Thursday, November 20, 2008

Rodents on Fire

Despite a thorny work project being thrown at me today, I was cheerful. Know why?

Fact is, my comedy improv group, The Rodents of Unusual Size kicked major ass last night at our monthly show. Mind you, due to various circumstances, there were only three of us left to play. So Jeff, Christa and I did what any cornered rats would do, we stole a monkey.

Matt Krupa, from that other improv group, Monkey's Uncle, kindly offered his comedic services. Together, we KILLED! Good Lord, my stomach hurt just trying to do scenes.

We play one game called "Back in My Day" which has several of us (we often invite fellow improvers from the audience to join) lined up. The host gathers words from the audience - holidays, nouns, food, whatever - and each one is put to us. When comedy lightening strikes, we hobble forward, playing a grumpy old person, bitching about days gone by with the starter phrase, "Back in my day ... !"

So, the phrase was 'grape juice' and Matt hobbled forward and exclaimed, "Back in my day ... we didn't have grape juice ... our grapes were full of wrath!"

Okay, maybe you had to be there but holy shit, ... laugh? I thought I'd die.

That improv, I'm telling you, it's like a drug. Like flying without a net. Like being on a roller coaster. With a strange wig. And sunglasses. It felt really, really, really fantastic.

Improv and horses: The two main components of my mental health care plan.

8 comments:

Renewed in the Rockies said...

I really wish I could have gone. I was bitching today at HDW about having missed it.

I had never gone to see Improv before moving to Denver...and I have NEVER failed to have a good time.

Heather Clisby said...

Yeah, the crowd was loud and had terrific suggestions - you would have fit right in.

My favorite:

Host: "Name something special you do for the holidays."

Punk girl audience member: "Brush my hair."

Jeff C. said...

Damn, that WAS a good time. My stomach still hurts from laughing with you. At you? Around you? Near you. That's it.

Thanks for rockin' a Wednesday night with me and Christa. Dare I say, that show gave me improv wood.

Heather Clisby said...

"Improve wood." My new favorite phrase!

Anonymous said...

Back in my day...we didn't have the internet. We tied a pigeon to a string and let it fly to the next house. That was how we got the word out! Damn kids!

Kath said...

Word!

Thought I was gonna spew my Mike's Hard Lemonade when Matt said that line!

You guys were GREAT!! No, better than GREAT...you were Fucking Awesome!

I seriously gained at least 3 years back from laughing...cause laughing does keep ya younger, you know?

And Howard? And the ATM in his butt? And??? Hahahahahahaha!

Kath said...

And this....

ROUS - Name your favorite holiday

Sole voice from the audience - Macworld!

hotdrwife said...

I'm so bummed I missed this, but I love - LOVE - hearing all about it!! :)