on the spot- the great show that is improv! and whose lines returning! :)

agh good old Improvisation comedy, something I’ve been a  huge fan of for years. I listened to a old podcast with Chris Hardwick the other day where he said he and Wil Wheaton discovered whose line the UK version on TV when living together. For me it wasn’t too dissimilar, my dad and siblings used to watch the old UK version in the late 80’s, early 90’s (when john sessions was a regular member, no one seems to remember this!). I still remember it, and what’s great about it, on the simpliest level, its people being silly as my nephew would say and whats funnier than adults being silly and creative children again. Thats a good question whats more funnier than adults being creative and silly?-(hang on, did I just describe myself?)

The reason I had thought of this was Geek Apocalypse was an audience member at on the spots improv show at the town wall last night in good old Newcastle. I haven’t been to an improv gig in ages and it felt strange and in some ways I had forgot how great a spectacle it is. I went through a stage a couple of years ago that I was going to as many improv gigs I could, from local to established acts such as On the Spot, Suggestibles, Paul Mertons improv chums, because I laugh way more regularly at these type of gigs than any other gigs I go to.

Now why is that I hear my one fan say? great hearing I know. well, the fantastic thing about improv is the audiences participation with the show. As we’ve discussed on the podcasts I did with on the spot members Viv Wiggins and Robbie Lee Hurst(who were both performing), the problem with some stand up shows or anything in that nature is the self involvement of the performer. Now I’m not saying that cant be or isn’t funny,  but its nice to have the involvement of no one knows what will come up, but the audience is the one that gives the suggestions so they have an element of control. Its always funny for the audience to screw with the performers, one such example on the night was Esra had to guess that his old job was ‘an morgue eyebrow plucker that uses the hair from dead relatives and sells them as jumpers to members of the deceased family. I know, sick but funny! and he got it eventually!

What I also love is the sheer amount of games you can play to. from single scenes like z0ltan to group games like party quicks and freeze, so if you don’t enjoy one scene then there will be another scene thats completely different around the corner, so it never feels that monotonous being an audience member like at other shows. Also, in particular, especially with on the spot and the suggestible’s in Newcastle, the standard of these shows are always good, you get improv performers who have been doing improvisation for years, and also, there is a great network of workshops where you can learn the craft of improvisation. So if you really want to try it, come down to the workshops that on the spot and the suggestible’s do! and I’m going back now to learn now that my schedule has cleared up! hmmm maybe that might stop you going?

 I was really pleased I decided to go the event, I had a great time and I really think the performers are excellent, I was fans of many of them before I got a chance to know them and be friends with some of them, and after 5 years they are still as good as before. it made me even more excited about the return of whose line is it anyway in America. If you don’t know, they are bringing it back with Aisha tyler (a fellow geek!) and the old gang -Ryan, colin, Wayne and Laura Hall (yay the music wizard is back!) theres some parts of the amercian version that still make me laugh today, and what’s great about improvisation is the rewatchability (is that a word? copyrighted!).

Theres so much content and games that I very rarely remember what happens in the games if I watch an old episode of whose line. Apparently I wasn’t alone as the repeats are watched very well considering it has been off the air since 2007. There’s a demand for improv out there, and I really do think it has its place in making people laugh 🙂 so if you have a sense of humour and imagination, please do try improvisition comedy, I think you’ll really find out no one has a fecking clue what they are doing. And its awesome!!

you can find on the spot on facebook here

on the spot

Viv Wiggins and Robbie Lee Hurst have been on the podcast! you can find the episodes here: http://www.geekapocalypse.com/shows or find them on itunes! also the lovely Matt Selman who performed on this night is scheduled to be on in three weeks time! 🙂

and also while you wait for whose line I recommend you look at my favourite scene ever: