Aussie Improv Comedy Explosion

Kookaburras might be the main source of laughter in the Aussie outback, but here in Vegas it doesn't come so naturally. Hunter S. Thompson is famously quoted “for a loser, Las Vegas is the meanest town on Earth” - and it's something that comedians looking for first breaks know too well. Geechy Guy didn't get to the lofty heights of fame on a lucky roulette wheel– he learned audience interaction from experience. Australia's former finalist of “Comic Of The Year” Grant Davies and his native sidekicks have clearly got the knack, having shipped their infectious “Aussie Improv Comedy Explosion” all the way from native shores, to the V Theater, at The Miracle Mile, Planet Hollywood.

Dubbed by critics as “off-the-cuff-comedy at it's best”, the “Comedy Explosion” landed in Vegas in January 2011 - without the usual fanfare and critical anticipation. It was, in short a newbie, but with the backing of theater entrepreneur David Saxe, it's credibility as a must-see was sealed. A familiar face at the annual Sydney Comedy Festival, Grant Davies is no stranger to an expectant crowd. He spent years wooing Australian crowds with near constant tours, and was a familiar face at Sydney EQ's “Comedy Store”. Davies is flanked by two additional Australian comics - Grant Davies, Lisa Ricketts and Matt Foster. Ricketts has spent several years on the Sydney circuit, while Matt Foster made a name for himself at the Roxbury Festival.

Few improv shows in Vegas exist, that haven't at one time suffered comparisons to that ageless game-show “Whose Line Is It Anyway”. Aired on ABC during the 1990's, “WLIIA” seems to have set a precedent for live comedy theater, and those that don't cut it often fall by the wayside. From the moment Grant Davies leaps onto the stage and implores his audience to introduce themselves, “Comedy Explosion” bears a few similarities – especially when he launches into an ad hoc nursery rhyme with alternative lyrics. But that's where comparisons end. Song parodies and audience interrogation are part and parcel of the improv act – it's inescapable, expected and largely defining of the comedy style. If it feels like twenty questions, Matt Foster is the culprit. A boisterous, spirited personality, he makes it his mission to get under the skin of audience members, using the unfortunate selections for rebound jokes throughout the evening.

Swiftly descending into a second bout of audience associated hilarity, all three hosts appear on stage for the “Movie of Your Life” bit. Foster skips like an excited child down the center aisle, searching for the next biographical subject, while Ricketts and Davies keep the crowd entertained with movie-related parody songs. That's one thing you'll notice about “Comedy Explosion” - the banter never ceases. Nor, for that matter does the cackle of audience members! Guests tend to be ready for their 'close-up' – after all this is Sin City, where the unexpected is the norm. After a corner-cutting briefing on the aim of the game, Foster's volunteer is handed a remote control with two buttons for “true” and “false”. He/ she must buzz consistently, as the three comedy amigos acts out a role-play of his/ her life. They've been smart enough to glean a few vital facts from their subject, such as hometown, hobbies and career details. Armed with this potentially embarrassing arsenal of information, they proceed to enact a vignette which pokes fun at the stereotypical attributes of a hometown, lifestyle or dialect. The consistent buzzing from their subject has the potential to throw them off whack, adding to the hilarity of the scene.

The kookiness doesn't end with guests just being a point of comic observation. The “Comedy Explosion” trio are consistently applauded by critics for their ability to keep the audience a part of the show, and it's none more evident than during the “Puppets Game”. It's likely an 'in jest' bit incepted to parody Justin Tranz or Marc Savard's “Comedy Hypnosis”, as two willing participants take to the stage, under the agreement they will become human puppets for the act. Cue a round of hilarious narrative from Grant Davies, who reads along an outrageous plot, to which the puppets must act out. It's a given that one, or both volunteers will end up in a hilariously compromised position! “Comedy Explosion” promises to deliver bite-your-lip comedy, with a dash of Aussie madness and plenty of potentially embarrassing scenarios for it's audiences to become involved in. There's just one thing they don't warn on the marquee – the next victim could be you!