Hungry Hungover and a Whore, reviews Gotham City Improv

So, after getting white girl wasted, and drunkenly reading my latest blog post to a bewildered, and probably very frightened, bartender; I decided it best to skip drinking on a Friday night and see an improv show a friend of mine had recommended. Why the hell not, right? I was hungover at 1pm, and completely improvised that interview I had not long after, so why not see professionals put my improvisation skills in their place?

The show was 'Off the Top of Our Heads,' at Gotham City Improv; it's a completely improvised, short form improv show every Friday at 10pm, and at $6 it's cheaper than a venti Frappucchino at Starbucks. It's also BYOB! (Not the drooling baby kind, but the better kind, the kind that makes you drool, the booze kind. Can I get a hallelujah?!).

I was pleased to find the location easy to get to, they're located on 48 W 21st street, on the 8th floor. The setting is pretty much; well amazing. The minute the elevator doors opened, I was transported into a party land, full of improvisers, humorous historical references, and a dog who does tech! The space wasn't stuffy, there was no librarian-esk host asking for my ticket; and then giving me the stink eye for not buying her burnt Pillsbury cookies or cheap sauvignon blanc. Instead people were talking and laughing, confirming that it was going to be a great night. No one shushed you for talking (I generally feel if I make so much as a gasp, or cry in a tear jerking situation, the theater police are going to be on my ass), but instead talking was encouraged; the audience was needed in every game for suggestions. It was completely different from the theater experience I am used to having, and different for the better.

To make the show even more improvised and exciting, the cast is rotated; so you never know who is going to be performing. This week's cast consisted of Jordon Zolan, Matt Ringler, Maddie O'Hara, Evie Aronson, Nikolai Solonski, Nanette Deasy, Curt Dixon; and last but not least, my good friend, Mary Hynes, whom I was very happy to see. Mary has such a lovely spirit and energy, and is one of the creators of the obscure German Moose dance, (rather popular if you haven't heard of it). Fellow  cast members Nikolai Solonski and Evie Aronson are creators of the dance as well.

Marc Adam Smith, Evie Aronson, Nikolai Solonski and Mary Hynes (left to right); photo courtesy of Roberto C. Tobar

Here Evie, Nikolai and Mary acted as one, portraying an expert on Obscure German moose, while being interviewed by the crowd as well as Gotham City Improv's artistic director and just about everything else, Marc Adam Smith.

Each game was led by Marc, who picked which cast members would participate and probed the audience for suggestions such as 'place,' 'relationship,' 'time period,' indeed we did travel to the American Revolution as well as the Spanish Inquisition throughout the night. Which, while very fun, had me desperately searching any knowledge I had pertained from my Western Civ class, as to what actually happened in the Spanish Inquisition...I knew it was Spanish, and something involving inquisition-ing...but that is all, so at the very least, I think I received a fun, if not slightly inaccurate history lesson; or self reminder 'Hannah, sales at Barney's aren't all that's happening/happened in the world.' If fashion history was a class; or rather a section on the SATs, I would probably be considered a genius. Now back to business.

Marc was a lot of fun and very engaging, in fact, at times I felt like a member of the troupe, as if I were playing along with them. One of my favorite games played was a game where the audience gave quick lines or physical actions to Marc, who then put them on a piece of paper for the actors to use in the scene.The scene for which this game was played, took place at a family reunion, with two deeply in love second cousins, played by Jordan and Maddie. The finishing touch was when Maddie somehow made 'I'm out of clean panties so I'm wearing brie,' sound scintillating.

Other games included genres, where the actors played out a scene, and adjusted to different types of genres, ranging from '80s teen movie, to film noir, to a Shakespearean play.

Maddie O'Hara, Nanette Deasy, Curt Dixon (left to right) photo courtesy of Roberto C. Tobar

 In the photo (above), Maddie, Nanette and Curt, played out a hilarious scene of genres.

All in all, the entire group of talented performers worked together wonderfully, bouncing ideas off of one another and never breaking concentration in the scene, unless, well the scene was so funny they couldn't help but laugh; which quite frankly I'm amazed anyone was able to keep a straight face. Most people in the crowd couldn't, I found myself laughing out loud multiple times throughout the night.

Among the faces in the crowd was Roberto C. Tobar, a devoted audience member who has been coming to the show every week for years. He was kind enough to supply me with awesome photos, in fact, he's so great, he even has his own section on Gotham City Improv's website : 'Super Roberto.' You can visit the website to learn more about upcoming performances as well as classes, or 'Super Roberto at http://www.gothamcityimprov.com/.  

If you'd like to keep in the loop with cool happenings at Gotham City Improv you can also follow them on twitter, @GothamCityImpro or visit their facebook page,

https://www.facebook.com/GothamCityImprov.

There's always great shows happening there, and another great 'Off the Top of Our Heads' performance is scheduled for this Friday at 10pm. I don't know about you, but an improv show may just be the best pregame for a great Friday night in NYC. BYOB and laughs, what more could a girl ask for?