One of the most popular longtime Minnesota Fringe shows is playing at Theatre in the Round this season (and just announced - next season too). The Bearded Company's improv show Swords & Sorcery is always a fun time, even if you're not into D&D. In fact, everything I know about the game known as Dungeons and Dragons (which I still don't understand) I've learned from Bearded Co over the last nine years. This "campaign" (as they call it) runs in rep with The Hobbit this weekend only, with four shows of a continuing story that began last night. You definitely don't need to see all of the shows, or have any familiarity with this group or even D&D, to enjoy an episode of Swords & Sorcery, but you can also go back multiple times to continue the fun, and see a completely new story created before your eyes. And there are two opportunities to see both The Hobbit and Swords & Sorcery on the same day - Friday night back-to-back, and Sunday with a dinner break at one of the many nearby restaurants in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood. So if you're visiting Middle Earth this weekend, stick around for more fantasy fun. And if you don't have tickets for the virtually sold-out The Hobbit, it's definitely worth going to TRP to enjoy a little improv (click here for info and tickets).
As per usual, Allen Voigt serves as the game master, setting up the scenes, introducing characters, describing the action, and rolling the dice to determine the strength (or weakness) of characters' actions. The main characters (or whatever the D&D lingo is) are played by Anna Tobin, the evil but still heroic Shasta, and MJ Matheson, the half-elf Phalen (a character he also played in their podcast Break the Dice, which is basically an audio version of this show). All of the other characters, and creatures, are played by improvisors Maria Bartholdi (co-creator of Endometriosis: The Musical, produced by TRP last season), Richie McLarn, Joe Rapp, and Lucas Vonasek. The fully improvised continuous 60-minute story is one of magical objects, noble quests, heroes and villains, and alligators (crocodiles?).
I unfortunately don't have time to see a lot of improv, but The Bearded Company is definitely one of my favorite improv troupes, and one that I see every chance I get. While adding some new improvisors along the way, the core of this group has performed together for many years, and they're so comfortable with each other and play so well together, it's sometimes hard to believe the story is all made up on the spot. They're very funny (and sometimes crack each other up), and also manage to create a cohesive and compelling story. The rolling of the dice adds another element of the unexpected, on top of the improvisation, adding a bit of chance that guides the performers towards success or failure of their character's mission. It's a clever concept for an improv show, expertly executed by this troupe.
