This month for Improv Corner we are celebrating acts that are performing at the Edinburgh International Improv Festival. The event happens between the 5th-8th of March and has some fantastic acts performing. Today we are speaking to Dadvice Time to find out all about them.

Tell us about:

Can you describe the show you are bringing to Edinburgh Improv Fest:

Matt: DADVICE is a duo act, and I’d describe our set as a TJ and Dave type of show. We tend to spark off a single initial prompt, and then build an entire story and world together.

Ryan: We try to balance absurdity and game with heart and rich relationships. Sometimes it’s a monoscene, but usually we end up introducing a ton of characters, and swapping in and out of them.

Your favourite suggestion you have been given

Matt: I really liked the combination of “craft room” and “frustrated”. Oh, and another time we asked for a location, and ended up using both “swamp” and “moon” in the same story, that was a fun one.

Ryan: My absolute favorite wasn’t a verbal suggestion at all: one time we were doing a scene set in a bank, and an actual huge live spider walked onto the stage. I nearly stepped on it! So we decided to roll with it, and ended up doing a whole spider show.

Your favourite venue to perform at:

Ryan: Matt and I first met through improv classes at the Curious Comedy Theater here in Portland, Oregon. So we play there often.

Matt: We love performing in The Curious Annex out back, it feels like home.

Improv hero:

Ryan: I’m a huge fan of Vic Michaelis from Dropout TV, she’s my fav. And Zach Woods is always great.

Matt: I like TJ Jagodowski, obviously. I also have to mention Andy Daly—he does this bit on Comedy Bang! Bang! where he plays a guy you’d hire to make a party fun, it kills me.

Dream venue to play at:

Matt: Probably Second City Chicago.

Ryan: Or UCB New York.

Describe the feeling you get when you walk on stage to do a show:

Matt: Horror. It’s a little bit like jumping out of a plane without a parachute.

Ryan: Although once I step out, my nerves drop away? It’s all or nothing, and there’s no escape. That feels freeing for me.

Matt: Definitely no escape.

The hardest improv suggestion to perform, and why?

Matt: We once got “Guitar Center,” which was really hard. Generally, large nondescript big box retail stores are pretty tough. It’s better to support local, family-owned small business location prompts.

Ryan: We also struggle when people suggest emotions like “sad,” “confused,” or “unsure”.

Matt: Yeah, those tend to suck out energy and momentum.

Ryan: Plus, we’re usually already confused and unsure on stage anyway.

Essential items you always take with you to a show?

Matt: I always wear a dress shirt.Ryan

Ryan: I never go onstage without my lucky plaid suspender pants, a gift from my great uncle on his deathbed. He was a clown.

Matt: Oh, I didn’t realize you wore those

Ryan: I’m always wearing them underneath. Also, we always take at least one backup pack of rubber chickens.

Matt: If you want to make people laugh, you need to bring the right supplies.

Describe your fans in three words?

Matt: Not our children.

Ryan: They hate dads.

What we can look forward to from you this year:

Matt: You can also look forward to some very boring dad milestones… I’m hoping to get my taxes done on time this year.

Ryan: Yeah, my big plan is to optimize my federal tax deductions, and fix a few fence posts. Oh, also: we figured out what’s wrong with America.

Matt: Right! We should have that fixed by… June? So everyone can look forward to that.

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