Slap Happy at the Bad Dog - Quickly becoming a Christmas tradition!

Last Christmas, good friend Tim and I had just started taking Improv classes at Second City. We were excited about seeing our instructor, Kerry Griffin perform with their group, Slap Happy. I think the phrase "you have to have been there" aptly describes improv comedy. Needless to say, I sat front and centre, about a foot from the actors feet, with the eager grin of a child watching a Christmas tree light up. They had cookies, too.

Laughed until my head hurt, yes, but I did have some questions last year....when they asked for suggestions (and got one); how come I didn't see any reference to it in their scenes?


We ended that evening last year as the wind was picking up, waiting for a tow truck in an empty Office Depot parking lot in Markham. Rescuing all the kids' gifts from the backseat of the car while watching my beautiful car ride away. Man, I was grateful for CAA and good friends THAT night!

A year goes by, and I'm becoming dependent on the laughter-high of a Second City Sunday. I also learn that taking suggestions from the audience only needs to inspire you as an improvisor. I still don't get it....why ask in the first place?

Nonetheless, I'm wiser now. I've also had the honour of having Sandy and Dave as instructors. There were cookies, and I elbowed someone for a front seat. Tim won a prize. And after all was said and done, I laughed harder than I did last year - the great deep, chest-heaving wag your feet gut laughter than comes when you've been broadsided by intelligent humour. Slap Happy doesn't dumb down for the audience...even when they're being lizards.