Sweeping – but in that funny way – WWII Romance, Made Up On The Spot

Nicole, Mark & Dan Improvise a Show ended its three-show run at Bad Dog Theatre on August 2nd. Mark Little was unavailable for this final show, but fellow comedian Matt Folliott joined Dan Beirne and Nicole Passmore in his place.

This performance had the subtitle “A Summer Romance” – the troupe set out to improvise a “sweeping romance” set in the early 20th century.

At the top of the show, they took suggestions from the audience for romance story tropes, nicknames, historical events (notably, World War 2), and most importantly, a catchphrase.

I had a lot of fun watching this story come to life. The three performers should be applauded for their long-form improvisation skills. They wove together a lightheartedly funny show that was consistent and cohesive.

The audience suggestions didn’t feel forced into the performance, but there was still an air of meta satisfaction whenever they came up. My personal favourite was the chosen catchphrase, “bingo bango bongo”. They employed it generously, yet judiciously, and it sounded about as ridiculous as you would expect it to in the particular time period.

I think the troupe did a particularly effective job at poking fun at the limitations of the era they were working in, while also weaving in their romance story tropes. One notable example is the familiar “running through the airport” scene. It included a joke about there only being one flight in operation at the airport – you know, because it’s 1939.

The run of this show is now over, but every comedian is a frequent performer at both Bad Dog Theatre and Comedy Bar – consider checking out their other shows!

Details

• Nicole, Mark & Dan Improvise a Show  had three shows, July 19, July 26 and August 2, 2019 at Bad Dog Theatre (875 Bloor Street W, First Floor)

Image provided by the company