Chemically Imbalanced Comedy

 

0

4

Joshua W.

Chicago, IL

saw the Bad Review tonight lampooning the review of Soldiers: The Desert Stand which apparently is  a nihlistic rant on the Iraq war with stock character to paraphrase Bill Williams from the Chicago Reader. it was hilarious. it's great that this troupe had the balls, timing and energy to pull it all together. i really enjoyed myself.

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17

81

Kate G.

Chicago, IL

A lot of fun for $10 a ticket.  We saw three improv groups and all got us chuckling a bit.  I have to say it was definitely a work in progress, but made all the more fun because it is BYOB.  There was some definite creativity in the show and the theatre itself is a very intimate casual atmosphere.  Beware of potentially awkward stand-up/warm up guy in the beginning and having to cross the performance area to use the restorom.

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229

264

Katarina X.

Chicago, IL

Awkward? Yup.
To be frank, it sucked.
Let me over-explain: Every Single Joke, Every Line, Every Skit was "gay", gay-imitative or homophobic in nature.
Gee, yet another "coming out" skit. Yawn. Another frat-boy homophobic behavior skit... It was cheap, it was stupid and worst of all for me watching- it was repetitive. I wasn't even offended, just profoundly bored. Maybe I happened in on a bad night but I'd rather been at home painting my toenails.

Overly-gelled Fauxhawk Dudes: I get it, you are straight but you can squirm, hold your wrist bent and fake a nasal lisp... it stopped being funny in grade school... it is not fun to watch now. It's old: For the love of whatever God you believe in: DO SOMETHING, ANYTHING ELSE ALREADY! Reel it in. Set a limit: Two gay jokes a night, max.

Better yet: Hire a real-life, gay male to be naturally witty, if that is what you are after: Because gay guys are funny, but straight guys cracking the same homophobic, pretending to be gay lines are not.  If I wanted the Blue-Collar Comedy tour I'd move to a Red state and vote Republican for (equivalently immature) cheap laughs.

Seating is uncomfortable: The space is small and cramped. The platform my seat was on would periodically sway and "give" with every movement. Freaked me out. Don't know how it passed city codes... but there you go.
The platform is secondary.
Seriously, I'll take bodily harm over another skit.
The Jokes.... those seriously, SERIOUSLY need to be reeled in. Set a quota. Charge a penalty for going over # limits, I don't care... but please, god, please, not another gay joke. PLEASE. I beg you!

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Elite '08

46

99

Kim B.

Chicago, IL

I had a chance to check out the Friday night comedy showcase last weekend compliments of Angela M. (thanks again!).  My friends and I had a great time and enjoyed the show - especially the third group.

The stage is really small and what others have stated somewhat "intimate."  I wish I would have known it was BYOB before I went - that would have made the night a bit more interesting!

I think there are certainly some "kinks" that need to be worked out (hence the 4 stars), but overall this is a great gem in the neighborhood and I look forward to checking out the other shows.

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4

12

Dana -.

Chicago, IL

My boyfriend and I went to see the Friday Night Comedy Showcase on January 11, since we got free tickets from Angela M (thanks again, by the way!). I reserved the tickets under my boyfriend's name, but his name wasn't on the list when we arrived for the show. The friendly guy at the door let us in anyway (so thanks for that as well!).

Positives: BYOB; the third improv group (especially the woman with the short dark hair!)
Negatives: the stand-up host, the first two improv groups (minus the "Johnsonville brat fingers" guy in the first group)

I was having a hard time figuring out how to write a review of the theater when my observations are mainly about the groups performing there. But then I realized that the theater was the one hiring these groups to perform. So onwards:
1. I didn't think that the first improv group was very funny at all. There were a few lines here and there -- mainly spoken by the guy mentioned above -- at which I laughed out loud, but most of the performance seemed incoherent or nonsensical (and not necessarily in a humorous way). Too bad, really.
2. I thought that the second improv group was more funny than the first, but their choice to only do one skit made the performance drag. My boyfriend started checking his watch at this point. I started looking around the audience.
3. I thought that the third group was really funny! The ice-fishing, the smoking ban, and the closeted lesbian bits were hilarious. I would have enjoyed to see them perform for the entire show.
4. I liked the set-up of the theater, which is small and intimate -- without making you feel that you are on top of the performers.

Would I recommend this place to others? Eh. Would I return? Not for the Comedy Showcase, but perhaps for their Bad Review show.

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Elite '08

74

264

Carrie M.

Chicago, IL

Chemically Imbalanced Comedy is definitely comedy off kilter. The Friday Night comedy showcase was a fun barrel of laughs where I'll never think of Johnsonville bratwursts and my fingers the same way again. The showcase displays the talents of three comedy improv talents for $10 (our tickets were comp'ed thanks to Angela M. a Yelper and Director of Chemically Imbalanced Comedy). It's a great bargain for a chance to see a number of different comedy troupes with different styles.
 The theater is small and intimate which makes the show experience more personal. The staff was great and completely laid back and cool when talking to the audience and giving the particulars about BYOB and the bathrooms. The BYOB makes it even more fun when you see people coming in with six packs and wine bottles with plastic cups. That's my kind of beverage service. I liked the comedy showcase and the theater alot. They also had other show offerings that looked funny and worth a look. I'll definitely be back to see Book of Liz and Bad Review.

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18

7

Angela M.

Chicago, IL

The shows can range from the decent to the truely transcendent. It's a small and intimate audience space (but still large enough to hide in the back) which is great, and each show is different. Very affordable and VERY funny. Small and intimate and it's BYOB. It takes a lot to make me laugh hard, but a few groups managed it..but they did.

PS the above is written by someone who works with CIC, but I love them.

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