Sometimes we’ll improvise a scene in rehearsal that I wish we hadn’t. Not because it’s bad - actually, quite the opposite. The ethereal nature of improv comedy makes sure that scenes disappear as quickly as they’re concocted - that’s a rule that applies to both genius scenes and the god-awful ones that leave you scratching your head.
Last night in rehearsal, Brendan, Victoria, and DJ were in a scene about a prisoner that was up for parole. For some reason, when asked for his name, Brendan replied “Marvis Bickford.” And there was the scene. We couldn’t get over the ridiculousness of the name. So when it came to naming this week’s show, I assumed this mangled moniker was some bizarre offshoot of Taxi Driver’s Travis Bickle. Whether that’s what led Brendan to name himself ‘Marvis’ or not, now he has an antihero alter-ego.
