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Review Wed Jun 15 2011
Blood Dolphin Presents: Amusements
Blood Dolphin may be a fledgling improv duo, but they are already off to a strong start. During their recent run at Studio BE Blood Dolphin debuted their form, which is a mixture of musical improv and quirky yet grounded scene work. With Carrie Shemanski rocking the banjo and Erin Thorn on tambourine, they take a suggestion of a name and and object from the audience and open with a whimsical musical number. (The night I attended the suggestion was Paulie Prism, which prompted a charming number about a man who rode through the streets of Boystown saying "hi" to everyone that he passed.) What follows is a slew of short but invested scenes that are offbeat, but played with the utmost sincerity. The ladies of Blood Dolphin aren't afraid to wander into strange territory (Such as with the scene that involved using a pooping baby as a graffiti tool.) but they never let things wax too unbelievable.
Opening acts that performed at the show I attended included stand-up comedian Alexandra Tsarpalas and sketch comedy duo Aggie and Irene. Tsarpalas entertained the crowd with "Golden Girls" jokes and tiny porcelain hands, and Aggie and Irene sang, told jokes, and sprayed each other with shaving cream as their friendship comically fell apart onstage.
