Improvoker

The house was packed at 7:50 and although there were a few open seats peppered throughout the theater, there were people sitting on stage and people standing in aisles. While past Harold nights have been growing in attendance, due in part to the huge influx of new students attending classes at the training center, the main draw on this snowy Tuesday night was the debut of the new Harold team Bastian ¹.

The buzz in the air was palpable as the lights went out and cheers erupted from the packed audience. Cesar Gracia greeted the audience with an impression of Al Pacino and quickly handed over the stage to the Harold night virgins. Bastion took the stage to raucous applause and quickly moved into their opening, which was a pattern sound and movement into scenes. Scenes took shape quickly and although it was clear the group members were nervous, their scenes were balanced and well paced. It was apparent from the opening and scenes performed, that Bastian seem most comfortable with the physicality of performance. Many of their initial scenes were gotten from movement rather that strong opening lines or declarations.

The scenes included a jock and physics nerd taking on a school for superiority and respect, a simple yet hilarious vindictive mother and vindictive son scene, a resentful girlfriend and clueless boyfriend exchanging non-matrimonial gifts, a LOST inspired group game with the near roasting of a large guy, and the forceful thanksgiving feeding of a grateful homeless man. The show was fantastic and the members of Bastian should be extremely pleased with their excellent support and first attempt at a Harold Night. It was well in keeping with the excellent quality UCB is known for.

I’m not sure if it was the energy of Bastian’s debut, but the veteran Harold teams came out with an incredible showing of talent. Although each Harold team had really excellent shows and the best that I can remember in recent months, the highlights of the night were fwänd’s Shannon O’Neil’s and Ellie Kemper’s ballet girls, 1985’s Gavin Speiller’s and Will Hines’ incredible snacking security guard as well as Gavin’s Watch me mess with these gangsters group game. However, the night also brought with it the single most brilliant move by Nate Lang of Beverly Hills, while hovering over Tim Curcio playing a his disappointing stand-up comic son, uttered one of the best improv lines I have ever heard, You contributed greatly to your mother’s death. It released what I have never seen before in improv, theater-wide laughter from one simple, innocuous, and honest line. I will remember it for years to come.

The night was hosted by the hilarious self deprecating Megan Neuringer & Bridie Harrington of Megan & Bridie: Friends Without Benefits. Friends Without Benefits will be running at the UCB Theater Wednesday nights from February 21st and 28th at 8pm.

Elsewhere: IRC

¹ Bastian, as far as I can discern, is the lead character from The Neverending Story, played by child actor Barret Oliver.