The IMPROVISED SHAKESPEARE COMPANY

kames · Post by **kames** » September 4th, 2012, 1:08 pm

From Chicago: The IMPROVISED SHAKESPEARE COMPANY
Returns to The Long Center in Austin
September 18-23rd, 2012

SPECIAL DISCOUNT FOR AUSTIN IMPROVISERS!
USE CODE: AUSTIN for $10 Discount!
Go to: thelongcenter dot org

WHAT THE CRITICS HAVE SAID:
"Downright Hilarious... Staggeringly Brilliant" -Time Out Chicago

"These poetical loons have transformed a noted, visiting improv show
into a bona fide phenomenon.... Don't miss them. Seriously." - Time Out New York

"Anyone who still needs convincing that improv can produce an independent piece of capital-A Art would do well to see The Improvised Shakespeare Company... Neither laughter nor amazement is short in supply" - Decider/ The Onion

"Mind-blowing... It was one of the funniest, most amazing things I've ever seen." -The Charleston City Paper

SHOW HISTORY:
The Improvised Shakespeare Company, founded in 2005, has been performing its critically-acclaimed improvised show every Friday night at the world famous iO Theater for over five years and continues to entertain audiences around the globe with its touring company. The ISC has been featured at the Piccolo Spoleto Fringe Festival, the Bumbershoot Music and Arts Festival, and the prestigious Just For Laughs festival in Montreal and Chicago. It has been named Chicago's best improv group by both the Chicago Reader and the Chicago Examiner and has received a New York Nightlife Award for "Best Comedic Performance by a Group". The ISC was recently honored by the Chicago Improv Foundation as its "Ensemble of the Year".

JOIN US! Facebook
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VIEW US! improvisedshakespeare dot com

Post by **Jon Bolden** » September 4th, 2012, 1:12 pm

This was one of the most terrific improv shows I've ever seen. Go check it out!

Post by **happywaffle** » September 4th, 2012, 5:12 pm

Arg, I don't even want to THINK about seeing awesome improv right now. Gimme a few days.

Justin D. · Post by **Justin D.** » September 10th, 2012, 4:03 pm

Jon Bolden wrote:This was one of the most terrific improv shows I've ever seen. Go check it out!

I agree. These guys came to the Long Center last year, and I was blown away.

TexasImprovMassacre · September 14th, 2012, 9:02 pm

this show is absolutely amazing

Alex B · Post by **Alex B** » September 14th, 2012, 10:30 pm

Bought a ticket for Wed -- wish I had the time to see even more.

No bones about it: they're amazing.

acrouch · Post by **acrouch** » September 18th, 2012, 4:17 pm

The Long Center just tweeted half price student tickets for these shows.

http://www.thelongcenter.org/1213/impro ... hakespeare

Brad Hawkins · Post by **Brad Hawkins** » September 18th, 2012, 4:27 pm

I'm going Friday! Anyone else? We could be a posse!

Roy Janik · Post by **Roy Janik** » September 19th, 2012, 1:38 pm

I'm gonna be moderating a post-show Q&A with them on Thursday. So come to that one.

Chuy! · Post by **Chuy!** » September 19th, 2012, 1:44 pm

If someone wants 2 free tix to tomorrow night's show (with Roy Janik featured) go to my Facebook page now and claim them www.facebook.com/chuyz

*had to fix the link*

Meghan W · Post by **Meghan W** » September 20th, 2012, 10:20 pm

I got to see them do a half-length show in Chicago, and it was absolutely INCREDIBLE! I can't say it earnestly enough (especially since you can't see my face or hear the urgency in my voice via internet), but go see them if you can!

Asaf · Post by **Asaf** » September 25th, 2012, 8:33 pm

so how were the shows? how was the Q&A? is there a recording of it?

Brad Hawkins · Post by **Brad Hawkins** » September 26th, 2012, 11:02 am

The show I saw was quite good. I was particularly intrigued by the way they handled a mistake...

The main male characters were Romeo and Julio (yes, that was the name of the play). They had pledged their love to Portia and Rosaline, respectively. But when Rosaline appeared, she was monologizing about her betrothal to Romeo. I doubt anyone in the audience noticed.

But one of the cast in the wings did. Anon, he entered as a messenger, apologized for mixing up the love letters, and delivered the proper letter, from Julio. (he also then killed himself in shame, which became a running gag throughout the show) The confusion of names became a plot point.

I had been thinking about the practice of "calling out" mistakes in the narrative, and had come to the conclusion that it generally doesn't work; calling it out is not fixing it, it's just reminding the audience that it's broken. However, after this show, I amend that attitude to "... unless you want to really double down." It goes to show that commitment sells anything in improv.