Interview: Actor Michael Kunze on 10th anniversary of CRIME SCENE IMPROVISATION
Crime Scene Improvisation is a completely improvised comedy show which stars and is co-created by six actors. They are celebrating their 10th Anniversary this year and are returning to London later this month following their sell-out run in July of this year. We spoke to actor Michael Kunze about the show and improv as a genre.
What is the concept behind CSI and what are some of the most bonkers stories you've ended up performing?
CSI is an improvised murder mystery - at the start ,we get a workplace and an unusual method of murder, then we meet all the various people who work at that place and learn about them and their relationships to the deceased. At the end, the audience decides who the murderer is. It’s great fun.
We’ve had so many insane stories. This past summer, we had one set in an escape room, where most of the employees had been born there and never left. It took on a bizarre dystopian, almost sci-fi element. A personal favorite for me was when the job was “boy band”, and I got to act out all my childhood fantasies, complete with improvised rapping and singing.
CSI is going into its tenth year. What do you think makes audiences want to keep coming back to see it again and again?
Audiences come back because they know they’re going to get something they’ve never seen before, full of loads of laughs and some sneaky emotions. CSI is a bit of a workplace drama masquerading as crime procedural. Yes, there is murder, and that creates stakes, but what keeps people coming back are the relationships between the characters. We care about the people and the relationships a lot, and our audiences are really invested in it. Also, they love pointing and shouting “MURDERER” with as much pitchfork mob energy as they can summon.
Many would say they couldn't think of anything more terrifying than improvisation. What appealed to you about pursuing it professionally?
Sadomasichism? I don’t know - I love it so much. Anything can happen, and there’s something both terrifying and beautiful about that. When I used to be in bands as a teenager (ahem: cool guy alert), I just loved jamming and noodling about and following the vibe of whatever was happening. Improv is a lot like that, it has a lot in common with jazz, just a really collaborative effort between performers who are really tuned in to each other and the audience and chasing that elusive laugh.
Practically, what has it looked like to strengthen your improv skills so you can give high quality, entertaining, unique performances every night?
We rehearse! People always think improv is low-effort, but we’re constantly sharpening our skills and tweaking our format. You have to put in a lot of work to make what seems so effortless on stage come together. At our rehearsals, we really dissect what makes a scene pop, from working on starting in the middle, to having characters that know and care about each other, and also knowing when to edit a scene before it goes on too long. There’s always something new to work on.
With Showstopper continuing to be hugely popular and others popping up like Murder Inc, Mischief Movie Night and Shamilton, improv seems to be becoming a genre of theatre of its own. Why do you think audiences resonate with improv plays and musicals so much?
A great improv show is like an inside joke between an audience and the performers. It exists only in that moment onstage and if anyone tries to explain what happened afterwards, it doesn’t work. There’s a certain magic in that, and audiences love being included in the journey, of discovering something about a character at the same time as the character themselves, of having some throwaway comment become a crucial part of a character or story.
For audiences who may not have been to improv before, what tips would you give them to get the most out of it and get their suggestions chosen?
Good suggestions are like gifts - they open new fun areas to explore. Some of the most joyful moments with CSI have been when an audience member asks a question that sends the narrative spinning off in some new direction. We did a show recently where an audience member asked if I was romantically involved with the deceased, which I hadn’t been up to that point, but I said yes to the offer and we unearthed a new part of the story that hadn’t existed until that audience member participated. It was funny and ridiculous. Audience members who make suggestions that put us in hot water are always fun. The only thing I would counsel against is trying to be too clever or funny - that almost always backfires.
And for actors who might be interested in trying improv, what advice would you give them?
Do it! Improv is such a joy and a wonderful way to build community with fellow creatives. Some of my best friends and most fruitful artistic collaborations have come from improv. Most cities have a local scene run by dedicated individuals, so I’d do a google and see what’s happening in your town. Take a class or go to a jam. Improvisers are friendly. If you’re in London, there are several wonderful schools to take classes at, from Hoopla Impro to the Free Association to Showstopper. Shop around and see what style suits you.
CSI: Crime Scene Improvisation plays at Wilton’s Music Hall on 28 September, with other tour dates until November. For more info, please click here.
