Pepsi Can’t Save You Now: “Somewhereville”

New England Theatre Geek Review of Improv Boston’s “Somewhereville”

Presented by ImprovBoston
Directed by David Thomas

March 9–30, 2018
40 Prospect Street in Central Square
Cambridge, MA
ImprovBoston on Facebook

(Cambridge, MA) Halfway between improvised comedy and two-act play, Somewhereville tells the hilariously horrific tale of a post-apocalyptic nightmare in which the world has ended because of — audience suggestion? In its final installment, it was the Kardashians who were responsible for destroying civilization. We learn in the three-character monologue opening that the “KKK-KK” has created an idiocracy-like hellscape via excess consumerism and social media over consumption.

Set in Improv Boston’s mainstage theater, Somewhereville is IB’s most recent feature-length narrative improv production. In my opinion, narrative improv is one of the most difficult forms of comedic improvisation to perform well. The overall concept, story arc, and sometimes character archetypes are pre-determined, but everything else is made up on the spot. This format limits the players’ creative freedom, which makes it difficult as an improvised set. As a narrative…