Recently by Fuzzy

Here's a nice Christmas present for the Blewt crew: Nina Metz has written a year-end "best of storefront theater" for the Chicago Tribune and Impress These Apes is number one on her list:

1. "Impress These Apes" (Blewt!): Hands down the best comedy show in Chicago, mixing the DIY aesthetic of a talent show with that antic beast known as improv. The euphoric mania was infectious. Up next: Blewt! performs their game show "Don't Spit the Water" on New Year's Eve (chucklebowl.com), and "Apes" returns in September (impresstheseapes.com).

We (well, James Asmus in Impress These Apes) made Time Out Chicago's list of funniest moments of 2008:

Impress These Apes
For a shot at winning ITA's third season, James Asmus needed to do something huge. So he staged a magic show, which fell apart during a card trick because, he claimed, his girlfriend was leaving town. This prompted him to head to the airport (on video), pick her up and yank her up on stage to finish the trick. But then, just as she settled in, Asmus told her to abandon the script...and got down on one knee. "I have to ask you something," he said, stumbling over his words. He was serious. The audience was silent. "Is this your card?!?"

We're a cocky bunch here at Blewt, but even we would never say that Second City (you know, founded in 1953, Chicago institution, gave the world half its famous comedians) could learn a "lesson" from Impress These Apes. But we're sure flattered that Nina Metz said so in her review of the new mainstage show at Second City for Newcity Stage.

Ultimately, though, there is something missing in the creative drive. ... If "Impress These Apes" has shown us anything, it's that funny people--given the right motivation and freedom to play--will generate unique and indelible material. Second City can't accommodate the freeform structure of "Apes" (nor should it) but I think there's a lesson in there somewhere. Second City has always had impeccable taste when it comes to hiring talent, but shows like this suggest there has to be a better way to take advantage of what these folks have to offer.