Sunday, August 6, 2017

Fringe Festival 2017: "Blackout Improv"

Day: 3

Show: 13


Category: Comedy

By: Rogues Gallery Arts

Created by: Blackout Improv

Location: Phoenix Theatre

Summary: An all POC improv group that discusses and improvs around topics of the day suggested by the audience.

Highlights: Blackout Improv is one of the few POC improv groups in the Midwest, performing regularly at the Phoenix (you can find their schedule here). For this MN Fringe show, the rotating cast (I saw Alyssa DiVirgilio, Duck Washington, Joy Dolo Anfinson, Kory Pullam, Nimene Wureh, and special guest Grammy winner Billboard Top 100 Artist Jamila Anderson) does an excerpt of their usual show. It starts off with "Take 'Em to Church," an improvised church sermon which last night featured Deacon Jamila and Pastor Kory. Then the main action begins, which is drawing an audience-suggested topic out of a hat, such as cultural appropriation, edginess in comedy, or white playwrights writing black characters. First the group discusses the topic (which was my favorite part of the show), and then they improv a comedy sketch about it. Blackout Improv is funny, smart, relevant, topical, and sure to sell out so reserve your tickets in advance.

Read all of my Fringe mini-reviews here.