Ben Higgins’ season of “The Bachelor” is just weeks away, and ABC already has released the roster of potential wives. Their bios include occupations like “chicken enthusiast” and “twin,” reminding viewers everywhere that you don’t watch this show for true love. You watch it for the complete cluster-fuck comedy gold, which is why it makes sense that someone decided to curate all the hot-mess bits to create a “Bachelor”-inspired improv comedy show.
Co-directors Erin Diehl, a RedEye 2014 Big Idea Awards winner, and Allie Keller have forged “Will You Accept This Rose,” playing at Under the Gun Theater
More Top Picks Best Garmin Watches For Running
, in Lakeview, Sunday nights at 9 p.m. in November and December. Christina Harrison, played by Diehl, is a dimples-obsessed parody of the real “Bachelor” boss Chris Harrison, capitalizing on his penchant for calling things “shocking” or “the most dramatic ever.”The show plays off the typical format of all “Bachelor” seasons, not just Ben H.’s shenanigans. Before things get started, audience members are asked to write down the craziest date they’ve ever been on. Then, Christina Harrison selects a, generally, male member of the audience to talk a little bit about himself, and the show’s bachelor (Gabe Curuso) will act out his “journey of love” based on the audience member’s story.
On his love quest, the bachelor is faced with women of varying degrees of crazy—a nanny who makes spanking jokes, a prison inmate, a socially awkward documentarian, etc. After they introduce themselves, the bachelor and the ladies embark on dates, read from the audience’s worst-date submissions.
Unfortunately, during the show I attended, some of the date stories were just not that crazy. Perhaps if Diehl and her crew asked the show-goers to write down dates they would find totally nightmarish, they’d get better responses.
But each performer does have a pretty good bit, and the structure of the show is helped by the “Bachelor” cliché of women, always swooping in to interrupt another woman’s time, saying things like “Can I steal him?” Like the small-screen show, there are rose ceremonies and fantasy suites, playing up both the ridiculousness and the awkwardness of reality TV.
The improv show’s major flaw comes toward the end of the show, when the characters’ jokes become played out and the performers have less and less new material to bounce off one another. Still, a couple rounds of whatever you’re drinking, any working knowledge of “The Bachelor” franchise and this hour of comedy will get you in the mood for the show’s January return. It’ll probably be the most shocking season yet.
Rating: 2.5 (out of 4) stars
Hurry! You only have one more opportunity to see “Will You Accept This Rose.” The last performance is this Sunday, Dec. 20 at 9 p.m. Buy tickets here.