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Comic Strippers bring ‘revamped and refreshed’ show to Vancouver Island

March 3 performance at the Port Theatre combines song, dance, and improvised games and sketches
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Ken Lawson, left, Chris Casillan, Roman Danylo and Michael Teigan will bring their revamped and refreshed improv show as the Comic Strippers to Nanaimo’s Port Theatre on March 3. (Submitted photo)

Despite its 19-plus rating, a male stripper parody show coming to Vancouver Island promises to be “innocently” naughty.

Ken Lawson, a member of the Comic Strippers, said that while he and his fellow ‘strippers’ only wear bow ties from the waist up, they provide playful fun that feels “sneaky and a little bit cheeky” without being overly salacious.

The Vancouver-based improvisational comedy troupe has “flaunted what they got” in national and international performances for the past decade that, as Lawson said, “only seems to get better the older we get.”

“It’s a very body-positive show … We are all quite diverse in our appearance and represent a wide range of body types,” he said. “You don’t need to buy into society’s norms of what we’re supposed to look like. Rock whatever you got … let’s have a good time and celebrate that.”

The comic said one of his favourite aspects of doing the shows is the depth of absurdity they allow themselves to go as they test out their “comedic chops” with each other.

And although his onstage ’80s hair-metal character allows him to wear spandex and eyeliner while “jumping around on stage in front of hundreds of people, not knowing exactly what’s going to happen,” Lawson said he never gets nervous before shows.

“Seems like a recipe for a disaster or a nightmare for most people … but for us, we trust each other, we really listen to each other and we make each other look good…” he said. “We go out there and build stories together and dance around like a bunch of fools.”

The Nanaimo show on Friday, March 3, at the Port Theatre is part of the troupe’s revamped and refreshed tour, boasting new dances, songs and games.

Even though the troupe was able to hold some shows last year, Lawson said he sees 2023 as a return to their full-force productions.

“I think people have just been really hungry to not only congregate together but just laugh together … We’ve always had an absolute love and enthusiasm for the show, but it’s like we’ve been re-energized too.”

Tickets for the Port Theatre show can be purchased online at www.porttheatre.com.

The Comic Strippers will also dance around the Tidemark Theatre stage in Campbell River on March 4. Ticket information can be found here.

READ MORE: Live show inspires improv


mandy.moraes@nanaimobulletin.com

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Mandy Moraes

About the Author: Mandy Moraes

I joined Black Press Media in 2020 as a multimedia reporter for the Parksville Qualicum Beach News, and transferred to the News Bulletin in 2022
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