Week One of Sketch22 In The Books!

We did it!  We opened another season of Sketch22, complete with all-new material.  Two shows into the run, and I'm pretty pumped about the show.
Thursday's premiere performance was very well attended by many super-friends, super-family, and super-fans of Sketch.  Not sure of an exact number, but I'd guess about 110 people?  It was a very supportive, friendly audience.  The kind of familiar audience that applauds our efforts even when the lights come down to begin the show.  Lots of big laughs, lots of big love from the audience all night long ensured that our very first public performance of the new show was totally positive and wonderful.
That first show was pretty darn smooth, especially compared to the dress rehearsal the night before.  A couple of the sketches were a bit raw, and our nerves sometimes got in our way, but overall, I'd have to call our opening show a resounding success.  I'm always suspicious of standing ovations, but appreciated the one we got opening night.
Friday night, we were all concerned about the Second Show Letdown.  It seems for every production, the second show is usually a less than remarkable show.  That's because the cast and crew, after a relatively successful opening night, now know the show "works" and it's natural to relax a bit.  Energy can drag a bit and the show can be a bit lazy.  Plus, our second night crowd was (expectedly) smaller than first night, coming in at about 60 people perhaps?  A different energy from this crowd, too.  Not nearly as familiar to us as the opening night crowd, and we had the feeling we'd really have to earn any laughs we got on this night.  We started the show pretty strong, and the audience was with us.  The latter half of the first act started to dip a bit, energy-wise, but the second act seemed pretty strong. 
Friday night had lots of huge laughs, lots of "oh my god, I can't believe what I'm seeing/hearing" laughter, plus a couple of sketches that bewildered a bit more than brought out laughter.

I think my favourite sketch to perform is going to be Tammies Come Home, which features Dennis Trainor and me playing "Tammies" coming home after a night on the town. Whether for good or bad, it was the sketch we had rehearsed the least, because of many reasons.  So, really, opening night was the first time we performed it with any sort of conviction.  It was also the first time we were able to perform it using a prop which is integral to how the sketch ends, and as such, caused a bit of "in the moment" improvising from us as we learned how to deal with this prop.  The result was pretty fun.

Anyway, hearing lots of great things about the show from people who've seen it. Haven't heard any criticisms from people, but there are undoubtedly lots of those out there too.  Like previous seasons, I think we have a number of sketches that will be both loved and hated by people in the audience.  And, like last year, we have enough variety in sketches that everyone who comes will have a number of sketches that they'll really enjoy.

Apparently on Friday night we had an elderly couple walk out on the show.  Whether they left because of content and had had enough, or because they just had to leave, I don't know.  But, with their exit, I guess Sketch22 Season 4 became official.

Wonder what next week will bring?