking theme "Improlandia!" - stars of the past come back to judge, play and host - returning to their comic roots! Theatresports® stars are all available for interview. Great photos are also available.

Media Inquiries to Geoff Sirmai, Watchdog Communications
geoff@watchdog.com.au