This blood's for you.....

I know some folks who really don't appreciate the art of improvisation, those who turn their nose up at it as if it were a lesser art form than dramatic acting. To those people I say, "Spend a night at the Grand Guignol".

A Night at the Grand Guignol (pronounced geen-yol) is a special Loose Moose performance being presented on late Friday and Saturday nights at 10:30pm until March 1st 2008. It is produced, directed by and stars Alice Nelson, with a supporting cast of 11 other Loose Moose improvisers. It consists of 4 small plays and is described as "striving to terrify and titillate the spectator through melodramatic performance, using a mixture of horror, laughter and the erotic.
More about the Grand Guignol phenomenon in general can be found here.

Darlene and I went to last night's show and it was refreshing seeing folks step outside their improvising, comedic roles and wear the dramatic hat for a little while - although, there were still elements of humour - dark humour, throughout. Standout performances for me, included Josh Bertwistle, who was practically unrecognizable as Henri, the man whose face was burned by acid, and Gavin Williams, who always cracks me up and did a splendid mad doctor. The rest of the cast were amazing as well. The finale, a wickedly funny dance number, did the perfect job of stirring you out of your trance and bringing you back to a smile-filled reality.

So if you're in the mood for a little dark humour and you don't mind the sight of blood, be sure to spend a night at the Grand Guignol. Make sure you ask to sit in the front rows.....