Category Archives: Improv

More Python Classes

Graham Colonel

I’m sorry I’ve been posting less often lately (most of my posts seem to begin this way), but, among other things, I’ve been devoting a lot of my formerly free time to my Python classes at the iO Chicago. And it’s been a blast. To paraphrase something that Graham Chapman once told me, “I don’t let them know how much fun I’m having or they won’t want to pay me.”
Both sessions are winding up; my writing class, The Python Process, will be wrapping up with a staged reading on February 21 at 7 pm at the Chris Farley Theatre at the iO. This group has been turning out some incredibly funny material, week after week, and the audience is going to have a great time. My improv class, PythonProv, will be performing beginning at 7 pm February 26 in the same space, and this one will be just as funny.
Improvising in the style of @montypython is not the easiest thing in the world, and we may be the first group that’s made a serious attempt at it. And it’s going so well that we’re not going to let it drop after this session ends. And that’s why we’re going to continue on to a second level of PythonProv with the same group.
So why am I telling you all this if you aren’t in the group? Because we’re launching another session of PythonProv Level One classes beginning on Sunday, February 28. I don’t want to tell you how we do it, but I’ll give you one hint: while doing a long form improvisation, we chip away at everything that doesn’t look like #montypython. And it’s working!
If you’re interested, contact the iO Chicago. If you like Monty Python and improvising, you’re going to have a blast.

Good news, Cleese news…

The bad news is when your phone rings right in the middle of your Python Process class at the iO Chicago.

The good news is when it’s John Cleese calling, and he offers to talk to your students on speakerphone.

He answered questions about writing, and delighted and inspired the whole group. All classes should be like this. Thanks, John!

PPclass1-16

Del’s Rolling Stone debut…

If you read my Del Close biography The Funniest One in the Room, you probably know that this is the 50th anniversary of Lysergic a Go Go, which preceded the first Acid Test by one week.

Del Book cover

The former was a happening organized by Del and Hugh Romney (later Wavy Gravy), and it’s finally being recognized by the historians. Well, okay, Rolling Stone, but still, this was nice to see. sic/news/acid-tests-turn-50-wavy-gravy-merry-prankster-ken-babbs-look-back-20151130

This was very likely the first psychedelic light show; Del liked to say that he invented them, and there’s no reason to think that he didn’t. BTW, many years ago, he gave me the lantern that he used for the light shows, and somewhere or another, I still have it…

 

Auld Acquaintance

…Been too long since I hung out with Joel Murray, but every time I do, it’s like we’re right back at the Improv Olympic, waiting to jump on stage for Del at Crosscurrents.

HowardJoel2

Whose Live?

And I would be remiss if I didn’t strongly urge you to seek out and attend Whose Live Is It Anyway?, the live show based on the long-running improv TV show. The current cast includes Ryan Styles, Joel Murray, Jeff Davis, and Greg Proops, each one brilliant, but put ’em all together and you’ll be blown away. And, I don’t just say that because of the incredible surprise they pulled off for some of my own improv students which is posted elsewhere.

HowardJoelRyan2

Because my improv interests are primarily longform, for a long time I made the mistake of thinking that an evening of games wouldn’t appeal to me as much. Boy, was I wrong! This group does improv games as well as I’ve ever seen them done. It’s an evening filled with music, audience participation, and plenty of classic games.

But afterward, I started thinking about what I had just seen. While I’m used to scene-based longform, I realized that what they present is actually game-based longform! There are callbacks galore, as they weave material, suggestions, and characters throughout the evening in a way that really isn’t possible in a half-hour TV show. Here’s the info. You do not want to miss this.

No One Expects…

…Well, some of you know that I coach Illinois State University’s Improv Mafia on an irregular basis. Although I often get more out of it than they do, none of them will forget Saturday’s workshop.

It all started a couple of days before. I learned that my good friend and Baron’s Barracuda Brother Joel Murray would be in the area. In addition to acting in loads of TV shows (including one called Mad Men), directing, and improvising out of the iO West nowadays, Joel also tours with Whose Live Is It Anyway?, the live-on-stage version of the long-running improvisational TV series.

So, I made a quick trip to the theatre where they were appearing, and Joel introduced me to the rest of the cast, including the spectacularly talented Ryan Styles, Greg Proops, and Jeff Davis. As I was leaving, Joel happened to mention that they would be performing Who’s Live in Bloomington, Illinois on Saturday night. I happened to mention that I would be running an improv workshop in Bloomington that very afternoon. The wheels began to turn…

Cut to Saturday afternoon. The group was in the middle of some longform improvisation, when Joel and Ryan Styles walked in.

WhoseMafiaRyanback WhoseMafiaRyan2

Consider that many of these students first learned about improvisation watching Whose Line Is It Anyway? and you should have a clue as to how amazing it was for them. You could compare it to a group of music students going to a guitar lesson in rural Illinois and having Eric Clapton walk in.

They sat watching, asking questions, making some valuable suggestions, until they had to get back to their hotel. (Joel told me later that if he hadn’t dragged Ryan away, he never would have left.) Of course, they happily posed for pictures with the class before leaving.

WhoseMafiaGroup7

And this is the great thing about most of the improvisers that I know. They are generous with their time, and happy to pass along what they have learned to the next generation. The last thing Ryan and Joel needed to do on a beautiful fall afternoon was to sit down and watch a group of college students passionate about learning the things they learned about many years before. But that’s just what they did. Thanks so much guys.

#whoseliveanyway @improvmafia @joelmurray9of9 @iochicago

Funny Men

George-Wendt-Tim-KazurinskyI had the pleasure of seeing a wonderful new play at the Northlight Theatre in Skokie this weekend, and if you’re anywhere in the vicinity–or even if you’re not–I strongly urge you to go way out of your way to see this world premiere that is running for two more weeks. Full disclosure: Funnyman stars two friends of mine, George Wendt and Tim Kazurinsky, but I’d be strongly recommending it even if I’d never heard of either one of them.

Folks who know George only from Cheers may be in for a surprise. This is a very emotional role that runs the gamut from laughs to heavy drama. And Tim is wonderful as his agent/friend–they first worked together at Second City back in the 1970s, and they bring the feeling of their real-life friendship to these roles. George and Tim have both been tearing up the Broadway stage recently, so we are lucky to have them back here. And when you add in Amanda Drinkall as the daughter, along with the other supporting cast, well, I haven’t seen a better show all year.

Funnyman is based on the story of Bert Lahr, who, late in his life, was offered the chance to star in the world premiere of Waiting for Godot, with elements of Buster Keaton’s childhood mixed in as well. It’s well written and well directed, and–well, just go see it. You’re welcome.

For those of you who have been asking what some of my incredibly talented classes have been up to: well, this is what some of my incredibly talented classes have been up to.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuKRuK7k74s&feature=youtu.be

Yes, the next step for my Python Process class at the iO Chicago appears to be videos, specifically, writing sketches and then recording them. My class is called Sketch to Video, and signup is about to begin. Get ready…

Personal Python Process…

Big thanks to dear Terry Jones for saying hello (via long-distance) to my Python Process class at the iO today. Nothing motivates a group of young writers (and Python fans) like a word of encouragement from Mr. Creosote, Brian’s mum, and Sir Bedevere!

Mandy

image

As the screening of Monty Python and the Holy Grail was concluding in front of the audience, backstage the Pythons were obviously having a great time chatting with John Oliver in a very Anglo-centric conversation. They were all miked and waiting for their cue, posing for a few last-minute shots. As Terry Jones nibbled on a few of the snacks set out in the wings, none of them seemed particularly nervous about stepping out in front of the sold-out crowd. (Of course, if you can walk out in front of 16,000 people ten nights at the O2, perhaps the Beacon may not seem as intimidating.) 

imageWe heard their introduction and Jeff, Holly, a few Tribeca Film Festival folks and I stepped into the auditorium. The crowd roared as they slipped into their row of chairs and John Oliver began the conversation. It wasn’t long before the boys became restless however, and John Cleese walked offstage for a few moments. He returned with another chair, and pandemonium–very hilarious pandemonium–slowly began. Among the highlights: each of them re-arranging chairs so that half of them were facing the back of the stage; all of them but Eric dragging their chairs over next to John Oliver, encircling him; and John Cleese disappearing again and eventually waving his hand through the backdrop, causing enormous laughter completely out of context so that John Oliver was visibly baffled at the audience’s reaction (until he saw John’s waving hand). 

image
After it drew to a close, we all convened backstage. “I think you needed a whip and a chair out there,” I told John Oliver who laughed, but I assured him he did a great job controlling the uncontrollable.
We all proceeded to the green room, where the guests would soon be arriving. I quickly learned the reason for the Marx Brothers routine: “We couldn’t hear a thing!” John explained. He decided to go backstage because (a) it was a bit of physical comedy, and (b) because he felt that if they couldn’t hear, the whole discussion would be a disaster. Later on that night, the two Terries confirmed it (and they were sitting closer to John Oliver than John was). Nevertheless, everyone was in a jolly mood and the party began.
To be continued…
@montypython #montypython @ericidle