While we certainly expect our loyal followers to "fear the funny", we are glad that people don't fear it so much that they don't come to shows. Thankfully, there were a sizable number of "brave" souls in Providence, which was a great part in what turned out to be a successful show.
From a personal standpoint, it felt awesome getting back on stage with Larry, Cory, Tom, and Annemarie. It seems like we've been in workshop mode for a long time, and when it comes to the former SOTPers, we haven't had a real stage in a long time. We had the couple of shows in Wrentham, but they never quite felt the same.
In fact, Comedy Connection felt like something new entirely. When I think of the venues I've performed in alongside these people, not one was ever a true "comedy club". With all due respect to my other group, I don't think our little playhouse has been given a true identity yet. Aside from that, my experiences have been contained within a former roller rink turned bar and a Chinese restaurant. I don't think I'll include the various private gigs. No, we're not in the way of your wedding at all...
But I'll say it again: Comedy Connection was a new, and very welcome, experience. First off, the people were there to laugh. Not to watch the Pats/Sox/Bruins, not to just drink at the bar, not to socialize very loudly. They paid for comedy and were actually aware of this fact. On top of this, there was a glorious, and I mean glorious, pre-show announcement reminding the patrons to actually behave themselves. At this point, I wanted someone to pinch me. Preferably Tom. He has smooth, girlish hands.
I think the show took a bit to get some steam, but once we found it we were pretty golden. Everyone was giving their best, they were being loud enough to hear, etc. The trick is finding that pressure point a little earlier to get them into it right away. On the other hand, this was something fairly new for the Comedy Connection, and its audience, so perhaps they were still adjusting to this new presence.
At the end of the day, I can sum up the experience in one statement: The venue wants us back, and we want to go back. That's saying something. The next question is: are you going to be there?
All the best.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Monday, May 24, 2010
iCu Blog: Introductions
Welcome to iCu's blog presence! We are here for you, oh humble blog aficionados.
We are bringing you into the minds of our players, through insights, to give a window into our twisted little minds. Be entertained, be informed, but most of all, know that we are bringing our best effort at all times to provide comedy that our audience will enjoy.
Entertainment
Expect us to tell stories. They may be true, they may be not. That's incidental. We're interested in influencing the way you look at what we do, the world aroud you, and the way you interact with it.
We will participate in blog events, predominantly those that put a fictional spin on things going on in the world. This'll make more sense when you see what we're actually doing.
It's gonna be intense.
Insight
We are artists. Artists, like scientists, never stop learning, creating, and adapting to the world around them. Do you want to know our process? Watch what we say here. You won't be disappointed.
The World
Good comedy never happens in a vacuum. Comedy that happens in a vacuum sucks (enjoy the pun, I encourage all to use it).
That being said, we comedians know the world around us. We respond to it. For every emperor, there's a child to say that he's naked, so we will be that child. It's important to note that it won't always be funny, but it'll pay off eventually, so enjoy the madness.
I put forth the commitment now, that you will have a window to the inside of our heads, where insanity reigns in total, and you are just along for the ride.
We are bringing you into the minds of our players, through insights, to give a window into our twisted little minds. Be entertained, be informed, but most of all, know that we are bringing our best effort at all times to provide comedy that our audience will enjoy.
Entertainment
Expect us to tell stories. They may be true, they may be not. That's incidental. We're interested in influencing the way you look at what we do, the world aroud you, and the way you interact with it.
We will participate in blog events, predominantly those that put a fictional spin on things going on in the world. This'll make more sense when you see what we're actually doing.
It's gonna be intense.
Insight
We are artists. Artists, like scientists, never stop learning, creating, and adapting to the world around them. Do you want to know our process? Watch what we say here. You won't be disappointed.
The World
Good comedy never happens in a vacuum. Comedy that happens in a vacuum sucks (enjoy the pun, I encourage all to use it).
That being said, we comedians know the world around us. We respond to it. For every emperor, there's a child to say that he's naked, so we will be that child. It's important to note that it won't always be funny, but it'll pay off eventually, so enjoy the madness.
I put forth the commitment now, that you will have a window to the inside of our heads, where insanity reigns in total, and you are just along for the ride.
Friday, September 19, 2008
The underground Comedy Dipatch #2: Acceptance
Another cornerstone of Improvisation, and I'm not the first to say it, is Acceptance. Say yes. When you do, it moves the scene forward. When you don't, the scene becomes a pointless argument that nobody cares to watch or listen to.
It's ever so important that, if your partner(s) in a scene give you something, that you must use what they've given you as the building block for what's to come next. Unlike sketch, you don't have the luxury of discarding it, and hoping the next idea is better.
That being said, denial has its place, as long as it's not negation. If you're in an argument, a letigimate, constructive (and hopefully funny) argument, there is an implied sense of contrariness. You can do this by disagreeing with observations, but not out and out negation. Think of the improviser's Most Holy Yes And. Replace that, only hypothetically at first with "yes, but," or "Yes...Or..." You can creatively adjust the parameters of a creation without destroying it, and ruining the creative force of the scene.
Consider also the principle of clarification. I'll never forget a scene I did where we were to play as the A-Team. There were three players, and one was on stage. I came in, hollering, "I pity da foo!", only to have the player on stage say, "Hey, Hannibal, nice BA impersonation. He'll really lke that."
Another player came on stage, saying, "I pity da foo!", only to hear, "Oh, Murdock! You're so crazy!"
Finally, the original player said, "Well, I'll be over here in my Corvette", to which I replied, "I love it when a plan comes together."
Two players created a Mr. T performance, only to have it edited and redefined by the responding player. That's when it's truly becoming something great.
It's ever so important that, if your partner(s) in a scene give you something, that you must use what they've given you as the building block for what's to come next. Unlike sketch, you don't have the luxury of discarding it, and hoping the next idea is better.
That being said, denial has its place, as long as it's not negation. If you're in an argument, a letigimate, constructive (and hopefully funny) argument, there is an implied sense of contrariness. You can do this by disagreeing with observations, but not out and out negation. Think of the improviser's Most Holy Yes And. Replace that, only hypothetically at first with "yes, but," or "Yes...Or..." You can creatively adjust the parameters of a creation without destroying it, and ruining the creative force of the scene.
Consider also the principle of clarification. I'll never forget a scene I did where we were to play as the A-Team. There were three players, and one was on stage. I came in, hollering, "I pity da foo!", only to have the player on stage say, "Hey, Hannibal, nice BA impersonation. He'll really lke that."
Another player came on stage, saying, "I pity da foo!", only to hear, "Oh, Murdock! You're so crazy!"
Finally, the original player said, "Well, I'll be over here in my Corvette", to which I replied, "I love it when a plan comes together."
Two players created a Mr. T performance, only to have it edited and redefined by the responding player. That's when it's truly becoming something great.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Update to iCu blog!
In case you haven't noticed, or you're deaf (don't worry, we'll handle that), the iCu theme is up and running. Any other songs we need to have here, let us know, and we'll add them to the playlist.
Friday, September 5, 2008
The Drive
This project is becoming more and more monumental all the time. I feel as though the iCu is a relentless Juggernaut, not satisfied to stop or even slow down. We, at present, have 11 games in our stable, original games, and these games are just the beginning. Formats. Sketches. I'm astonished.
I (and others, some of whom are now in the employ of iCu), have been accused of steamrolling. Steamrolling, in improv comedy, is the act of going forward in a scene, completely oblivious to any other player who might be playing. The scene becomes a monologue, with a spectator.
The iCu is just that kind of comedy team. We are prepared to steamroll any and all that tell us we won't succeed. There's a reason we tell you to fear the funny, because it's coming whether you want it to or not.
I (and others, some of whom are now in the employ of iCu), have been accused of steamrolling. Steamrolling, in improv comedy, is the act of going forward in a scene, completely oblivious to any other player who might be playing. The scene becomes a monologue, with a spectator.
The iCu is just that kind of comedy team. We are prepared to steamroll any and all that tell us we won't succeed. There's a reason we tell you to fear the funny, because it's coming whether you want it to or not.
The Underground Comedy Informer Dispatch #1: Statements (and Questions)
Statements
These truly are the building blocks of scenework. Without statements, declarative statements, the scene does not go forward. This may seem counter-intuititve to the way that normal conversation goes, and that's probably true. We, however, improvisers, are not having normal conversations, so different guidelines are followed.
Statements can also be unspoken. This is something that many forget. Statements are frequently the conveyance for emotional states. An emotional response is just as valid a statement as a description of surroundings. Make statements. If you get nothing else from this, get that.
How Questions Can Be Statements
Hold on, you say. We make statements, we don't ask questions!
Yes, and no. Questions can be effective statements, if they are creative or vivid enough. For example, ask: "Why, again, have you sucked all the blood out of my pet goat?", not "So, what are you doing?" See, one is interesting, and involves many possibilities, where the other is far too open-ended.
Consider the popular handle (improv game) 'Questions Only'. This game requires questions be asked instead of making statements. I, and fellow iCu player Larry, played once for three hours as we drove through Connecticut. Not one statement made. And we were not allowed to ride with that group of friends ever again.
These truly are the building blocks of scenework. Without statements, declarative statements, the scene does not go forward. This may seem counter-intuititve to the way that normal conversation goes, and that's probably true. We, however, improvisers, are not having normal conversations, so different guidelines are followed.
Statements can also be unspoken. This is something that many forget. Statements are frequently the conveyance for emotional states. An emotional response is just as valid a statement as a description of surroundings. Make statements. If you get nothing else from this, get that.
How Questions Can Be Statements
Hold on, you say. We make statements, we don't ask questions!
Yes, and no. Questions can be effective statements, if they are creative or vivid enough. For example, ask: "Why, again, have you sucked all the blood out of my pet goat?", not "So, what are you doing?" See, one is interesting, and involves many possibilities, where the other is far too open-ended.
Consider the popular handle (improv game) 'Questions Only'. This game requires questions be asked instead of making statements. I, and fellow iCu player Larry, played once for three hours as we drove through Connecticut. Not one statement made. And we were not allowed to ride with that group of friends ever again.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Beginning to Unfold
It started out as an idea, then begins to blossom into something tangible that all can enjoy. The most important thing to a show, particularly improv is... the audience. Which is what I want to focus on in the upcoming months of the iCu.
Still in its beginning, I'm already starting to see something that I haven't seen in a long time from a group... passion. Ideas are slowly being brought together, as well as glimpses into the foreseeable future of the iCu.
Slowly but surely our formats and collective thoughts about a successful show will be placed in front of a LIVE audience, the greatest form of constructive criticism. I'm excited to be a part of this. And I know Seamus, Tom, and Amy feel the same way.
Too bad we didn't start this 8 years ago. Who knows where we would be today?
Still in its beginning, I'm already starting to see something that I haven't seen in a long time from a group... passion. Ideas are slowly being brought together, as well as glimpses into the foreseeable future of the iCu.
Slowly but surely our formats and collective thoughts about a successful show will be placed in front of a LIVE audience, the greatest form of constructive criticism. I'm excited to be a part of this. And I know Seamus, Tom, and Amy feel the same way.
Too bad we didn't start this 8 years ago. Who knows where we would be today?
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