Groundlings (Groundlings Theatre)

Member Name: movielad

Product:	Groundlings Theatre
Date:	02/05/01 (97 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Very, very funny and it makes a great night out!

Disadvantages: The area can be pretty dangerous during the evening.

I happened a very long time ago (1992) to be reading Premiere, the US movie magazine about Sherri Stoner, who was being used in Disney's Little Mermaid and Beauty and The Beast as a live action model. She was also a producer and senior staff writer for Animaniacs (which happened to be one of my favourite TV shows at the time).

The article mentioned that she was a member of The Groundlings, a Los Angeles-based comedy troupe famous for launching the careers of Lisa Kudrow (Phoebe in Friends), Phil Hartman (Troy McClure in the Simpsons), and many, many other famous faces. I was determined to visit their theatre some day to see just how good these folks were.

In May 2000, I was heading off for a grand whistle-stop tour of the Northern USA. I was travelling from New York to Los Angeles by coach, making lots of stops in-between. Anyway, by the time I reached Los Angeles I thought I'd see if I could find the Groundlings theatre. Unfortunately I didn't know where it was, so I decided that I'ld probably find it by chance and I did. I was taking a tour bus of Hollywood to Universal Studios when we went past Melrose Avenue and the Groundlings theatre. I made a mental note of where the theatre was and the next day I hired a limo for the day (thanks to winning some money in Las Vegas - but that's another story) to do some shopping and some sightseeing at a more relaxed pace.

In the evening, I instructed the driver to take me to Melrose Avenue where he accompanyed me with his gun since the area was well known for being a bit on the rough side (and full of perverts - I was proposition twice by two blokes hanging about in the street - and to think this is the street where the rich kids spend their money - it looks a bit like Beruit on a good day!). Anyway, I got to theatre and was blown away by the show.

Firstly, Deanna Oliver (scriptwriter for Animaniacs, My Favourite Martian and voice actress) who directed the sho
w made a few appearences to provoke the audience to help out with some of the sketches. The Groundlings are well known for their improvisionational (is there such a word?!) skills and there were some truly hilarious moments involving Al Gore of all people.

I don't think I've laughed so hard in my life at some of the material (Al Gore included - and even the performers went into hysterics at this).

The Groundlings are certainly extremely funny and very talented and it's a shame they've not had much exposure outside of the USA. They do have a unique approach to comedy. Think of them as a cross between Whose Line is it Anyway? and Monty Python.

See the Groundlings at 7307 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles. Also see their web site at http://www.groundlings.com.

Summary: