A Christmas Carol Unscripted

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ComedySportz
721 Massachusetts Ave.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
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A Christmas Carol Unscripted
by Josefa Beyer Dec 5, 2007

Three Stars

ComedySportz Theatre

In ComedySportz improv games, usually two comic teams compete for laughs, but last Friday night all the players were pitted against the audience, a formidable opponent armed with gleeful stupidity and moronic expletives. A Christmas Carol: Unscripted relied on dialogue scraps thrown into a hat or shouted out by a collegiate crowd intent on making Scrooge a pole dancer and the comedians say “ass” and “balls.” Sometimes the team won (one player blatantly ignored an abortion clinic reference) and sometimes they got down with the groundlings (the Ghost of Christmas Past swore continually without any audience prompting). I was also disappointed that the players didn’t often try to weave the better audience suggestions into their scenes. Mostly, they just read the lines and tossed the paper. As Scrooge and the Ghost of Christmas Past, Jeff Clawson and Mookie Harris took some good jabs at the holiday tale, asking what spirit world magic is required to bring someone to the present. I also enjoyed Tim Harrison as Bob, Woody Rau as a drag Martha and some throwaway references to Patrick Swayze in Ghost. I’d like to see them again, when ComedySportz “referees” call foul on foul language and put everyone through a tougher comedic workout. Through Dec. 28; 317-951-8499.



Comments on A Christmas Carol Unscripted

by Missy | Dec 15, 2007

During ComedySportz performances, they make a big deal of saying that the late night Friday shows are not comedysportz shows and that they are never family-friendly. It's not considered a game, like ComedySportz. It's considered an improv performance. I don't think they're there to be "pitted against the audience in a game of matching creative wits," because they are obviously going to win at that. The audience is there to see a good show, to contribute to the show, and the performers are there to give that to them. It's pretty impressive to watch them stay in character, work in audience suggestions seamlessly, and justify the things that the audience wrote on paper before the show even started. I laughed a lot and I really appreciate how talented everyone in the show is.

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It's not a ComedySportz show
by Rob | Dec 15, 2007

There's a theater on Mass Ave. called ComedySportz Indianapolis. They perform an improv show there regularly which is also known as ComedySportz. The theater also runs other shows like A Christmas Carol Unscripted, Sex And The Circle City, Fun Dumpster and others. These are not billed as ComedySportz shows and the casts are often made up of non-ComedySportz performers. This review reads as if you were expecting to see a ComedySportz match. I also don't discriminate between "clean" and "dirty" comedy. I only discriminate between funny and unfunny. I was there the same night as you. I went in expecting funny and I got it by the ton. The place was sold-out and the laughter was raucous throughout. If you like to laugh, go see it. If you get hung up on language, don't.

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