No Pants, thanks, this is #DesignIndaba

They probably won't be amused to know that Charlie Todd, the founder of Improv Everywhere, the group behind "No Pants Subway Ride" and a host of other public theatre performances, is visiting the country as a speaker to the annual Design Indaba where he will be delivering a much-anticipated talk at the end of the conference's opening day.

Charlie Todd. Pic: Andrew Brusso.

Bizcommunity: Is what you are doing really public theatre or are you just pranksters having fun?
Charlie Todd: I think it's a bit of both. I come from a theatre background, so when I started Improv Everywhere in 2001, it was very much about creating theatrical moments in unexpected places. The reason I've kept doing it for 10 years is because it's a tremendous amount of fun.

Biz: Is there ever a message in the madness?
Todd: I think the indirect message of Improv Everywhere is that creative expression in the public space is a good thing. Citizens should be allowed to create art, comedy, etc in public places without permit or permission, assuming it is done in a way that harms no one. I stay away from adding any direct messages to our projects, as it tends to make them less interesting, in my opinion.

Biz: YouTube is playing a significant role creating wider recognition of your work. Any bets on what technology will be driving improv going forward?

Todd:I'm excited about the proliferation of the iPhone and similar devices. I think at some point in the near future we will be using GPS and other technologies embedded in phones to organise and implement our projects. I'm also excited about Internet-connected television. I look forward to the day when there is no distinction between content created for the web and content created for television.

Biz: Any message to authorities cracking down on improv in public spaces (as happened recently on the local Gautrain when authorities' dragged away 'pantless' riders organised via Facebook)?

Todd: I think when authorities try to crack down on peaceful public expression they end up looking foolish. There were No Pants Subway Ride events in almost 50 cities around the world, so when the Gautrain authorities became the only ones to react negatively, it made them look pretty lame.

Obviously, laws and societal norms vary in different cities, but it's funny to me that anyone would feel the need to detain someone in their boxer shorts. We had the same thing happen to our No Pants ride in 2006 in New York, so I guess you can run into someone without a sense of humour anywhere.

Biz: Do you think there is a larger societal trend towards thumbing our noses at those in authority?

Todd: Well, obviously in the Middle East right now, we are seeing citizens coming together and standing up bravely to dictatorships. It's inspiring to watch. I wouldn't want to draw a comparison between those types of protests and Improv Everywhere, but I will say that the communication tools the Internet provides make them both possible.

Biz: I noticed the note placed at the beginning of your Q&A session with The New York Times where it basically disavows anything you said and it published. It made me wonder how you view the media and its "mainstreaming" of your improvisation?

Todd: Ha! I hadn't noticed that disclaimer, as it added it after the fact. Hilarious. Yes, The New York Times blog got mad at me last April when they fell for my April Fool's joke. They accuse me of lying to them, but to be fair they called a prankster on April Fool's Day and asked for his comment on his own hoax. What was I supposed to say? The whole point of an April Fool's hoax is to fool as many people as possible on that one day. Had they called on any day of the year I would have been straight with them. It's pretty funny that they're claiming nothing I say is trustworthy because they got fooled.

I generally prefer that the media stays away from our events. I appreciate it when they cover us after the fact but, when they show up in person, they tend to get in the way and take away from the fun. I really only have this problem at the No Pants Subway Ride, because it's an announced public event. Our other events are more underground.

Follow Todd on Twitter at @charlietodd.

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