Tally Levy has brought tremendous positivity and talent to The Cambridge Impronauts – let’s find out what performance means to her.
Thanks for speaking about your time as an Impronaut. How long have you been a member?
Thank you for interviewing me, I’m really excited to be talking about my time with the Impronauts! I’ve been a member since March 2019 but I’ve been coming to Open Workshops since October 2018 (the start of first year).
What was it that encouraged you to come to your first Impronauts Workshop? How much do you remember from it? What would you say to someone who wasn’t sure that they would like it?
I remember my first workshop as just having pure chaotic energy
The Impronauts performed a freshers week show at my college (King’s) and I didn’t stop laughing the whole time. It looked like they were having so much fun, and I wanted to learn how to be spontaneously funny like that. I also wanted to get involved with something theatre-related at Cambridge but I was a bit intimidated and I didn’t want to spend all my spare time learning lines, so Improv seemed like a really good fit for me.
I remember my first workshop as just having pure chaotic energy in the best way, and we did some Improv in the park which was really fun!
I’d say to someone who wasn’t sure that they’d like it to just go for it and have fun because what’s the worst that could happen?
How do you feel about portraying emotions and serious moments in Improv? Do you think you’ve changed the sorts of characters and relationships you like to play?
Honestly, this is something I really want to get better at as I constantly laugh at myself while improvising and my characters end up being very light-hearted and comedic. I’m always so impressed when I see more experienced Impronauts keep it together really well and create more complex and serious scenes.
In Improv, there are always some great moments and scenes that the audience miss because they’re in the rehearsal room. Do you have a favourite that you could share with us?
There are so many! I had a Southern Belle character that popped up a few times in rehearsals for Whim City (an improvised film noir we performed in December 2019) with a very fun accent that I really enjoy doing – not because it’s good but because it’s entertaining!
What’s your favourite bit of Improv or performance advice that you’ve been given – or have heard? Can you describe how you use it?
Overthinking things in Improv usually ends up in an awkward silence, and I just have to trust myself
Joe, who used to run the open workshops, always used to tell us not to go into a scene trying to be funny, because this puts too much pressure on the scene, and so it’s less likely to actually be funny. I still keep this in mind and instead of overthinking it, I try to just say whatever pops into my head, regardless of whether or not I think it’s funny: usually the audience seems to enjoy the scene that ends up happening! I’ve learned that overthinking things in Improv usually ends up in an awkward silence, and I just have to trust myself.
If you could give advice to Past-Tally on how to approach shows or rehearsals, what would it be?
Just jump into scenes!
I’d also tell myself to make the most of it because I really miss performing in person, although I’ve been really enjoying “zoom-prov” and figuring out how to transfer our favourite games to an online format.
Finally, can you pitch me a show idea?
My college husband Dylan and I have been wanting to co-direct a Black Mirror-themed show based on a creepily dystopian future. He came up with the idea before the pandemic but now it seems even more fitting as I think it would work really well in an online format.
Thanks Tally, I can’t wait to see you creating characters again, soon!