A ridiculous group of fictitious, middle-aged male strippers will be putting on a semi-sexy, but extremely hilarious show at The ACT in Maple Ridge.
The Comic Strippers is an unscripted improv show where the audience participates with suggestions and the comedians go with the flow.
There is no extreme nudity, the group notes, just extreme hilarity.
Canadian comedian Roman Danylo started the show in 2011 and it began touring in 2014. The group has come to Maple Ridge more than 10 times over the past decade.
Danylo described the show as high energy improv comedy with dancing in between the scenes. He also described it as an untrained circus act.
"It just keeps going strong", said Danylo. "I've never done a show that gets this kind of reaction," he added.
As soon as the show starts, the audience is immediately in on what is happening on stage. It's almost like they are playing a character in the production too, said Danylo.
"We're playing fake male stripper characters, and in some ways the audience are playing like, almost like a fake crazy audience that would go to strippers," he laughed.
This years show will feature new dance numbers, different improv games, and a lot more "arm dancing".
"Because our knees are getting sore," he chuckled. "When we started this we were all in our mid-40s and now we are in our mid-50s. You've got to pace yourself," he laughed.
There will also be shower scenes in the show as well – to stay hydrated, explained Danylo.
Danylo's favourite part in the show are the mistakes.
When ever a fellow improviser slips up and says a word not quite right, or a game goes off the rails, or one of the comedians starts dancing ridiculously and "finds themselves up against the curtain at the side of the stage trying to be sexy", that's when comedy gold happens.
"We will often start laughing on stage," Danylo said.
However, they know that if they are having a good time, then the audience is as well.
And, when they don't know what's going to happen next or in what direction they are going with a scene, the audience feeds off that energy as well.
"When they feel that energy that things are getting crazy, and everybody knows it, and everybody probably is going we have no idea what is going to happen next, that's when it's really exciting," he said.
The Comic Strippers is coming to The ACT in Maple Ridge, 11944 Haney Place, at 8 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 17.
Tickets are $49 plus fees and the show runs about 120 minutes with a 20 minute intermission.
There is special pricing for groups of six or more.
To purchase tickets call 604-476-2787 or go to: https://theactmapleridge.org/comic-strippers.