Why Shit-Storm is important

[Louie4711]

I was going to write this post into that other thread, but it's veered off to some sort of lunatic domain, somewhere where I have no interest in venturing to. What I was going to post was also a tangent in itself really so I thought that there was no reason not to start a new thread.

Shit-Storm has been getting a lot of attention lately in our scene. I know a lot of people who love Shit-Storm and a lot of people who really don't like those guys. I think they're an amazing kick in the pants and that they're really important.

In a typical Shit-Storm show you'll see a lot of the traditional rules of improv being broken, moreso than with other groups I've seen. There's a lot of "argument scenes". There are an unbeleivalbe amount of references to pop culture. Sometimes, the dreaded denial pops up. But, in my opinion none of this matters becuase Shit-Storm always are such a good example of supportive improv. Everything that happens in a Shit-Storm show is always justified to great effect and every idea is used by those boys. Billy's unique, rambiling and often frightening monolouges that start off the shows are never taken for granted. Information is gleaned from them and made into something more than what they started as.

Their style of play is refeshingly agressive. They're not afraid to step on each others ideas becuse they trust each other to make it work. The members of Shit-Storm also embody a great asthetic that is so unique to I think their age and place in the world. They often synthesize the lowest aspects of our culture that they were raised on and begrugingly appear to love (like their numerous Perfect Strangers references) with highly intelligent nods to events in history and in our current culture. I find that really cool and exciting. They're not bringing up the pop-culture stuff just to get a cheap laugh of recognition, they play their references to the top of their reality and it almost always makes for a satisfying and revealing scene.

Shit-Storm are just so punk rock. They're so loud and crass and chaotic. They've formed themselves and embody a lot of the DIY asthetic in their flyers and shows they put on. I love that they're self formed. They all found each other and like working with each other and have a style that's unique and suprising. They're an example of like-minded people making work that works for them and having the confidence in themselves to do it. I'm hoping more groups like Shit-Storm will appear because of them being around.

Thanks Shit-Storm. I think you're really interesting to watch and learn from.

[Louie4711]

Oh my god! Two people hate my thread! eeeek!

[PatBaer]

Shit-Storm performs for themselves, not the audience.

There's something great about that.

[Maddy]

Originally Posted by PatBaer

Shit-Storm performs for themselves, not the audience.

There's something great about that.

Oh really?

Edit: This post is not a criticism of shit-storm, whom I have never seen perform, but of that statement. Please tell me, Pat, what is so great about having no regard for your audience.

[Steve Gradt]

I agree, Maddy, what IS so great about that? Please, Pat Baer...don't put words in our mouths. We absolutely perform for the audience. What in the hell are you talking about!? Maybe we perform for ourselves when we're hanging out at McManus or in Berrebbi's apartment, but when we're on stage, it's all about giving the audience a good show. Well, we have lots of fun and make eachother laugh on stage, so I guess I would say we perform for both ourselves AND the audience, which is something that all groups should be doing.

Louie, thank you for the kind words. We really appreciate your support.

[PatBaer]

Hmm.

I haven't seen a Shit-Storm show I haven't enjoyed. When I watch them, I get the sense they're doing improv together because they want to play together more than anything else... like if there wasn't an audience, the show would be the same.

Maybe it's that confidence. I dunno. Just the way I see it.

[Steve Gradt]

Fair enough. I just got the impression that you though we had a total disregard for the audience, which is not true. We love our audience.

[GoldDustWoman]

Originally Posted by Louie4711

In a typical Shit-Storm show you'll see a lot of the traditional rules of improv being broken, moreso than with other groups I've seen. There's a lot of "argument scenes". There are an unbeleivalbe amount of references to pop culture. Sometimes, the dreaded denial pops up. But, in my opinion none of this matters becuase Shit-Storm always are such a good example of supportive improv.

Briefly, Shit-storm "Yes-ands," forms a group mind, and all of that. Shit-storm's characters are played to the top of their integrity. Their scenes have definite relationships, locations and environments. It wouldn't work if it wasn't good solid improv. It would just be a huge dogpile of cheap TV references, retarded cocksucking robots and poop, which would get pretty old pretty fast, like any unfunny hacky comedy.

Louie is correct. First you learn the rules, then you break them.

That's all I wanted to say.

- m

(And I, a highly educated thirty-six year old woman, got great pleasure from saying "retarded cocksucking robots." This is the kind of behavior that has placed a great strain on my marriage. Shit-Storm!)

[SgtPepperZL]

pardon my ignorance, I know Shit-Storm does Liquid Courage, but are they an official UCB team? if so, then why do they never do Harold Nights? Why do they seem like a seperate entity from UCB teams?

[Chris Griswold]

Because they are not a harold team.

Apparently, they feel there is more than just Harold teams.

Which, is of course, completely insane.

AND DANGEROUS.

[Diana]

Shit-Storm is full of the best sort of surprises. Sometimes they'll do an intensely emotional and grounded scene, sometimes they go way out into the absurd zones of the imagination. But even their absurdity has all sorts of resonance. They play so vividly that I'm drawn into it, whatever it is.

Some of their shows are magical for me, and all of them are fun. I saw them for the first time at the Makeout Party on February 15 and thought they were really funny, and couldn't wait to see them again. The second time, at School Night, I walked out there dazzled. I couldn't believe what I had seen. I was laughing on the subway all the way home. I thought maybe that sensation would go away, but no. It comes back again and again. And in new ways.

Beyond that, who can deny what they've brought to UCB and beyond? They encourage people to get out there and take risks, and they've created events that make this possible. Their flyers are second to none. "Where will you be when the Shit-Storm comes?" cracks me up whenever I see it on my fridge. Yes, these guys may come across as obnoxious sometimes, but that's part of the picture--I can't really imagine a meek, polite Shit-Storm. And my life is better for knowing that there's a Shit-Storm coming!

[shockwave]

Originally Posted by GoldDustWoman

Louie is correct. First you learn the rules, then you break them.

i don't necessarily agree with that but it's a good segway to:

SHIT STORM!

(i knew when i first heard the name of this group and the people in it, this was gonna be trouble...)

[Demblowski]

For me, part of Shit-Storm's mystique is that I don't know who is even in the group. Appel, Berrebbi, Sean Hart...Del Close? I don't know and I don't wanna know!

Keep on truckin!

Signed,
Joe Wingart

[DALY]

Shit storm is crap. No yesanding. Terrible improv.
Embarrassing to watch. Drunks.


Jon Daly

[MattCoats]

Originally Posted by DALY

Shit storm is crap. No yesanding. Terrible improv.
Embarrassing to watch. Drunks.


Jon Daly

That was just those times they let me play with them.

[Chris Griswold]

Originally Posted by DALY

Shit storm is crap. No yesanding. Terrible improv.
Embarrassing to watch. Drunks.


Jon Daly

Thank god someone finally had the balls to post what everyone has been thinking.

[Louie4711]

Originally Posted by PatBaer

Hmm.

I haven't seen a Shit-Storm show I haven't enjoyed. When I watch them, I get the sense they're doing improv together because they want to play together more than anything else... like if there wasn't an audience, the show would be the same.

Maybe it's that confidence. I dunno. Just the way I see it.

I don't think that performing for yourself first and for the audience second ever results in the audience losing out. Shit-Storm is a good example of a group of people doing what they want to do onstage and not making alterations for the sake of their audience. You can tell while watching them that they're artistically satisfied with their work. This aura of satisfaction can be interpreted as confience which makes for exciting improv. And the audience ends up enjoying it. Hooray.

[Maddy]

Originally Posted by Louie4711

I don't think that performing for yourself first and for the audience second ever results in the audience losing out.

I respectfully disagree.

[GoldDustWoman]

Originally Posted by Maddy

I respectfully disagree.

I have to agree with Maddy disagreeing...consciously or not you want to develop a relationship to the audience which is going to be different for different audiences and you are going to tailor your performances, respond to a vibe...And yes, you are going to remain to a huge extent true to yourself, and perhaps that does constitute performing for "yourself." Maybe its more true when you're performing solo, I don't know.

But this is a different discussion. New Thread! New Thread!

[Louie4711]

Originally Posted by Maddy

I respectfully disagree.

Why, Maddy? If you have a style of performance that works for you and you feel in your bones is artistically sound what is stopping you from connecting to an audience? I think the two concepts are more linked than a lot of people realize.

The worst improv that I've seen involves performers who appear bored and empty and are constantly repeating the same worn out tactics over and over again to appease their audience. I personally think that short-form theatersports games fall into this trap a lot more than long-form, although I have seen some wonderful short-form also.