Step Into the Fire: Review by Sebastian Taylor

Basement Theatre, June 6-7 | 2026

The Kids Will Be Alright Awesome

Step Into the Fire is an improv show inspired by Bullrush, Drop Out, and Shoot from the Hip. The difference? It’s performed by a cast of high schoolers consisting of Christen Wong, Luther Marks, Cameron Beattie, Daniel Coombridge, Ella Irving, Carly Cameron, Mylo Withers, Taylor Van Der Walt, Logan Harrison, Sophie Vasar and produced by their drama teacher, Isla Frame. If you’re someone who’s attended improv nights at Basement before, you’ll likely know what to expect. A sparse stage with a set comprising a grand total of four chairs, functional lighting (also operated by high schooler Trey Winchester), no script, and pure imagination. As a newcomer to improv myself, I can’t say I’ve seen the work these kids are inspired by, but what I can say is that they put up a show worth watching on its own merits.

As the title suggests, the cast stepped into the fire. There was no empty space between the delivery of prompts and the inception of scenes. The cast’s ensemble work was tight, receiving and building on offers seamlessly. I always want to see strong complicité—connection—between performers, and that was on clear display. My favourite example of this being when actor Luther Marks initiated a scene by closing his eyes and sleeping on a chair. He trusted his fellow cast members implicitly, and as expected they populated the scene around him as he sat completely unaware of his surroundings.

Another highlight was the joy of seeing young people at play. Not play as in unserious; in fact, it was very serious play. The cast was entirely committed to playing with the audience and each other, and they did so with an eager energy that was infectious; as an audience member I wanted them to succeed as much as they did. If offers were dropped or missed, the pace stayed lively and the game never got stuck. I felt safe knowing they were holding the space and I was never concerned about what would happen next.

Insight into the perspective of young people on adult machinations was the heart of the show and epitomized the idea of using your personal qualities as strengths rather than apologizing for them. The crowd erupted when one actor, Ella Irving, proudly proclaimed she was a decrepit old woman from the bygone era of the 1980s—leading to a brilliant sketch demonstrating the most common method of communication at the time, the fax machine. In the same vein, another offer led to actor Christen Wong operating a sewing machine having assumedly never touched one before in his life; suffice to say it was highly engaging watching a performance involving increasingly convoluted gyrating foot movements.

Aside from putting up a joyful show, this cast has exemplified how accessible our performing arts scene is in Tāmaki Makaurau. I offhandedly joked to the programme administrator at Basement Theatre—that they should put on my show next week at Basement. Without hesitation she said she was keen to have a chat about how to make that happen next season. Unlike me however, this cast of teens had something to back up their talk. With the state of arts funding right now, it can be easy to fall into despair about the future of theatre in New Zealand, but these kids are out here showing us that if you care about it, you can make it happen. Here’s hoping we’ll see more of the Fire Hazard improv company and its cast.