Recapping Friday Night Late Show @ Philly SketchFest
Toronto's 2 Humans kicked off the 10:30 block of Friday night's 7th Annual Sketchfest. Natalie and Michael are graduates of Second City Conservatory and performed last year along-side Philly's Alley of Nightmares at the 10th Anniversary Torronto Sketch Comedy Festival, headlined by Kids in the Hall.
They got one of the biggest laughs of the night with a 15-second sketch where in Michael plays with Natalie's chest for about ten seconds and then turns to the crowd and says, "Oh, I wrote this sketch." (Props to the tech team for a perfectly timed blackout on that one!)
2 Humans showcased great sketches for the big, receptive crowd. Two nuns relocating to NYC (one to spread the Good News, the other to spread her legs)... A lady alone in the supermarket gets wooed by a stock clerk on the p.a. system...
NYC's Unisex -- featuring Jason Messina and Tabitha Vidaurri of defunct Philly Favorite 6th Borough pedigree -- brought funny and dark sketches about scary campfire stories, unreasonable burglary victims, and a disgruntled Walmart employee addressing the Black Friday mob with a megaphone.
One of their most memorable sketches showed the dangers of visiting houses haunted by Michael McDonald. The smooth sounds possess the husband while the wife tries to talk some sense into him.
As usual, The Incredible Shrinking Matt & Jacquie fucking destroyed. Their opening skit showed a couple of flappers from the 20's struggling to win the dance marathon while the rigors of a 24 hours straight of doing the Charlston takes hilarious tolls on their mind and body. This was one of the funniest skits I've ever seen from them. It helps that Matt and Jacquie are both such weird looking human beings -- the physicality alone of their ridiculous dancing would have been hysterical even without a written context. They crushed.
Another hilarious sketch that was new to me was their twisted depiction of hopelessly stranded astronauts floating into oblivion. Really dark. The sketch ended with an exaggeratedly slow fade-out of the lights, which added to the tone of pure gallow's humor.
They ended their show with a weird reunion between a father and daughter, as she acts out his birthday speech with her hands in the style of Who's Line is it Anyway. Dark secrets are revealed, contrasting the slap-stick. Belly laughs were had. Joe Moore helped play the sheriff.
Dog Mountain, Brian Posehn, Chip Chantry, Todd Glass, John Mulaney, DTF, Tripple Double, and Incredible Shrinking Comedy @ Philly Sketchfest
Welcome to the land of too many options. This is a good problem, to be certain. But at some point, you will be forced to choose which myriad entertainers will drown out your work week like you're some kind of super-temporary Roman emperor. And I'm only getting around to SOME of the hilarious shows I KNOW ABOUT.
Here are some key listings to sync up your dopamine pathways with the Philadelphia city-limits.
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Friday, 11/14:
Dog Mountain and DTF with Darrel Charles & Dr. Timaree @ Phit
The Prince, Unstoppable Failure, Brick Penguin, 2 Humans, Unisex and [the two time Dirtiest Sketch in Philly winners] The Incredible Shrinking Matt & Jacquie @ Philly Sketchfest
Brian Posehn @ Helium
Wednesday, 11/19:
Chip Chantry @ Helium
Friday. 11/21:
The Tony Awards hosted by Maggy Keegan and Tripple Double @ Figment Theater
Thanksgiving Weekend:
Black Friday Comedy Marathon 2014 @ Phit
Todd Glass @ Helium
Tuesday, 12/2:
Tom Green @ Helium
Thursday 12/18:
John Mulaney @ The Trocadero