Suspicion and Inebriation Builds at The Annoyance Theater’s 13th  Summer of Suspense – Hitch*Cocktails

Hitch*Cocktails is a 90 minute long-form improvisational show, inspired by the movies of Alfred Hitchcock. It has been running at the Annoyance Theater on. Friday nights at 9:30pm for 13 years. The show is also two parallel drinking games: for every Hitchcockian trope like dramatic screams or slaps, the audience takes a drink. For the actors, on on-stage bartender whips up concoctions and the actors have to drink every cup they are given, in it’s entirety, before they can leave the stage. The combination leads to delightfully unhinged performances, if a nearly completely non-sensical story of murder.

As with most improv, the night begins with a suggestion from the audience.  The cast asks for a unique phobia; in this case it was cotton balls, and build the show off the phobia. Unlike the more common short form improv styles, that is where the audience’s participation ends. The rest of the show is built by the actors in real time, with twists, turns, and good-natured confusion. Audience members are given the option of buying the drinks the actors are having on stage, which can add another level of horror and suspense, one of the drinks on the night I attended was vodka with chocolate milk.

Even if you’re not a Hitchcock fan, his movies are so foundational to American pop culture that the tropes will be recognizable. Though some familiarity might make the show even more fun, because the actors will drop easter eggs and borrow story elements from the films throughout the show. As always with improv, part of the fun of this experience is that everyone on stage is clearly having a great time: funny people making each other laugh is its own YouTube genre for a reason. Music Director Karen Sanvoss also plays the piano soundtrack live, which adds another layer of charm, and a reminder that no night is ever like another.

Our show was named “COTTon a nightmare”. While rival fabric companies are maneuvering (illegally) for dominance. One employee goes rogue and starts murdering people and stuffing them with cotton balls, because he doesn’t like to be referred to as “soft.” That sentence makes it seems as though this were planned out or even followed a logical story line in real time, but rest assured, it does not. The night included dead, desiccated family members a la Psycho, a ghost cat, a ghost Italian, death by stabbing and by silkworm, a truncated romance between titans of industry, the “discovery” of the internet, a rousing call against sexism in the workplace and the invention of “quadrilyester” which is polyester, quadrupled (of course). It was raucus, silly and endlessly entertaining.

The Annoyance Theater itself is a welcoming, accessible place. Chicago is no stranger to the price increase in literally everything, but at the Annoyance, the drinks run about $10. On Friday and Saturday nights there are also a few warm snacks like hot dogs, mozzarella and popcorn for equally affordable prices, and the Staff are exceptionally kind. Getting there a bit early is worth it. The Saturday program begins at 7, making comedy something early birds can partake in and still get to bed on time. They really do think of everyone at the Annoyance.

Recommended

Reviewed by Alina C. Hevia

HITCH*COCKTAILS SUMMER OF SUSPENSE runs Fridays July 3 – 31 at 9:30PM, and Saturdays July 11 – Aug. 1 at 7PM. HITCH*COCKTAILS regularly runs every Friday at 9:30 PM at The Annoyance Theatre &Bar (851 W Belmont Ave, Chicago). Tickets are available at theannoyance.com.

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com.