CC9E06: Chainsaws on a plane, improv recursion and ORCHIDS

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In the CatCave9 science guest-spot: Kathrin Garschall from the Flatt Group at UNIL

A fulfilling and fruitful intellectual life, such as that of the average scientist, requires having one’s ideas constantly questioned and confronted. This, on a daily basis, can be quite taxing and emotionally draining. For immediate relief, our eight Catalyzers helped our Lausannois audience embark on a live and improvised musical holiday, in a world where cats can sing, and whales have a reason to celebrate (despite Brexit).

After the fall of Rome had been demonstrated quite graphically in ballet form, a polyamorous Walt Disney couldn’t wait to see more animals copulate. In short scenes, we discussed both the utility of perimenopause, and the casual threat of chainsaws on a plane. Simultaneously proving and disproving his improv-ninja mastership, Charles “Kenobi” Mullon demonstrated the art of breaking his finger on stage without anyone noticing (40 pairs of eyes are our witness).

In the science guest-spot this time was Kathrin Garschall from the Flatt Group at UNIL. She talked about experimental evolution extending the lifespans of fruit flies, and how this affected their immune system. This led our improvizers to take apart reality and perform a recursive improv-inside-improv moment at an imaginary Cinema Oblo inside a real Cinema Oblo, where flies constantly face the reality of a 3 month mating cycle, the Cinema Oblo economy, and bad improv shows running over time.

Finally, the Catalyst embraced their musical side, during our pièce de résistance of the night: “ORCHIDS” – a 20 minute musical long form with live piano improvisation provided by the fantastic Samuel Muscinelli.

We can’t wait to see all of you again after the summer break! Stay tuned!

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