It was a dark and stormy night….when she walked into my office. She had a story to tell, and she wasn’t afraid to tell it. Just another night in the life of Detective Improv.
This February, CSz Philadelphia presents the return of their improvised film noir parody, Detective Improv. Director Jake Lucas shared some insights into the development of this comedy-mystery show. They say, “I've always loved noir movies; I grew up on the history channel, Disney VHS, and I Love Lucy reruns. I wanted to push the boundaries of improv to see how cinematic we could make it feel for an audience, "zooming in" for a dramatic close up. I'm very proud of being able to take the best of the genre and translate it to the stage.”
Lucas notes that a lot of the noir genre is gritty and set in a world that seems doomed, where everything feels hopeless. It is a delightful way to use improv comedy to flip the conventions of noir to make people laugh and share a theater experience together. Detective Improv takes the formula of the noir crime mystery, and gives it a that welcome comedic spin. The stakes are just as high, the acting just as evocative, but the story itself is very fresh. We have a down-on-their-luck detective facing off against the case that might finally break them, and a Narrator who guides us through all the twists and turns…and car chases?! Yes - there could even be car chases. Everything that you know and love from this genre is open for parody.
The cast is comprised of Yasmine Beydoun, Mary Carpenter, Keane Cobb, Megan Colombo, Kelly Conrad, DJ Gleason, Nate Holt, and Kris O’Brien. See their bios at this link and see why this is an all-star group who are not to be missed!
“ I love murder and scandal of course, but I love the music most. When that big orchestra number sweeps in for the opening title, it’s just the perfect feeling. ”
The cast will get the crime from the audience, as well as the vice of our detective. It's nothing that’s already been played out in the boir genre, like booze, but instead is something like roller skates or hard boiled eggs. Audiences can expect a movie-going experience from sweeping opening credits to a dramatic fade to black. What happens in between is a seriously silly mystery the detective will unravel with you in real time. Grab some concessions, and then let the laughs and gasps roll in.
Lucas looks back fondly on the previous run of Detective Improv and has nothing but wild praise for the commitment and talents of the cast making an original, hilarious crime spontaneously each show: “One of the funniest shows last year was about how someone stole the lightbulb from the town's only streetlight…which of course meant they couldn't have their street parade, which had to happen at night. Or someone rewriting Boston's city charter to make everyone legally ‘bald.’ Or a murder using a screwdriver, but instead of a person it was a hot air balloon that had been killed.” This cast brings incredibly fast thinking plot points with lots of emotional depth, creating characters that you can’t wait to hear from next.
Detective Improv runs this month, closing on February 28. Tickets can be purchased HERE for their Friday nights at 7 PM, and a Saturday matinee on February 28 at 2 PM. Slip on your trenchcoat and pop your fedora on at a jaunty angle - and come out to see Detective Improv!
