Four Young Men...
Four Young Minds...
For Young Ladies...
Hello!
We are in Winnipeg! The last two days have felt like two weeks here. They have been long, packed to the brim, exhausting and fun. Yesterday we did 3 shows. It looks like Kevin and I will be doing regular shows on the outdoor stage performing in "Improv Idol". Outdoor shows can be hell but so far we have been having fun with it. Then last night we had our first show of Scratch here. It was a good, solid show for a house of about 35 or 40. We had a dragon, an asteroid, time travel, assless chaps and more in the show. And finally we performed in The Big Stupid Improv Show with our friends Lee and Steve from the Crumbs and Rene from Atlanta. And let me just say, it was a blast. Some of the scenes were so damn funny none of us could keep a straight face resulting in many slaps from Kevin (who was directing the particularily funny scene). I can't wait to do more of them.
Tonight's Scratch was a little bit crazier than it usually is but we had a really supportive audience which was nice. We had two reluctant western outlaws, a first time stripping waitress, a tractor that ate cities, Oompa-Loompas, hats made out of pasta and more. It will keep us busy doing these extra shows and it's certainly nice to get to hang with some cool people like the Crumbs and Rene and Robyn and Toby and you know, other peeps.
On a negative side, we had our first poor review thus far. It was from a CBC guy and basically his criticism was based out of the fact that he didn't believe it was improvised....o..kay....
I'm also a little bit anxious for the next few days. I auditioned for Stratford a couple weeks ago, then had a callback last week and I am supposed to hear about what's happening any day now. We'll see...
To the rest of the Young Guns...I salute you. Hope you guys are all rocking like a hurricane.
9 shows down on this crazy Fringe tour of ours....9 left till we come home. Wish us the best for the last half!
Take care all!
Love,
Arlen
We are in Winnipeg! The last two days have felt like two weeks here. They have been long, packed to the brim, exhausting and fun. Yesterday we did 3 shows. It looks like Kevin and I will be doing regular shows on the outdoor stage performing in "Improv Idol". Outdoor shows can be hell but so far we have been having fun with it. Then last night we had our first show of Scratch here. It was a good, solid show for a house of about 35 or 40. We had a dragon, an asteroid, time travel, assless chaps and more in the show. And finally we performed in The Big Stupid Improv Show with our friends Lee and Steve from the Crumbs and Rene from Atlanta. And let me just say, it was a blast. Some of the scenes were so damn funny none of us could keep a straight face resulting in many slaps from Kevin (who was directing the particularily funny scene). I can't wait to do more of them.
Tonight's Scratch was a little bit crazier than it usually is but we had a really supportive audience which was nice. We had two reluctant western outlaws, a first time stripping waitress, a tractor that ate cities, Oompa-Loompas, hats made out of pasta and more. It will keep us busy doing these extra shows and it's certainly nice to get to hang with some cool people like the Crumbs and Rene and Robyn and Toby and you know, other peeps.
On a negative side, we had our first poor review thus far. It was from a CBC guy and basically his criticism was based out of the fact that he didn't believe it was improvised....o..kay....
I'm also a little bit anxious for the next few days. I auditioned for Stratford a couple weeks ago, then had a callback last week and I am supposed to hear about what's happening any day now. We'll see...
To the rest of the Young Guns...I salute you. Hope you guys are all rocking like a hurricane.
9 shows down on this crazy Fringe tour of ours....9 left till we come home. Wish us the best for the last half!
Take care all!
Love,
Arlen
7 Responses to “Winnipeg!”
Leave a Reply
About me
- I'm one of four Young Guns
- From E-Ville, Canada
- I don't like being told what to do.
- My profile
Hmmm... that "criticism" from that review could really be taken as a huge compliment. I've always found the best scenes theatrically speaking are the ones that have the most commitment to character, smartest offers, and other solid decisions that lead to seemingly rehearsed improv. So when a big-time review comes out saying that it looked rehearsed, that might just be a backhanded compliment. The guy probably doesn't know very much about actual improv skills...
Anyways, good for you guys.=)
How'd the Whyte Ave Chapters firebombing go? I didn't hear anything in the news...or did I miss it?
Jesse... agreed. It is very much a backhanded compliment. He claimed that the show lived as a mutant sketch/improv mash up that he felt didn't work... and yet he says in his review that "the sold out crowd were laughing their asses off". But whatever. It's also weird...there was another review for an improv show Kevin and I were on here in Winnipeg where a different reviewer again questioned whether we were improvising or not. I don't know what that has suddenly become an issue but apparently it is a bit. But who cares, we have been having lots of good shows and lots of sell outs here and great word of mouth so that's what really matters.
Cadence...it did happen. I can't say too much more..... yet.
My $0.02...re: why people think it's not improv.
1) You and Kevin have amazing chemistry.
2) You guys are amazing improvers and make it look easy.
3) You guys do a sophisticated form of improv where the suggestions are integrated in a smooth, and almost 'subtext' way...as opposed to using objects and locations as suggestions and then almost 'tangibly' seeing the suggestion used.
4) Mo does a seemless job of using lights/sound to make it look rehearsed. Little does the general public know, but Mo's a master techie-improviser!
5) For someone who can't do it...it's almost impossible to believe that improv can be that flawless...especially with the 3-4 (? it's been a while since I saw Scratch) scenes coming together. How the heck do you do that?!?!?
"we have been... sell outs here"
O.M.G. say it isn't so?
No but seriously congrats on all the GOOD reviews, obviously you have most people fooled into believing that you are 'improvising' and that is defo something to be proud of! Nevermind the clever ones who have you figured out! ;)
I'm writing a book about talking airplanes!
Hank Azaria!