Based in downtown Seattle, The Rendezvous hosts a comedy mic on several days of the week. Give yourself plenty of time to find parking, however. I dropped my friend off in front of The Rendezvous to sign us up while I drove around and around, looking for free street parking, but ended up paying at a lot three blocks away. Over $16 dollars. Ouch! The Thursday night mic takes place in The Rendezvous’ downstairs room called The Grotto, which seats about 33. Thankfully, they also have bathrooms downstairs, so it’s not a long walk if you must go. When I dropped my friend off to sign us up, she said the signup sheet was already out at 6:20pm. It’s first come first choice, and there are no language restrictions. Talent gets 4 minutes. Two gentlemen, Gus and Joel, run the room. Know that this is not a room to do written material. Called “Cheat Day”, it’s an improvisational mic, and a unique one at that. While the stage is elevated and can be seen by anyone in the room, it was not well lit. Even during the evening, the hosts tried to adjust the lights so they shined on the stage better. Two mics are on stage with a stool between them that had a keyboard that you press a button that then shows either a picture of something or written words, and you are asked to make fun of what appears. For example, a picture of a cat staring into the camera, or words like “Outer space waffle house”. There are two mics because the person who is called up from the signup sheet can pick someone in the room to use the second mic, and together you make fun of whatever you have to work with in the picture or words. At nearly 4 minutes, music slowly rises in volume, and you pretty much sum up your final comments and where “we can find you” (social media). I was told the hosts prefer the room not to go past 9pm. I must confess: I normally don’t care for improv mics. I prefer writing material and performing to see if the material is any good. However, I felt such camaraderie in the room that for the first time in my life I decided to give it a try. I asked the co-host, Joel, to be my partner. The evening started promptly at 7pm. Drinks can be purchased upstairs at the bar. Beers ran $8 a pint. Most of the talent knew one another, but even my friend and I were welcomed, like they also knew us and wanted us to participate. There were 12 people present when we started, and that number increased to 14 by 7:40 and 15 by 7:50pm. The evening ended at about 8:38pm, with attendance just dropping a little in the wee minutes of the show. Guys, this is a fun room to do. I have a renewed respect for improvisation. It demands you be quick with your wit. I’m told improv is all about saying “yes”, and, as I told the hosts after the show, you’re only as good as your partner will let you be, meaning if you suggest doing something on stage, if your partner is not in agreement, then things don’t come across that well. Duo improv requires an amenable participation on both performers. That this room has been going on for almost two years tells me local talent likes improv, as well as rooms that are for standup with written material to perform. I understand if a comedian would prefer to only do rooms where you can try out new material. However, if you can improvise also, when you’re doing the written material on stage, you may learn to handle hecklers better, mentally regroup in your mind if you have a brain fart and forgot some of your jokes, while you’re just saying things off the cuff of your sleeve, till you’re focused again on your material. Just a reminder of what improv can do for you as a standup comedian. I’ve reviewed other rooms before that are improv only, but this was the first time I participated myself. That’s not to say the other rooms are not good. It’s just the first time I personally felt comfortable to give it a try. I think that’s a testament to how inviting Gus and Joel make their room. I believe this room will thrive and become a permanent fixture at The Rendezvous.
Based in downtown Seattle, The Rendezvous hosts a comedy mic on several days of the week. Give yourself plenty of time to find parking, however. I dropped my friend off in front of The Rendezvous to sign us up while I drove around and around, looking for free street parking, but ended up paying at a lot three blocks away. Over $16 dollars. Ouch!
ReplyDeleteThe Thursday night mic takes place in The Rendezvous’ downstairs room called The Grotto, which seats about 33. Thankfully, they also have bathrooms downstairs, so it’s not a long walk if you must go. When I dropped my friend off to sign us up, she said the signup sheet was already out at 6:20pm. It’s first come first choice, and there are no language restrictions. Talent gets 4 minutes. Two gentlemen, Gus and Joel, run the room.
Know that this is not a room to do written material. Called “Cheat Day”, it’s an improvisational mic, and a unique one at that. While the stage is elevated and can be seen by anyone in the room, it was not well lit. Even during the evening, the hosts tried to adjust the lights so they shined on the stage better. Two mics are on stage with a stool between them that had a keyboard that you press a button that then shows either a picture of something or written words, and you are asked to make fun of what appears. For example, a picture of a cat staring into the camera, or words like “Outer space waffle house”. There are two mics because the person who is called up from the signup sheet can pick someone in the room to use the second mic, and together you make fun of whatever you have to work with in the picture or words. At nearly 4 minutes, music slowly rises in volume, and you pretty much sum up your final comments and where “we can find you” (social media). I was told the hosts prefer the room not to go past 9pm.
I must confess: I normally don’t care for improv mics. I prefer writing material and performing to see if the material is any good. However, I felt such camaraderie in the room that for the first time in my life I decided to give it a try. I asked the co-host, Joel, to be my partner.
The evening started promptly at 7pm. Drinks can be purchased upstairs at the bar. Beers ran $8 a pint. Most of the talent knew one another, but even my friend and I were welcomed, like they also knew us and wanted us to participate. There were 12 people present when we started, and that number increased to 14 by 7:40 and 15 by 7:50pm. The evening ended at about 8:38pm, with attendance just dropping a little in the wee minutes of the show.
Guys, this is a fun room to do. I have a renewed respect for improvisation. It demands you be quick with your wit. I’m told improv is all about saying “yes”, and, as I told the hosts after the show, you’re only as good as your partner will let you be, meaning if you suggest doing something on stage, if your partner is not in agreement, then things don’t come across that well. Duo improv requires an amenable participation on both performers. That this room has been going on for almost two years tells me local talent likes improv, as well as rooms that are for standup with written material to perform.
I understand if a comedian would prefer to only do rooms where you can try out new material. However, if you can improvise also, when you’re doing the written material on stage, you may learn to handle hecklers better, mentally regroup in your mind if you have a brain fart and forgot some of your jokes, while you’re just saying things off the cuff of your sleeve, till you’re focused again on your material. Just a reminder of what improv can do for you as a standup comedian.
I’ve reviewed other rooms before that are improv only, but this was the first time I participated myself. That’s not to say the other rooms are not good. It’s just the first time I personally felt comfortable to give it a try. I think that’s a testament to how inviting Gus and Joel make their room. I believe this room will thrive and become a permanent fixture at The Rendezvous.