Improv makes us laugh, but real comedy aficionados know there’s a lot more structure holding up what seems to be something so marvelously off-the-cuff. Improv comes in many forms — it’s not all Whose Line Is It Anyway?, wham, bam, thank you ma’am — and in the case of Bovine Metropolis players Justin Franzen and Kerstin Caldwell, the more narrative, Chicago-style long-form improv is where it’s at. Their J&K Fun Hour, taking place weekly on Wednesdays at the Mercury Cafe, 2199 California Street, is all about that approach to humor.

“We just like to do what we do; it’s a different kind of comedy,” Franzen says. “And nobody’s really doing the bar-crowd thing, either.” During the informal fun hour, Franzen and Caldwell will give up the stage to a changing roster of independent long-form artists who compete during the first half and then perform themselves during the second half. Admission is $5 at the door; call 303-803-8894 for information.
Wed., Jan. 13; Wednesdays, 2010