Big Grande: Live On Set
From Del Close, Mike Nichols, Elaine May, and others in the artsy yet wacky middle of the 20th century came long form improv. Possibly the art form with the biggest gulf between quality. Great improv reveals incredible chemistry, wit, and creativity of the performers. This can be found in some of the shows taped at UCB, The Groundlings, and other places where you’ll find yourself giggling over turns of phrases and hilarious inane ideas for weeks, if not years, afterwards.
On the other hand, terrible improv is interminable; it’s like Waiting For Godot minus the humor, profundity, artistry, and presence. Basically it just becomes waiting for the inevitable anticlimactic end which seems perpetually out of reach. Have you had a friend in college invite you to one of those shows? Or being in your twenties and you go see a friend of a friend’s troupe? Then you get it, you’ve been there: it sucks.
When improv is good, it’s great; when it’s bad, it is the worst. Luckily the long form improvisational group Big Grande are a talented bunch that turn in good scenes with plenty of weird humor and inspired ideas. Made up of the fantastic foursome of Drew Tarver, Dan Lippert, Jon Mackey and Ryan Rosenberg, they are probably best known for their podcast The Teacher’s Lounge. But the quirky quartet recently released a recorded special, Big Grande: Live On Set, made up of four distinct parts. Here’s the description:
In October, 2021, we taped four live comedy specials at the Broadwater theatre in Los Angeles. Every show was on a unique set, in full wardrobe and makeup, but the improvisers had no idea what they were walking into until the lights came up. Basically, we did all the work of a play, without the script.
Big Grande also released one of those four parts for free that you can watch below (before going and buying the other three segments on their website). This installment is called “Movie Set”:
An overwhelmed director tries to film a black and white movie with two hard headed actors and an underprepared crew of one.
It’s some quality bit of comedic theater with impressive costuming and make-up, not to mention great running gags and terrific interplay between each of the performers. Please buy the other three ($10/act) and support not only live comedy but also encourage good long form improv. If you’ve been through the hellscape that is bad improv then you know just how impressive it is to make it through one of these performances not just enjoying it and laughing at everything, but also not pondering the morality of faking a seizure to be able to leave early.
Follow Big Grande on Twitter and check out their website for other performances, podcasts, merch, and more. And enjoy “Movie Set”!