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Poor dad. He got sacked from his job at the calendar factory because he took a couple of days off.
Better cheer him up with a trip to the Improv Centre on Father鈥檚 Day, where there鈥檚 no guarantee the one-liners will be that bad.
However, ticket-holders for the 麻豆传媒映画Theatresports League鈥檚 (June 18) are being warned that they鈥檒l be entering an extreme dad-joke zone.
鈥淵ou鈥檒l see a bunch of scenes inspired by dad things, whether it鈥檚 barbecuing everything, or sports,鈥� says Nathan Clark, VTSL鈥檚 associate artistic director.
鈥淭he actual content of the scenes we don鈥檛 know but we鈥檒l use those as springboards to see where it takes us.鈥�
Such are the joys of shows by VTSL, which has been on the go since 1980 (still pre-midlife crisis, then) and based on Granville Island since 2000.
Beyond the scene-setting themes, the shows are completely improvised by the company鈥檚 ensemble and can go almost anywhere. Suggestions are occasionally taken from the audience and props are sometimes used, but most of the entertainment lies in spur-of-the-moment wits from a rotating cast.
That鈥檚 probably a big reason for VTSL鈥檚 longevity. As Clark says, 鈥渘o two shows are the same.鈥�
Clark doesn鈥檛 yet know if he鈥檒l be performing at the SuperDad Show, but it would make sense if he did. As one of the few dads in the company, he鈥檚 supremely qualified.
He may only have a few years of experience, but he says the dad jokes are already coming 鈥渇ast and furious鈥� 鈥� while his kids, aged 7 and 5, seem to have already reached that stage of resigned tolerance.
鈥淚t鈥檚 fun, it鈥檚 liberating in a way鈥� 鈥業鈥檓 sorry, I have the dad badge now, I can鈥檛 help but not,鈥欌�� Clark says with a chuckle.
鈥淚鈥檓 the kind of dad who says things and they can鈥檛 tell if I鈥檓 being serious or not. But now they鈥檙e at the point where they don鈥檛 believe anything I say. That goes for my kids鈥� friends as well. They鈥檙e like, 鈥楧on鈥檛 believe him. Just ignore him and he鈥檒l go away. He鈥檒l get distracted by a baseball game or something.鈥欌��
Fatherhood has changed Clark in other ways, too, giving him a 鈥渄ad filter鈥� at home and at work.
鈥淵ou get a little more aware of content,鈥� he explains. 鈥淵ou鈥檒l be like, ooh I shouldn鈥檛 say that word, there might be kids out there. Or that theme is going to be too far over their heads. And if I see kids in the audience I鈥檒l be like, 鈥極K guys, keep it clean.鈥�
鈥淵ou definitely start to become more hyper-aware of those kinds of ideas when you鈥檙e performing. I never had that filter before, that dad filter.鈥�
That鈥檚 not to say VTSL indulges in gratuitous filth 鈥� just that there are a bunch of consenting, improvising adults on stage and there鈥檚 a small chance the audience will hear the kinds of words dad only uses when the hockey鈥檚 on.
All are welcome for the matinee show, tickets for which include a free glass of beer or wine.
Just be careful you don鈥檛 walk in on the pterodactyl when you go to the washroom. Remember, you won鈥檛 be able to hear him because his 鈥減鈥� is silent.
SuperDad takes place on June 18 at 2pm at the Improv Centre (1502 Duranleau Street). Tickets $20 .听
