Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Lost Finale!

I sort of got it....

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Post Show Ramblings: Show #2, SketchTest

In keeping with long established CRASSUS tradition (meaning, of course, that we did it last time), here are some thoughts for this last show.


I’m Nat by the way. I’m one of the two guys.  Hi.

For the sake of posterity, here was the running order for the show:

1) Warm up exercises
2) Homeless Prop Comic
3) Soap People
4) Winnifield Lindsay, Literary Pervert

The show was part of SketchTest, which is like an open mic for sketch groups, hosted by the good folks of Jablonski at the Pub Theatre. It’s the perfect set up for trying out new stuff and really just an all around good time for anyone who likes sketch and is interested in seeing works in progress. I would highly recommend the show, even when CRASSUS isn’t performing. Plus, it’s free for everyone involved.

It’s always fun performing something for the first time in front of an audience. As a performer, you can really feel what works and what needs more work based on the audience reaction. I would say the stuff that we tried this week was a little less like your standard sketch – homeless prop comic is more of a standup spoof; Winnifield Lindsay is very presentational in style; Soap People, while structured like a traditional sketch, has a pretty complex premise – so it was interesting to see what hit and where.

Overall, I’d say all three scenes went over pretty well, prop comic coming in at best received in my opinion and Winnifield Lindsay bringing up the rear but still having its moments of obscenely comic glory. Geoff and I now have an idea of what gets kept and what needs work as we continue to rewrite and refine.

A couple of the other groups cancelled at the last minute, so there was some extra time laying around. Geoff and I used some of that time to mess around with some warm up exercises on stage, which was actually a lot of fun. I think there’s a place for that kind of silliness in future shows.

Plus, one of the other performers played the saw. I have never seen that before.

MORE SHOWS TO COME!! Check back soon and huzzah for comedy!

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Show the Second: Fizz Bar

OH DAMN.

You didn't think we were done, did you?

CRASSUS appears again at SketchTest on Tuesday 5/18.


The Pub Theater's Sketch Test
Fizz Bar @ 7:30 PM
3220 N Lincoln,
Chicago IL
FREE

Twelve minutes of new comedy that's EVEN NEWER than our last twelve minutes of new comedy.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Cherry Broken!

So it happened.

The first time Geoff Crump and Nat Topping performed their two man brilliance, deemed Crassus, was tonight - approximately 4 hours ago. It was also the first time ever they flubbed their lines on stage. It started with Geoff Crump, no less then 15 seconds into their very first sketch. Luckily the brilliant performers called out the screw ups and moved on, and the rest of the evening went pretty smoothly.

For the sake of record keeping, this is how it went down:

1) Full Circle on Film
2) Reaching Out
3) Sex and Waffles
4) Guitarman

The sketches were well received and, besides getting some pacing issues in control, the sketches will probably stay as is. I say the night was a success.

It was strange to realize that me and Nat, although working in sketch comedy together for a few years now, had not actually performed together since Robot vs. Dinosaur's production of "The Greatest Stories Never Told... Told!", which was RvD's first production, back in 2008. And I (Crump) have not been in a scripted show of any kind since then either. It's amazing how tough it is to get back into the swing of things. And I didn't feel nervous or anything, but I still fudged up and fudged some lines. Shaking off the cobwebs I guess.

Regardless, Nat and myself will start taking this city by storm. Indeed yes we will. Or at the very least we will make ourselves laugh by making others laugh at our dick jokes and overly analytical and mind bending dick jokes that are masked as thought provoking logic and fine art. Fun will be had. I ask you to witness it. Stay posted.

Monday, May 10, 2010

CRASSUS ANNOUNCES THEIR OWN EXISTANCE

KABOOM!!!

CRASSUS appears at SketchTest on Tuesday 5/11. 

Fizz Bar @ 7:30 PM
3220 N Lincoln,
Chicago IL
FREE

We try twelve minutes of new comedy.  Come watch and bring friends.

KABOOM AGAIN!!

Oh yeah, baby.  That's some Big Bang right there.