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‘Playful, absurdist adventure’: Seasoned improv comedians bring new show to Salmon Arm

David and Ken: Comedy With Music plays at the Shuswap Theatre on Nov. 18 and 19
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David Milchard and Ken Lawson will be bringing their new improv comedy show, David and Ken: Comedy With Music, to Salmon Arm’s Shuswap Theatre on Nov. 18 and 19, 2021. (Contributed)

Ken Lawson and David Milchard are excited about making Salmon Arm laugh.

The professional comedians of 18 years, known for their roles in the improv comedy hit Comic Strippers, are now touring a new show of their own, David and Ken: Comedy With Music. They’re stopping in Salmon Arm for shows on Nov. 18 and 19 at the Shuswap Theatre.

“We can play every different style, from jazz to folk to pop to punk, and improvise songs based on audience suggestions,” said Lawson. “It’s so much fun.”

Lawson and Milchard are very happy to be playing for live audiences again.

“Our careers disappeared on March 13 last year (2020),” said Lawson, referring to the fact that he and Milchard ended up having about a year’s worth of gigs cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, the pair didn’t let that stop them. As one may expect from improv artists, they adapted, and soon began working on their own improv comedy show that incorporated their passion for music.

It began as a way to “save our souls” said Lawson. He and Milchard would meet outdoors during the pandemic to work on songs. That blossomed into them live-streaming improvised comedy and music out of the Havana Theatre in Vancouver.

“If you can do an improv show to a camera and an empty theater, for an hour and a half, you learn how to do improv anywhere,” said Lawson with a laugh.

It proved to be successful, and since they began doing Comedy With Music live at the Havana four months ago, Lawson said its been sold out every weekend.

Lawson noted Salmon Arm is the first city not in the Lower Mainland to see his and David’s new show live. He said they couldn’t have picked a better place because they love the crowd here — they visited as part of the Comic Strippers multiple times.

As much as Lawson loves the crowd in Salmon Arm, he may just like downtown Salmon Arm’s Shuswap Pie Company even more.

“David and I’ve been lucky enough to tour all over North America doing comedy with the Comic Strippers. And it’s literally the best pie place we’ve ever tasted in North America,” he said.

“(Our show is) a playful, absurdist adventure, and it’s really all about feeling joyfully connected. I just guarantee people are gonna be smiling, you know, and it’s going to be very interactive, but in a very comfortable, safe way.”

Tickets are available online at this link. Shows begin at 8 p.m. on Thursday Nov. 18 and Friday Nov. 19.

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Do you have something else we should report on? Email: zachary.roman@saobserver.net
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