Readers’ pick: DC Improv

Whether you are a comedy connoisseur or just in need of a few laughs to alleviate impending finals week stress, Capital Laughs is the go-to group for comedy in D.C.

Capital Laughs hosts five shows a week, each located at different venues across the D.C. area, including their Saturday Showcase in the heart of Foggy Bottom at Tonic, which offers convenient laughs for the GW community. Capital Laughs’ variety of shows, featuring veteran and rookie comedians from D.C. and around the country, and the shows’ accessibility to GW students makes Capital Laughs the best comedy group in Northwest D.C.

If you are feeling adventurous, Capital Laughs is also the perfect excuse to explore the city and escape Foggy Bottom for an evening. The Monday show takes place in Dupont Circle at the DC Comedy Loft, the Wednesday and Thursday shows take place in Adams Morgan at the Town Tavern and the Friday show is located near U Street at Cafe Saint-Ex.

While many of their shows feature grizzled veterans of the D.C. and national comedy scene, their Monday show, The Comedy Shuffle, introduces the audience to up-and-coming comics, many of whom have only done stand up for a few months or even just weeks.

Here, each rookie comedian is given about five minutes to test out material while a veteran comedian will jump in to save disastrous jokes, offer constructive feedback or occasionally praise the jokes that win the crowd’s laughter. The active dynamic induces engaging riffs between the veteran and the rookies and creates an intimate environment without a fourth wall dividing the comics from the audience.

At the show I attended, I watched as several comics grasped the crowd’s attention, commanding laughter after every joke. But several other comics were met with utter, laugh-less silence, which the veteran comic would then capitalize upon to reinvigorate the crowd through a brief roast session.

Capital Laughs is also a great spot to catch a glimpse of more established comics. Capital Laughs has hosted comics like Jena Friedman, Danny Jolles, Paris Sashay and Franqi French, who’ve been featured on shows like “The Tonight Show,” “Conan” and “The Late Show.”

The tickets are free, and the show at Tonic even offers happy hour deals – $5 tots and $7 nachos, so neither you nor your wallet have to starve. Note that the shows are all 21+ unless otherwise specified and 18+ if accompanied by a parent or guardian for some venues. You can grab tickets at Capital Laugh’s website or on their Eventbrite page.