Dirty Laundry returns
Popular improv comedy show is back for another season
Stephanie Weber
Contributor
Calgary’s completely live, completely improvised comedy soap opera, Dirty Laundry, takes place at Lunchbox Theatre in downtown Calgary, and is back with “salon sass, New York style.”
The event runs every Monday night and is in its 15th season, garnering devoted fans, providing entertainment for Calgarian culture enthusiasts and attracting improvisers from across the country.
This season of longform improv, meaning each scene lasts roughly 30 minutes, features a soap opera about duelling hair salons of estranged fraternal twins. An ensemble cast of screwball characters in over the top ‘80s outfits perform a new two-hour episode every week.
Don’t worry — unlike your grandma’s soap operas, it’s not only for devoted watchers. You can jump in at any time you want as the stories from each night stand on their own. The cast also goes through a hasty and hilarious “previously on” segment to catch you up.
However, if audience participation is a big draw for you, this show might not be to your tastes.
Mitch B., a seasoned improv artist, from Off Key Improv Musical out of Vancouver, said he enjoyed the show, but was just curious about which parts were improvised, since the narrator generally suggests scenes and there’s not as much audience participation as was traditional of longform improv.
Obviously, you can still interact with, and yell at the characters, but don’t expect to change the course of the show.
If you’re looking for a more inclusive improv you should save your $20 and catch a show at the improv club here at MRU.
But, if you have nothing to do on a Monday night, take the train to the Lunchbox Theatre, under the Calgary tower, and enjoy a night full of scrunchies, dirty jokes and a modern dancer wearing pantyhose on his head.
Just don’t go with your mom — there may or may not be a recurring character named Tony Teabageroni.