After reading the previous review, I thought I should offer up my own two cents. Yes, it's true that sometimes the shows aren't funny and that if you're looking for slapstick, "skits" and one-liners all night long, you too might be disappointed with the shows put on by BATS Improv. Because BATS does theatre, not standup. I've been to a bunch of their shows, and you can pretty much tell from the show description whether the content will be comic, dramatic, or some of each. But it's ALWAYS compelling and entertaining. I do agree (with the previous reviewer) that the cast is extremely creative and talented, and that's why I like their shows, whether or not the content makes me laugh. Because they tell great STORIES. I've laughed LOTS at their shows (mostly during the musicals and during the Theatresports matches), but some of the shows are indeed more serious, and that's when I'm even more impressed, because it's easy to go for the cheap laugh -- it's much more difficult to tell a great story, and this is where the BATS actors really prove their decades of experience vs. the other improv troupes around the Bay Area. I think they're fantastic, but I would definitely recommend that visitors read the show descriptions before purchasing tickets so you know what to expect going in.
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