I’m soooo drunk…

Thursday, April 3, 2008 by John Robison.

I recently attended a show that reminded me exactly why it wasn’t a good idea to ever perform if you’ve been drinking. I know lots of people do it… but it’s just not the way to get to the top of your game.

This show I attended was performed by a group I really respect, though they are relatively new, and I had never seen them do a bad show. Their timing is always great, and I always laugh.  The night I saw them, there had been some revelry before the show, and if nothing else, it was really fascinating from a scientific point of view to see the effects of heavy drinking on improvisational comedy. (adjusts pocket protector and gets out laser pointer)

The camaraderie and sense of playfulness that normally exists in this group was nowhere to be seen…  and in fact the frustration from the one completely sober member of the group was palpable.  It probably goes without saying that focus was completely out the window, and relationships, storytelling and wordplay were greatly diminished, replaced by obvious onstage confusion, real-life smoking and drinking on stage, and the actual removal of pants for no real good reason.

In my groups, I’ve never really had any official policy on drinking before shows… as it had never been a problem. Even when a member would pop next door to the bar during breaks from rehearsal, I was cool with it, as long as they were back on time. These people are adults, right?

I’ve been thinking a lot about this ‘non-policy’ since I saw a perfectly good group have this show implode on them. People who are tipsy often think they are a lot funnier than they actually are, and when it comes to performing a show, I personally believe that we owe the audience our best, which they won’t get if it’s been dulled by substances. In many ways, I am glad I saw this show, as it has given me real and concrete examples as to why a nip or three of courage may be fun for you, but not for people watching you. And in a city where improv isn’t completely accepted as entertainment by the general public, we have to be super careful about what we present to people, because people talk to other people… and we will eventually want those other people to come see our shows.

In case you’re wondering, I still love this group, and plan on continuing to attend their shows. I’ve talked to some of the group’s members, and they are unhappy with the show they gave. In the end, it was a real learning experience for everyone, including me, and it wasn’t an evening completely bereft of laughs. Just further proof that anything can happen in improv, eh?

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