A unique and surprisingly hilarious theater production is headed to Austin. The Improvised Shakespeare Company, a group that makes up unscripted multi-act plays in the style of The Bard, will be making a stop at the McCullough Theatre for three shows on January 10 and 11.
There are multiple casts within the company, and the Austin show is being advertised with some fan favorites. The five in the Austin materials are Joey Bland, Ross Bryant, Brendan Dowling, Randall Harr, and Blaine Swen.
The show isn't just a fun comedy, but an unbelievable mental feat by actors who have practiced speaking in verse (or something like it) while inventing a story on the spot. Viewers may also be surprised it's not particularly hard to understand.
Although reading Shakespeare as a teen may have been a frustrating task, these shows are infused with modern humor. Thankfully, viewers probably won't need someone to explain archaic phrases or plot structures to them, although theater nerds will definitely be extra tickled by some of the choices.
The company has been around since 2005, and has gained acclaim among theater audiences and improv fans over the years. But an appearance on the show Game Changer by the online streaming platform Dropout (formerly College Humor) has introduced it to a large new audience.
The most-watched Improvised Shakespeare video on YouTube is a clip from the Game Changer episode. As a trio, Bland, Bryant, and Swen were tasked with putting on a version of their live show that included as many references as possible to breakfast cereals, '90s songs, and game shows.
Since every show is completely unique, feel free to binge more clips online, spoiler-free.
Tickets ($39.50-59.50) are available for all three Austin shows: 8 pm on January 10, and 3 and 8 pm on January 11. This show is part of the Texas Performing Arts calendar, which also in January includes showings of Come From Away, Clue, and a standup show by Kevin Heart.
