Colin and Brad: Two Man Group

Networks may spend millions of dollars advertising their series but the fact is one of the most common methods of discovering a show is the typical male past time of channel surfing. Guys, you know what I mean; sitting on the couch, remote in hand randomly flicking through the plethora of channels fruitlessly searching for a place to pause for a few minutes. It was during one such session a few years ago I stumbled on a little import from England called ‘Whose Line is it anyway?’ Crew Carey attempted to import the series to the States but I preferred the original British incarnation. The show featured that strange methodology of comics referred to as improvisation. Improv may seem silly and disorganized but it is one of the most difficult forms of comedy to master; a reason why it is considered a part of a young comic’s training. The series consisted of a host stationed behind a desk situated just in front of the audience. On the stage sit four comedians serving as ‘contestants. The premise is a game show but as the host explains the point awarded are arbitrary and don’t matter at all. the British version Famed comedian Peter Cook received ten million points just for being Peter Cook. Two of the regular participants of this exceptionally quirky show were American Brad Sherwood and his Canadian cohort Colin Mochrie. Both were also regulars on the variation produced here in the States. Mochrie and Sherwood anchored their stage careers on their involvement in these shows taking the ‘games’ on the road for comedy concert dates. A series of such performances took place in January 2010 performance at The Pabst Theater in Milwaukee. The proceedings became the basis of the DVD ‘ Colin Mochrie & Brad Sherwood: Two Man Group’. Those you count yourself a fan of either or both versions of the series are going to find this disc a very enjoyable evening’s entertainment.

While the fundamental construction of the various ‘games’ remain the same, pretty much identical to either version of the television show, but there are some subtle difference employed to make the transition to a stage performance easier to accomplish. The pair do make a point to tell the audience that what their do in their performances is unplanned; well most of it. Of course one of the little tricks used in improvisation it to ask the audience for suggestions and just ‘select’ a preferred answer even if it was not exactly offered by the audience members. It must be kept in mind that Sherwood and Mochrie have been doing this for a long time working within the framework of these games. After so much practice the pair has grown into a mutual, often unspoken understanding of each other which creates a formidable comedy team. In some of the segments you can practically see the non verbal synchronization sparking between them. One on the main differences between this performance and the TV version is greater audience participation. There was some used in the TV shows, on both sides of the pond but here the madcap duo bring unsuspecting audience members on stag to become the focus of the strange attention of Colin and Brad. The first segment required a couple from the audience who have to provide the direction for the guys to move. The fellows remain still waiting to be implicitly positioned by one of the audience members. The result was a hysterical combination on embarrassment and inappropriate touching. The man controlling Brad seemed to prefer moving him by goosing butt while the woman seemed to get acquainted with Colin’s crouch.

The next game required a volunteer to supply sound effects for Mochrie while Sherwood’s Foley needs are provided by a row of the audience passing the microphone down the line. The setting for this routine was a couple of friends on a white water trip. Suffice it to say ‘
Police Academy’s Michael Winslow has absolutely nothing to worry about.

Another setup for the pair is a mock game show where once again members of the audience are pulled in for a version of ‘Jeopardy’ that requires questions on random cards and the audience shouts out questions as the lamentable victims are caught in the middle. One of the oddest games is referred to as sideways. The guys lie on their sides against a wall on the floor as the camera is pointed down on them. Gravity appears to have gone awry as the two roll around the tilted set. The most bizarre and actually sadistic game requires them starting sentences going through the alphabet, now that was on the British TV show but here they included a twisted addition for the States. The comedians performed barefooted and blind folded on a stage peppered with 250 set mouse traps. To make it a little more interesting more traps are dangling a various heights in front of the performers. The people watching hoot and holler as the two set on traps of have them snap at their faces. Colin cheats at one point removing his blindfold tossing traps at his friend’s crotch. A couple of voices ring out ‘Cheater’ but that does nothing to discourage the ‘illegal’ activity. It does seem that both men have gone through enough times to know each other’s reactions perfectly. One thing that this format has in its favor it provides more time to each bit than was possible on TV nut kept short enough to keep things moving along.

Posted 03/13/11