Stage Fight

The phrase “cage match” conjures up images of spurting blood, ripping flesh, and thugs pounding each other inside of a steel trap. Not exactly a gentleman’s sport.

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At the Torch Theatre’s Cage Match series, however, raging fists are replaced by clever quips and verbal barbs. Each week, two teams take to the stage for a night of long-form improvisational comedy (i.e. the troupe acts out whole scenes instead of short exchanges), with the audience selecting the winner via secret ballot. The victors then defend their title against a new challenger the following week.

Unlike other improv shows, this one’s not always about laughs. According to Torch Theatre instructor Sam Haldiman, many of the 25-minute performances end up being dramatic. “People expect it to be funny because of the stigma of improv as comedy,” he says. “But this is more about being invested and entertained.”

The current champions will take on one-man act S3 on Saturday, July 9.
Saturdays, 10:30 p.m., 2011