Half the battle of doing a live improv show is having an audience that is willing to work with you. Never let it be said that the Cape audience was NOT into this show. The announcer boomed, "From the TV show Whose Line Is It Anyway?" Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood!" and they came out to thunderous applause. Not polite clapping, THUNDEROUS applause and cheering. Brad and Colin waved and bowed, and the noise sort of died down for a moment, but then picked right back up again to the same volume and enthusiasm. And they hadn't even SAID anything yet! Of course, when they did say something, Colin's mic didn't work, creating for the briefest moment, "The Brad Sherwood Show," accompanied by their observation that the sound check at 5 was perfect and we should have been there then. (I would have if you'd let me in for it! *G*) While the techs tried to fix Colin's mic, they handed him a regular one...which also didn't work. The next one they brought him had a very SHORT cord attached to it. Colin was now sorta "trapped" at one end of this round stage, causing him to become very territorial. "This is MY end of the stage!" he declared. Finally, Colin was hooked up to the kind of mics they used on the show, a little one hooked to his shirt. However, he kept the "operator" style thing on, as well. We WERE going to hear him, dammit! LOL
The Cape Cod Melody Tent is a theater-in-the-round, and Brad and Colin have apparently become quite used to working on such a stage, moving all over it and allowing us to "see their butts for half the show," as Brad put it. That brought many cheers and laughs and "I love you" shout-outs to both men. And boy, did they give us something to love!
They started with "Moving Bodies," with Paul moving Colin and Joanne moving Brad. They were in Italy going to the beach, using their trusty moped. Colin held Brad's head on so he wouldn't have to worry about it, and they actually moved forward, with Colin doing all the hand signals from the back. When they made it to the beach, they noticed a boat in trouble so Colin did "a style of stroke I'm not going to tell you about" to get out to save them. Brad stood, watched, and waved as Colin magically then walked on the water. I've never seen a game of MB actually advance so far, plot-wise. I was quite impressed with the job Paul and Joanne did.
For "New Choice," they pulled three kids on stage, 2 girls wearing the entire sequin inventory of a craft store (my words), and a boy who, Brad noted, was NOT wearing any sequins. That may have been detrimental to his game, because his horn didn't work. Brad's next comment was "two mics and three bike horns...didn't think that was so much to ask." Heheh. So Brad told the boy just to SAY honk. For the scene, Colin and Brad were building a Go-Kart. Colin asked Brad what he was doing, and he was building the Go-Kart, wearing his Go-Kart pants (honk) wearing his clam-digging pants. He was preparing for his big Go-Kart race (honk), for the big Go-Kart fashion show (honk) to enter the "town race." In those quotes, Brad started filling in local town names and the name of a race. I don't remember any of the names he used, but I do remember he was honked a good 8-9 times and he had a Massachusetts city for ALL of them, until at last he gave up and said something degrading about Providence. There was a faction in the audience who didn't take very kindly to that. Eh, you can't please all of the people all of the time. *G* Brad asked Colin about the design for his Kart. Make it in the style of a Go Kart! (honk) A Go Cheetah! (honk) The Flintstone mobile! And finally Colin had to name the Kart. Flash Lightning! (honk) Cape Cod filet! (honk) Speedo! (honk) Bucket of Fast! (honk) Whoooo! (end of game).
Their next game involved a duel. and their weapons of suggestion were numchuks (sp?) and a fish. They explained they would be playing the Dr. Suess game, something new they'd been trying. I'd never seen this before, and was curious to see it. I think this is going to become my new favorite game, because, despite the fact that they had "weapons," the true duel was verbal. Watching each of them trying to come up with a response that rhymed was PURE MAGIC. It was like watching a tennis game. Colin'd get one, then Brad, and back and forth, each one earning louder and louder applause with every couplet. I took almost NO notes, instead sitting rapt from my front row seat enjoying every moment of this game. I have that Colin rhymed "weasel" with "diesel" since he was working at Pilgrim Discount Fuels (courtesy of the phonebook). The end was near when Brad's comment included "At least I'm not a stinking Canuck!" From my vantage point, I could see Brad gesture with his eyes to Colin, then to a youthful audience member. Colin thus ended the game with, "All these rhymes I am without, but I can't say more with young ears about." VERY smooth, Colin....VERRRRRY smooth. And have I said I LOVE this game? I LOVE THIS GAME!
Next up was "Sentences," which would take place at the Acme Glass Company (thank you once again, mr.phonebook) and would involve a swindle. (Thank you Colin for accepting that from me.) Brad came back to town for a 20th reunion, with Colin's ex. Colin's first sentence? "Your shirt is too loud." (Have I mentioned how enthusiastic the crowd was? Well, you should have heard them for that one. LOL) Brad teased Colin about the wife in bed. "Do you know what she says to me now? "Where's the nearest restroom?" Colin owned the glass place and the motto was "How's it hanging?" a new way to put up windows. Brad ridiculed his idea for louver(sp) windows. Colin said he'd been low for a long time, until he saw a billboard that changed his entire life. "When's lunch?" I had lunch with MYSELF, and that's how I came up with hanging windows! (You needed to see the expression on his face as he's saying this, all happy and "I've seen the light!" Meanwhile, Brad's looking at him like he's got 3 heads. Funny stuff.) During the playing, Brad pulled what I considered a throwaway sentence, "How many Cape Codders go to Florida in the winter now?" Let me tell you, that sentence brought the BIGGEST LOUDEST cheer of any sentence this game. Gotta love your seasonals...LOL
Brad made very good use of material done by the opening stand-up comin, Ira Proctor, who told jokes about Viagra and Cialis ads and their warnings, among other things. Colin pulled, "Hey, how did these get so big?" Brad said he'd been taking Cialis for 3 hours and 55 minutes and in 5 minutes he was going to be making a very awkward phone call. GREAT recall, Brad! Lots o' back and forth, with and without sentences, until it ended that Brad had been a woman, was now a man, and wanted to marry Colin, because, after all, this IS Massachusetts!
For Brad's "Rap," he got Pete to make his way to the stage. To me, Pete looked like Jerry Garcia. Brad went with David Crosby, and commented that Pete was probably already here for the Crosby Stills and Nash show. (Much laughing.)(If I wrote "Much laughing" every time it was appropriate, that's all the report would consist of. Believe me, this audience LAUGHED.) Pete is from Brighton, in the UK. He writes computer programs for a company named Willden, and he was here on a working vacation. He coaches 14-15 y/o boys in American football, and the team is named the Sussex Thunder. ("Sounds dirty," commented Brad.) He collects comic books, and his favorites are Captain Americas. (This little interchange perked Colin's ears a bit. Was watchin' him. *G*) Pete also sails a boat called "The Experiment." This prompted a line in the rap to the effect of "I'd rather sail in something that was pretty much done, not still in the working stages." And he sails...where? I heard Walkaway Bay. Pete repeated it a few times, but Brad, blaming the British accent, turned to an audience member for a translation. I was sitting next to the girl and neither Brad nor I could understand what SHE said, either! I looked it up later. It was Waquoit Bay. So Brad rapped all about Pete and Pete became "MC Pete." Great rapping, but let me tell ya, the crowd LOVED Colin's additions of those microphone sounds, 2 lbs of Colin and 10lbs of spit. Thank you, Brad Sherwood, for that lovely description.
Audience members Trish, for Brad, and Jim, for Colin, were brought on stage for "Sound Effects." Colin asked for a local occupation and got truck driver. Then he needed a dangerous location, and I don't know what was said, but Colin decided he'd heard "lobster ranch." (Among the rejected shoutouts...Canada. *rolls eyes along with Colin*) I tell ya, I didn't realize how many sounds lobsters actually made. heehee. Many hilarious moments during this, especially as they tried to herd the lobsters onto a truck to bring them to dangerous Canada. (Yep, the assignment just keep getting more and more dangerous...LOL) Brad grabbed his megaphone and tried to call the lobsters, but it was apparently set on "gay," because Colin had to step in and call the lobsters in the style of a German kommandant. That got all the lobsters on except one renegade lobster with numchuks. They threw a lobster grenade, but that was too weak, so Brad took out a lobster Bazooka. *Click* was all he got, but he beautifully explained it by then showing off his Bazooka lighter instead. Thank GOD they ended that game there, because we were all in pain from laughing so hard to this point. Man...
And THEN...it was Mousetrap time. I don't know what they were supposed to be doing...possibly laying carpet? Dunno. From the front row, with the stage literally at eye level, I had a PRIME viewing location for this game, so view I did. LOTS of snaps, LOTS of fingers, toes, knuckles trapped. What made this particular playing fun is that the audience REALLY was into it, directing especially Colin in Brad's direction. Brad, ever the sport, took his goggles off first. One direct hit to an area Colin would rather not have snapped prompted him to say, "PUT YOUR GOGGLES BACK ON!" thus ending the game.
Have I mentioned how great and enthusiastic and loud and responsive the audience was at this show? WOW. The guys got a well-deserved standing ovation. But considering they'd come in to one, as well, what more could be expected?
After the show, I belly-flopped the stage and got a mousetrap, and got Brad and Colin to sign it outside afterwards. They are a LOT of fun to talk to, or at least, to listen to. I was kinda nervous this first night, and was happy just to bask in the Colin and Brad glow. That was soon to change, though, for I AM Boom, after all. *G
The Cape Cod Melody Tent is a theater-in-the-round, and Brad and Colin have apparently become quite used to working on such a stage, moving all over it and allowing us to "see their butts for half the show," as Brad put it. That brought many cheers and laughs and "I love you" shout-outs to both men. And boy, did they give us something to love!
They started with "Moving Bodies," with Paul moving Colin and Joanne moving Brad. They were in Italy going to the beach, using their trusty moped. Colin held Brad's head on so he wouldn't have to worry about it, and they actually moved forward, with Colin doing all the hand signals from the back. When they made it to the beach, they noticed a boat in trouble so Colin did "a style of stroke I'm not going to tell you about" to get out to save them. Brad stood, watched, and waved as Colin magically then walked on the water. I've never seen a game of MB actually advance so far, plot-wise. I was quite impressed with the job Paul and Joanne did.
For "New Choice," they pulled three kids on stage, 2 girls wearing the entire sequin inventory of a craft store (my words), and a boy who, Brad noted, was NOT wearing any sequins. That may have been detrimental to his game, because his horn didn't work. Brad's next comment was "two mics and three bike horns...didn't think that was so much to ask." Heheh. So Brad told the boy just to SAY honk. For the scene, Colin and Brad were building a Go-Kart. Colin asked Brad what he was doing, and he was building the Go-Kart, wearing his Go-Kart pants (honk) wearing his clam-digging pants. He was preparing for his big Go-Kart race (honk), for the big Go-Kart fashion show (honk) to enter the "town race." In those quotes, Brad started filling in local town names and the name of a race. I don't remember any of the names he used, but I do remember he was honked a good 8-9 times and he had a Massachusetts city for ALL of them, until at last he gave up and said something degrading about Providence. There was a faction in the audience who didn't take very kindly to that. Eh, you can't please all of the people all of the time. *G* Brad asked Colin about the design for his Kart. Make it in the style of a Go Kart! (honk) A Go Cheetah! (honk) The Flintstone mobile! And finally Colin had to name the Kart. Flash Lightning! (honk) Cape Cod filet! (honk) Speedo! (honk) Bucket of Fast! (honk) Whoooo! (end of game).
Their next game involved a duel. and their weapons of suggestion were numchuks (sp?) and a fish. They explained they would be playing the Dr. Suess game, something new they'd been trying. I'd never seen this before, and was curious to see it. I think this is going to become my new favorite game, because, despite the fact that they had "weapons," the true duel was verbal. Watching each of them trying to come up with a response that rhymed was PURE MAGIC. It was like watching a tennis game. Colin'd get one, then Brad, and back and forth, each one earning louder and louder applause with every couplet. I took almost NO notes, instead sitting rapt from my front row seat enjoying every moment of this game. I have that Colin rhymed "weasel" with "diesel" since he was working at Pilgrim Discount Fuels (courtesy of the phonebook). The end was near when Brad's comment included "At least I'm not a stinking Canuck!" From my vantage point, I could see Brad gesture with his eyes to Colin, then to a youthful audience member. Colin thus ended the game with, "All these rhymes I am without, but I can't say more with young ears about." VERY smooth, Colin....VERRRRRY smooth. And have I said I LOVE this game? I LOVE THIS GAME!
Next up was "Sentences," which would take place at the Acme Glass Company (thank you once again, mr.phonebook) and would involve a swindle. (Thank you Colin for accepting that from me.) Brad came back to town for a 20th reunion, with Colin's ex. Colin's first sentence? "Your shirt is too loud." (Have I mentioned how enthusiastic the crowd was? Well, you should have heard them for that one. LOL) Brad teased Colin about the wife in bed. "Do you know what she says to me now? "Where's the nearest restroom?" Colin owned the glass place and the motto was "How's it hanging?" a new way to put up windows. Brad ridiculed his idea for louver(sp) windows. Colin said he'd been low for a long time, until he saw a billboard that changed his entire life. "When's lunch?" I had lunch with MYSELF, and that's how I came up with hanging windows! (You needed to see the expression on his face as he's saying this, all happy and "I've seen the light!" Meanwhile, Brad's looking at him like he's got 3 heads. Funny stuff.) During the playing, Brad pulled what I considered a throwaway sentence, "How many Cape Codders go to Florida in the winter now?" Let me tell you, that sentence brought the BIGGEST LOUDEST cheer of any sentence this game. Gotta love your seasonals...LOL
Brad made very good use of material done by the opening stand-up comin, Ira Proctor, who told jokes about Viagra and Cialis ads and their warnings, among other things. Colin pulled, "Hey, how did these get so big?" Brad said he'd been taking Cialis for 3 hours and 55 minutes and in 5 minutes he was going to be making a very awkward phone call. GREAT recall, Brad! Lots o' back and forth, with and without sentences, until it ended that Brad had been a woman, was now a man, and wanted to marry Colin, because, after all, this IS Massachusetts!
For Brad's "Rap," he got Pete to make his way to the stage. To me, Pete looked like Jerry Garcia. Brad went with David Crosby, and commented that Pete was probably already here for the Crosby Stills and Nash show. (Much laughing.)(If I wrote "Much laughing" every time it was appropriate, that's all the report would consist of. Believe me, this audience LAUGHED.) Pete is from Brighton, in the UK. He writes computer programs for a company named Willden, and he was here on a working vacation. He coaches 14-15 y/o boys in American football, and the team is named the Sussex Thunder. ("Sounds dirty," commented Brad.) He collects comic books, and his favorites are Captain Americas. (This little interchange perked Colin's ears a bit. Was watchin' him. *G*) Pete also sails a boat called "The Experiment." This prompted a line in the rap to the effect of "I'd rather sail in something that was pretty much done, not still in the working stages." And he sails...where? I heard Walkaway Bay. Pete repeated it a few times, but Brad, blaming the British accent, turned to an audience member for a translation. I was sitting next to the girl and neither Brad nor I could understand what SHE said, either! I looked it up later. It was Waquoit Bay. So Brad rapped all about Pete and Pete became "MC Pete." Great rapping, but let me tell ya, the crowd LOVED Colin's additions of those microphone sounds, 2 lbs of Colin and 10lbs of spit. Thank you, Brad Sherwood, for that lovely description.
Audience members Trish, for Brad, and Jim, for Colin, were brought on stage for "Sound Effects." Colin asked for a local occupation and got truck driver. Then he needed a dangerous location, and I don't know what was said, but Colin decided he'd heard "lobster ranch." (Among the rejected shoutouts...Canada. *rolls eyes along with Colin*) I tell ya, I didn't realize how many sounds lobsters actually made. heehee. Many hilarious moments during this, especially as they tried to herd the lobsters onto a truck to bring them to dangerous Canada. (Yep, the assignment just keep getting more and more dangerous...LOL) Brad grabbed his megaphone and tried to call the lobsters, but it was apparently set on "gay," because Colin had to step in and call the lobsters in the style of a German kommandant. That got all the lobsters on except one renegade lobster with numchuks. They threw a lobster grenade, but that was too weak, so Brad took out a lobster Bazooka. *Click* was all he got, but he beautifully explained it by then showing off his Bazooka lighter instead. Thank GOD they ended that game there, because we were all in pain from laughing so hard to this point. Man...
And THEN...it was Mousetrap time. I don't know what they were supposed to be doing...possibly laying carpet? Dunno. From the front row, with the stage literally at eye level, I had a PRIME viewing location for this game, so view I did. LOTS of snaps, LOTS of fingers, toes, knuckles trapped. What made this particular playing fun is that the audience REALLY was into it, directing especially Colin in Brad's direction. Brad, ever the sport, took his goggles off first. One direct hit to an area Colin would rather not have snapped prompted him to say, "PUT YOUR GOGGLES BACK ON!" thus ending the game.
Have I mentioned how great and enthusiastic and loud and responsive the audience was at this show? WOW. The guys got a well-deserved standing ovation. But considering they'd come in to one, as well, what more could be expected?
After the show, I belly-flopped the stage and got a mousetrap, and got Brad and Colin to sign it outside afterwards. They are a LOT of fun to talk to, or at least, to listen to. I was kinda nervous this first night, and was happy just to bask in the Colin and Brad glow. That was soon to change, though, for I AM Boom, after all. *G
Love it! "Belly-flopped" the stage is pure comedy and pure you.
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