A protest, protesting the act of protesting. Improv in Toronto ran this fake protest just after April Fools Day, with intent to fool and confuse those who witnessed it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QWZSTW_zOU

The most enjoyable part about running a fake protest, is the reactions. Running an event like a protest, no matter what the topic, will always create controversy. People cannot help but stop and question what is going on. Seeing the signs, and hearing the chants, you can’t help but wonder what the protest is about. Some realize immediately the joke, but others are slower on

TheThe pre-mission meet-up

Taking our places

Double sign

Convincing some people walking by

Most people immediately realize the joke, get a good laugh out it, and even play along! Others though, are slower on picking up the irony. In many cases, it takes a couple minutes listening to our ranting, for people to realize that we aren’t serious.

PASSION!

Explaining why we are against protests

Another petition signatures

Reading our pamphlet

Utter confusion

Final group picture

Protests are one of the scarier missions to run for us, as an improv group. You never know how the public will react, to your public display. The trick is finding that line, where you are believable enough, for someone to stop and think “Is this real?”, but ultimately not so believable that they go home thinking the protest was legitimate.

In this case, we nailed it. People got the joke, but there was no shortage of debates, questions, and eventual laughs to go along with it.