Tonight at the Sunset Tavern!
The conclusion of Steel of Fire Warriors!
Tonight at the Sunset Tavern!
The conclusion of Steel of Fire Warriors!
I am so there.
I have a show in Tacoma or I would be there.
pg goes to The Entertainment Show
I came in a little late...Derek Sheen was already on stage.
When Derek is in front of an audience that is comfortable with him...he can just spin out a story for them that seems effortless and hilarious at the same time. Tonight, an extended tale of woe regarding bad parenting and Scientology was consummately enthralling and entertaining the entire way. It seemed like the perfect set to do at an UnCabaret show...for an audience in a town that has no idea what that means.
Nice work, DROCK.
I got to see Becky Poole for the first time. Becky's entry into the Seattle alt-comedy fold has a lot of people buzzing about her awesomeness...and I can see what the buzzing is about. Very theatrical--total character work...that I would have thought was simply improv based, until Becky announced one of her pieces as "a new one".
One of the criticisms of the Seattle alt-scene is that far too few performers explore any sort of character work--so, to see it done well here is always a treat. She's definitely got a killer one woman show in her...and I can see a Lauran Weedman-y career arc waiting for her if that's what she wants.
The musical guest was Leeni. Sounds like: "Speak & Spell"-era Depeche Mode with Sarah McLachlan-esque ethereal vocals over the top. Looks like: Lisa Loeb/Ugly Betty indie hipster gal. Enjoyable GameBoy sounds, but not trying to be funny.
(Show criticism: Why is there a music act that does two songs in the middle of the comedy? I understand that "The Entertainment Show" suggests a conceptual idea...that the show features stand-up, sketch, live video, cartoons and music. In actual presentation, however, the conceptual elements seem to have faded into being "just the way things are" rather than as a vital part of what people are meant to anticipate. You don't get the type of circus/variety show atmosphere that would make including non-comedy music feel "right" with the show...at least, not the way that the show is currently being presented. It wouldn't take more than a tweak or two to make the music make better sense...if anyone other than me gives a shit about stuff like that.)
The big draw on this show was the showing of the 7th and final episode of Steel of Fire Warriors: 2010 AD. The concept behind this episodic film is similar to Channel 101's "Wastelander" series...post-apocalyptic mayhem ensues.
Where Steel of Fire Warriors shines is that it is one of the best looking film project that anyone involved with the Seattle alt-comedy scene have produced. This isn't a camera phone/YouTube type of deal...there's some quality equipment being used by people who know how to use it--and that heightens the comedic aspect of the purposefully silly dialogue, characterizations and plot...
Travis Vogt & Kevin Clarke, the guys who put on The Entertainment Show and the stars of Steel of Fire Warriors are video store clerks--and every post apocalyptic action movie cliche is trotted out lovingly...and the rest of the cast is a veritable who's who of Seattle comedy (including Derek Sheen, Reggie Watts, David Cope, Andy Haynes, Andy Peters, Kevin Hyder, Danielle Radford, Solomon Georgio, Jaqi Furback, James Parkinson and countless more.)
Two who deserve special mention are Owen Straw as the big bad...who channels the most accurate pro-wrestling meets MadMax vibe imaginable...and Daniel Carroll whose "who gives a fuck" attitude is both natural and perfect, in every way, for his character and as a foil against the riotously serious leads.
You can watch "Steel of Fire Warriors" for yourself at Funny or Die--but I warn you...it does carry a whiff of being a bit of a vanity project. What cracks up an audience filled with mostly the cast and the friends of the cast...might not work quite as well if you don't know the people involved. Hard for me to say, as I do...but despite this caveat, if you're at all a fan of post-apocalyptic action movies...you'll find some rather knowledgeable needle poking throughout the series.
...and, the unenviable task of following the final episode of this film went to Seattle comedy veteran, Duane Goad.
Duane remains one of Seattle's best kept secrets...and shouldn't be. He's got the kind of comedic style that is due for a Pardo-esque appreciation by comedy nerds who know what they're seeing--but, as a full-time professional road-working comic, Duane rarely gets to perform at Seattle's alt-comedy events...
I know that Duane sometimes feels that he doesn't really belong in the alt-comedy world...that his professional style isn't accepted--but this audience, having seen all that they could have hoped for before Duane even took the stage, were definitely enjoying Duane's instinctive twists and reflections on his own act.
Duane, as a good comic would, not only presented the material that he best felt appropriate to the audience and the moment...but was in the moment enough to comment upon how he felt his act was going over--the result was like peering into the mechanism and watching the adjustments with the machine inventor explaining how everything worked.
It was a very good night of Seattle comedy.
pg--seattle
It appears Travis and Kevin will wrap up the monthly Entertainment Show with a finale in December.
Plus Steel Of Fire Warriors will make its big screen debut at the Grand Illusion next month.
What's the story there, Owen?
Do they not want to produce a show any more, or are they planning on doing something new?
If they're not moving on to something new/better, this is sad news...because I think (even with my show criticisms mentioned in a previous post) that The Entertainment Show has been the best conceptual comedy show that Seattle's had for some time now...
pg--and Seattle NEEDS to be inspired to match or outdo good shows right now--sonicslessland
It's my favorite also.
I'm sure Kevin and Travis have several wheels, balls, plates...etc in motion. This is only the beginning.
They are still at Laff Hole every week, making more movies and videos, and maybe planning an extended run show. You could go to the show tomorrow and ask them what's up!Originally Posted by pg13
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote