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(Los Angeles, CA) July 25, 2008 - The legendary
Groundlings debuted their newest show,
“Your Body and You”, to a sold-out house. Cast includes
Larry Dorf,
David Hoffman,
Steve Little,
Jill Matson-Sachoff,
Michael Naughton,
Alex Staggs.
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The Groundlings cast: "Your Body and You"
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Directed by
Ted Michaels, the show’s themes bring back “the awkward pubescent years of cracking voices and training bras”. And while those days are gone for the audience, the evening’s comedy hopes to remind you that the embarrassment of those mortifying moments still resides in your daily life…and yeah, it’s much funnier now.
Lotsa Laffers
Per usual the show is divided up into both sketches and improv scenes, about 20 altogether. There’s no main course. Simply several handfuls of equally delicious bites.
Pacing is strong building to huge laughs and quirky character moments that leave you still thinking about it the next day. Moments so original they couldn’t have been planned, or were they?
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Michael Naughton and Larry Dorf in "Francisco Manor"
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The show opens with a piece on miscommunication. A couple deals with double-booking themselves for an evening. There’s soft laughs throughout, but then it hits. The best moment may be the last beat of the story. Lights cut to black as the scene ends and you realize they’ve got you held tightly in their grip. Ready for a night of fun!
“
Francisco Manor” has the makings of a
classic SNL skit. Two hotel clerks’ hellishly wacky behavior with a hotel guest. As the segment progresses, the comedy relies more and more on the clerks’ physical comedy. It just gets funnier and the two men realize it and start playing with it more and more. Needless to say, the more they play, the longer the laughs until it’s almost painful with pleasure.
During “
The Lodge”, the boys take a funny premise and keep going. It also employs something that many comedy lovers enjoy the most. When the players in the skit can’t hold back their own laughter. You watch and slowly see a smirk peek out from behind a fake beard. Soon enough that smirk has erupted into a smile. As the activity grows and the audience’s energy builds, the smiling performer now is almost trembling, holding back the inevitable. The big laugh. When it’s this good, no one can keep control.
Spotlight On
This season is the strongest ensemble in quite some time. There’s no one star, but rather several strong pairings and group work.
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Cast members of "The Lodge"
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Michael Naughton and
Larry Dorf seem as though they can do no wrong when paired together. Great chemistry. They’re a natural team and you wish they were together more.
Alex Staggs at first comes across as
Shia LeBouf’s older brother (in a good way). But within moments he steps out. Fun, playful, he switches between characters with ease and delights the audience, having plenty of fun. He adds spice to each of the scenes he’s in.
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Jill Matson-Sachoff
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Kudos also to
Jill Matson-Sachoff the requisite woman of the group. But the best part? She proves she’s one of the guys, and wait ‘til she joins in the fun. She attacks every moment like a haha-seeking missile and by the end she’s made the entire audience laugh. Good fun!
Them Improv’s
Director Ted Michaels has become the
Lorne Michaels of West Hollywood. So controlled and confident. He casually smiles and conducts the audience as they pull out the most absurd ideas to have the comedians play with. He knows anything will work, but occasionally picks and chooses for the best.
The band remains pitch perfect. They don’t try to steal the spotlight, instead they’re satisfied being an incredibly tasty side dish. Choosing the perfect music to keep you moving and happy during every moment that you’re not laughing. Sometimes old-school, sometimes ‘80’s, the only consistency is their good-times vibe.
Over too soon
The show ends with a bang from
Matson-Sachoff, with
Steve Little as one of the most legendary characters of all time. It’s literally five minutes of non-stop laughter. It only gets better. The perfect ending. Perfect.
Add in dinner and some drinks beforehand and you may have just found your perfect Friday night.
The Groundlings, Your Body and You: Friday 8pm and Saturday at 8pm, 10pm.
Tickets are $21.50; available at the box office, by phone, and website
Phone (323) 934-4747 ext 37
Address: 7307 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood, CA.
For more information, please visit: www.Groundlings.com
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on Joe Wehinger . Former Freelancer
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