Improv luminaries bring Whose Live Anyway? tour to Vancouver

by V. S. Wells on October 10th, 2023 at 2:43 PM

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There are a few moments of the original US run of Whose Line Is It Anyway? that live rent-free in my mind. Ryan Stiles as Carol Channing headbutting the lights on stage. Energetic dance instructor Richard Simmons guest-starring as an eager jetski. A strange, donkey-inflected pronunciation of “hon-KEY tonk!”. The improvised singing challenges that invariably ended with chaos, censorship, or a complete disregard for rhyme and rhythm.

If you want to experience some of that mirth live, great news: the grammatically questionable Whose Live Anyway? tour is coming to Vancouver in January, bringing early-2000s TV to another generation of audiences.

Cast members Ryan Stiles, Greg Proops, Jeff B. Davis, and Joel Murray will be taking over the Queen Elizabeth theatre for one night only on January 18. Sadly, local funny guy Colin Mocherie isn’t part of this troupe—probably too busy with his two-man show with fellow former cast member Chip Sherwood (whose name sounds like it was invented by a rogue Eagleland AI). Tickets go on sale on October 13.

Audience participation is not just suggested but practically mandatory, with improv running off crowd suggestions. There’s also the potential perk—or threat—of being pulled up onstage to interact with the group as they caper through a mix of classic games from the TV show as well as new ones, with musical direction by Bob Derkach.

Sound fun? Yes, and…