I added: swiss army knife to construct weapons in event of zombie apocalypse, pen to write my last will and testament, also a last ditch weapon in event of zombie apocalypse, chalk to write messages on walls or ground… in event of zombie apocalypse, and a poncho… to protect me from the splatter caused by a zombie apocalypse. I call it my “emergency kit – zombie apocalypse edition.”

1) I will be there.

2) Free drinks*

3) The three improv troupes are some of the funniest out there in DC today. They’re blowing up every single venue they hit.

4) Just this once, follow through on that thought: “Hmm, that’s interesting, I should go to that.”

5) The DC improv/comedy scene is getting hot. Indeed, the entire nation is seeing a revival in comedy. Get in on the ground floor with this so that when you’re old, and your cyborg kids ask you about when the Golden Age started, you could say that “you were there when.”

6) It’s a perfect drinking companion.

A Night With the Town Drunk 2

Presented by Small Town, The Punctual Drunks & Aboulia

20-21 and 27-28 April 2012
10 pm

District of Columbia Arts Center
2438 18th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20009

TICKETZ: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/234281

* there are no free drinks

IC

ImageChaos – Internet Famous

All of that said, this is my sixth time back at the DC Improv and the place is as classy as ever. Or, really, as classy as it is won’t to be, staff not considered. Good rock music over the PA system almost soothes my irritation. Almost, until I remember that I don’t particularly care for rock. That said, I am mega excited to see tonight’s show.

Two troupes enter, one troupe leaves. Well, er, more like four in two rounds of competition. Here is the lineup:

Round One
Charles and Joe vs The Neighbors

Round Two
Dirty Laundry vs The Punctual Drunks

For those of you not familiar with the concept of battle improv or, really, a competitive talent show, what happens is that each troupe goes up for ten minutes, commands its laughs and the applause of the two troupes are compared for the purpose of determining the winner.

The first round began with Chris and Joe, the stunning two-man troupe, coming out to a cold, but liquored audience. (Side note here: really, folks? It’s Wednesday, take a quick break and order a glass of water. Lushes…). With the prompt of “Vulnerable” they launched into a hit-or-miss story about a young man applying to Northern Virginia Community College because he wanted to be with the “salt of the earth” people. Charles managed to simultaneously play a Shakespearean Professor previously kicked out of Harvard while simultaneously playing a true “salt of the earth” professor. Joe’s hand at a teaching character had him contend with a fire which resulted in some furniture throwing and an ill-fated idea to “blow the fire out.” A strong showing.

The Neighbors, tasked with “Taco,” brought a strong game. (Side note #2: Taco? Wth, Zeitgiest, just go get a fucking taco already.) After a quick ‘reminds me of’ sequence, they moved into a couple loosely related skits, most noteably a simple but chucklingly effective attraction

The applause at the end was far too close to call by the anonymous celebrity judge so, then, there was a dance-off. Still, with the phenomenal skill if the two troupe representatives, a winner could not be determined. So, the dreaded alphabet game was introduced. Each contestant rep had to have a conversation with dialogue beginning with the next letter of the alphabet. So, for example: joe: Hey, can you clear out so I can clean these spotless tables? Me: I don’t understand. Joe: just that we aren’t open yet. Me: fuck you! My feet hurt. I obviously would have lost, my word not beginning with the letter k.

And that just what happened out there on the great stage. Charles and Joe came out with a fast J and The Neighbors’ rep wasnt able to get out a K in time. (Ok, here’s the thing, and I want to point this out for the sake of fair and balanced reporting, the rep for The Neighbors had a stutter and I could see that he was tripped up by a sudden stutter and that led to their loss. I feel as though they were robbed.)

So Charles and Joe went on to the third round.

Round Two
Dirty Laundry v (Champs) The Punctual Drunks

Dirty Laundry came on stage all bright eyed and bushy tailed, completely prepared for the dark and gruesome melee of battle improv. With the prompt of “Running Cactus” their troupe quickly attached themselves onto a highschool theme, complete with love triangles, a nerdy girl, known to sell test answers, the school hot guy, wanting the scores, his dumb friend who cheats off of another person cheating off him (circular, yes, but hilarious), and the erstwhile friend of the nerd, encouraging her to stand up for herself. The tale they wove had me in stitches (see what I did there?) and honestly spoke to me. I could identify with all of the characters and I attribute that to not only portraying them with skill, but choosing aspects of them to focus on that I imagine spoke to a lot of high schoolers in the audience.

Champions two times running, The Punctual Drunks came on stage to expertly execute a tale of a family torn apart by the revelation that Henry Rollins (who, hilariously, none of the troupe could identify) was the daughter’s father at their mother’s funeral. Let me just say something here: The Drunks seem to have mastered the “framing device” or, the method by which a story is told. While I have seen other troupes tell a set of cohesive stories, none have done as well as The Drunks have as it pertains to keeping it relating to the central story. This skill, coupled with fantastic performances, led to The Drunks’ victory.

Final Round
Charles and Joe vs (Champs) The Punctual Drunks

Unfortunately, after a stellar first round, Charles and Joe came out only half-swinging with a Jersey Shore set of vignettes that was mostly miss than hit. Damn you “Snookie!” While I will not criticize their performances (they have a very unique stage presence) I think that if they intend to remain a two-man troupe, they should tighten up the lulls in their scenes. It is this that led to the fall of the Snookie prompt and their ultimate defeat.

The reigning champions, The Punctual Drunks, came on stage right after, pumped up and reari g to go. They called up an audience member, asked her about her favorite fairy tale, got in a few questions and digs (she couldn’t remember how it ended, and mixed the Disney classic with the Hook movie) and the. They were off.

Okay, let me just say something here, because 1 it needs saying and 2 all that fair and balanced reporting stuff (Pfft, ethics, who needs them?): I’ve been following The Punctual Drunks since their inception and I must say that each time I see them, they have gotten that much better. From being comfortable with each other and themselves on stage, to taking chances and toeing the line, to developing resonant characters with believable and relatable motivations, the Drunks are rapidly forming into the kind of troupe that reliably delivers hilariosity.

That said, the Drunks Won, holding the title for 3 consecutive competitions.

Whew, did I ramble on long enough?

DC Improv rawks.

IC

Improv has descended upon The Wonderland Ballroom in Washington. And, as always, the room is packed. “Ladies and gentlemen” the host, Patrick Palafox announces, clad in a dark suit and a powdered wig of Thomas Jefferson proportions. “The show will begin in ten minutes, please have a drink, get drunk. Get so drunk that you forget your credit card and have to pick it up in the morning.”

“Yes,” the audience responds. “Challenge accepted.”

Still more folks stream in as the various groups take to the stage to get a feel for the space the have to work with.

I notice the matching t-shirts The Improv Imps have on. I am jealous.

I am also sober.

The folding wooden chairs have reached capacity. It’s standing room only. Patrick paces the stage. The wig announces self-determination and sentience. It’s improv time.

The lineup:

Aboulia (link)

On the audience prompt of “Muffin Top,” Aboulia weaved a tale of drama complete with unrequited love, a strangely compelling love triangle, a dating playbook in which visiting 7-Eleven was at the top of the list, a ‘pound of flesh’ paid to a debtor, a web entrepreneur and a menage a quattro.

I’ve seen these folks several times in the past few months. Since their debut, Aboulia has consistently brought the funny and tonight was no different. With surprising skill, they defined several character, outlined a framework for their story and executed it. They brought the room from a lukewarm alcohol induced simmer to a steamy boil, going all out with the concept of the muffin-top (though, sadly, there were no actual muffin jokes…).

The Improv Imps (link)

Tim Trueheart, Adam Belcher, Jennifer Crawford, Rob Cosgrove, Brandon Fisher, Mark Johnson, James Bonieskie, Elisa Cohen and Erin Hayes

“Thanksgiving” never had it so… strange. The Improv Imps brought Turkey carving to a whole new level with its turkey deep-frying competition in which the Turducken was challenged by the Turdonken, the Turelephanten and the Turfetusen. Mad scientist Dr. Igor created a new “Master-baster” to take over the world while poor, star-crossed lovers fought with un-approving parents and a growing lack of blood from a severed hand.

First thought: “Holy crap, there are a lot of people on that stage.” Then a few more jumped up and my second thought was: “Holy shit, there are a lot of people on that stage.” But even for as many people in their awesome t-shirts they had on that tiny, tiny platform, the troupe pulled together a tight, efficient set of vignettes. Even when things got a little strange (see: Turfetusen), the Imps powered on, transforming their massive group into an awesome set of fun.

The Punctual Drunks (link)

Amanda Antosh, Jay Malsky, Shannan Scarselletta, Robbie Freeman, Robbie Chernow, Karan Kamboh and Ian Winston.

“Goldilocks and the Three Bears” opens with a confrontation. Goldy is back and she is most definitely not welcome. Turns out she’s a bit of a kleptomaniac. With wild accusations (which are mostly true), a family argument (with roaring, natch), and a surprising admission of love never again will the tale be the same.

Yet another group I’ve seen from inception, I’ve come to expect excellent things from the Drunks and this night I am not disappointed. By the time they were done, the fifteen minutes they’d had had gone by in a flash and I had to borrow my neighbors handkerchief to dry my eyes. They’ve been able to take what we as an audience relate to, pull the truth out of it, bash the truth over the head, get it liquored up, put it back in and turn it into something phenomenal.

That Was Awkward (link)

Azize Erim, Corey Henry, Sara Kirwin, Emily Lamond, Patrick Palafox and Jinah Williamson

“Taco.” “I’ve never made a taco before!” “WELCOME TO TACO-WORLD, IT’S A TEAM EFFORT!” With guest talent from The Punctual Drunks and Aboulia, “Taco” weaved a world of border runs, beanstalk comparison, The Law, and a very well thought out (read: shouted) discussion on the relative importance of beans or lettuce and tomato on a taco.

That Was Awkward comes in bold, brash and brassy, jumping the audience from a taco shop in the vein of Chipotle, to a van filled with immigrants and an old lady, to an American prison (and then, briefly, to a Turkish one), and more. The one thought that keeps reoccurring in my mind is that these folks are so unapologetic in their performance. Not to say that it’s bad and they don’t care, just the opposite. They’re good, they’re having fun and because of it one can’t help but to be drawn in. The Headliners have done well.

Best in show:

American prison: 3 square meals; Turkish prison: endless disco – That Was Awkward
“Welcome to the family, bitch!” – The Punctual Drunks
“I borrowed my playbook from some douchebag kid.” – Aboulia
“I’ll be the best damn Master-baster the world has ever seen!” – The Improve Imps

After the let-down of Valentine’s Day, this show completely changed the tone of my week. If you get the opportunity, check out these folks if you’re in DC.

IC