You're the best, around!

[TexasImprovMassacre]

What is the best improv show you have ever seen? What about it made it the best?

[HerrHerr]

Dasariski (sp?) at OoB a couple years ago. Three players created a darkly comical "night in the life" narrative that felt like an independent film. The players obviously knew each other well and didn't rush things.

[Jastroch]

TJ and Pete at PIF last year.

Four Square at CIF three years ago. The show, apparently, wasn't their best. But it opened my eyes.

[Marc Majcher]

I only had the chance to see a couple of shows, but I still really love the simplicity and depth of Spices.

[Asaf]

Tj & Dave at the Barrow Street theater in New York where they played two couples, one member of which was being highly inappropriate with a member of the other couple. Throughout the entire show, the both of them had managed to play each of the characters at least once. it added a lot to see them play the person that they were eventually going to be in conflict with and how that upped it.

I also have to say, the first time I saw Pgraph do Chairs in the Hideout is right up there too. That show had everything I love about improv. Strong character, simple well thought out premise. Production value (even it is a lot of chairs) a sense of space and time and all that.

[Roy Janik]

This is a hard, hard question. Maybe the Double Feature show that 3-for-All + some others (Edi) did at OOB '07 on the last Monday? Maybe the Doubtful Guests?

Hmm... But for now I'm going to say Code Duello. A wonderfully sublime mixture of theatricality, research, costumery, patience, the Odd Couple, and absurdity.

I'll probably change my mind in an hour.

[beardedlamb]

Double Feature was 3 for All plus Regina Saisi from BATS. i did lights, so thanks, Roy!

[arthursimone]

apples and oranges


I've seen very random groups do shows that would tickle God's scrotum, but the very next week they lay a rotten egg.

scrotum.

Consistent Excellence is a better thing to look for. TJ&Dave, The Reckoning, and 4Square all come to mind.

[Marc Majcher]

Double Feature was 3 for All plus Regina Saisi from BATS. i did lights, so thanks, Roy!

That was the other best show I was trying to think of. I still rant to people about some of the awesome things that they did, there. One thing in particular, there was a fancy party scene where Stephen Kearin played the protagonist, and a few other minor throwaway "color" characters. There was one point where he had to walk from one end of the party to the other to switch characters, and instead of just going straight to his other place, he walked through the spots where each of the minor characters were, and popped perfectly into each one's physicality for just a moment, until he reached his final position. It's hard to describe, but it was magic when it happened. The show was full of stuff like that. Great.

[erin]

the word scrotum is hilarious. that's what i vote for.

[DollarBill]

I just realized that the best show I ever saw must be the first Well Hung Jury show I went to at the Hideout before I was in the group. They did a "long form game" called Movie Preview where you see the improvised preview for a movie, then you see the whole improvised movie which hopefully contains all the snippets you did in the preview. That was the first time I ever saw long form. I was pretty inspired. I still remember trying to explain the show to other people, "They were just making it up, but it was like you could SEE the environment they were inventing!" I auditioned later that year and was cast. Maybe if I never saw that show I would never have pursued the staged arts. Crazy.

[beardedlamb]

for me consistency is huge as well, arthur, but also variety. if i see multiple shows from a group i don't want to see the same characters, situation, pacing. i'm more for groups that can be great consistently and can keep me surprised with new elements and players who challenge themselves.