REVIEW: 3Peat @ The Playground Theater

Head Over Heels in Love with 3Peat

Watching a great improv show is like realizing you’re in love with boyfriend/girlfriend for the first time. You get all warm and fuzzy inside. You can’t stop smiling. You burst out into little giggles reminiscing about something they said or did. You’re reminded that there’s beauty in the world and that there are really lovely people out there. It feels so good and so right and nothing can bring you down off that natural high. I’m in love with 3Peat.

I fell in love with 3 Peat about just over a week ago. Love at first opening monologue, you could say. This team has so much love for each other that it manifests itself on stage to the point that I’d be surprised if not everyone was as crazy about them as I am. Not only do they love each and take care of each other on stage, but they have so much fun together and they are all so talented. 3Peat is a like a gift from the improv gods…if improv gods, do indeed, exist.

3Peat is comprised of Nate Sherman, Patrick Rowland, Gary Richardson, Nnamdi Ngwe, John Thibodeaux, and Brianna Baker. The only all African-American improv troupe in Chicago (that I know of). They are brilliant. Gary Richardson got the audience warmed up by asking everyone to get on the chuckle train by giving a few “choo choo’s.” The enthusiasm killed it! They open their show up by asking the audience for any question and then they answer it honestly with a monologue which then turns into a fast-paced montage of scenes. The question asked this night was “What was the most awkward moment you witnessed?” Gary stepped forward and began confessing how when he was 18, living in St. Louis, he was dating a girl and they liked to fool around in cars in public places. However, he had a habit of jizzing in his pants. There were many more hilarious, jaw dropping details to this story, but that’s the important part. I’ll be honest, I had so much fun at this show that I took terrible notes and this review will probably not do it justice, but I’m going to give it my best shot.

After the jizzing in the pants monologue, Brianna and Gary took the stage as a couple who were arguing over whether they were going to have sex or not. John and Nnamdi stepped on stage and as Brianna’s kids, much to Gary’s frustration. John asked for a bottle and Gary’s lickety split response was, “If you can ask for it, you don’t need it. You’re too old for a bottle.” Then he asked if there was jizz on his pants and Gary responded, “You’re asking for a bottle but you know what jizz is?” At that point Gary called time-out. Literally. He called a time-out. He faced the audience and wanted to make sure the show didn’t turn into a rant about him jizzing his pants. Then called time-in and joined the team again. His time-out was so unexpected, it just upped the anticipation for what was in store for the rest of the show.

Next scene took place at a dry cleaners. Gary brought in pants that had a jizz stain on them. John introduced himself as Sue, the Cambodian dry cleaner owner of 20 years. She said that seamen, bile, blood and spit stains are all an extra $5. Then a debate over the differences between bile and shit broke out, with a great one liner, “If you’re healthy, you’re not excreting bile” capping off the scene.

Nnamdi picked up Sue for a date and made a joke about his dark sense of humor which transitioned into Patrick and Brianna as cops on patrol. Nnamdi jumped back in as man who was locked out of his house by lady lover, played by Gary. Naturally, they began a round of appearances on famous talk shows such as Montel, the Steve Harvey show and Judge Greg Mathis.

Like I said, I got so wrapped up in the fun of this show that I doubt this review exemplies even 30% of how great it was. 3Peat has a run at Playground on Friday nights at 10pm and you bet your bottom dollar that I’ll be at as many as I can. 3Peat is officially one of my new favorite teams. Thank you so much for reminding me how great improv can be. Do yourself a favor and get to this show.