West Hollywood, California (November 26, 2009) - What’s the secret to great on-stage chemistry? 
Landry and Summers Poster. WeHo News. |
According to the improv comedy team of Shaun Landry and Hans Summers, the answer is sex – and lots of it!
In fact, the duo (who’ve been an off-stage couple for over twenty years as well) has named their current show, now playing Saturday nights through Dec. 19 at Second City in Hollywood, “Yes, We Are F**king.”
Their chemistry is just as obvious off-stage as well. In an interview following their opening-night performance, the bubbly Landry – who is frequently mistaken for her friend, “Pine Sol Lady” Diane Amos – and the reserved, serious Summers – who, with his shock of grey hair, looks more like a college professor than an actor and comedian – often finished each other’s thoughts and sentences.
“I always think if people are married and they don’t have good chemistry, ah, get a divorce!” jokes Landry, citing unsuccessful on-screen pairings of Cruise & Kidman and Sean Penn & Madonna. “Ricky and Lucy had absolutely fantastic sex – but then, they did comedy!”
Landry and Summers. Photo by Molly Hawkey.WeHo News. |
“We’ve been together for so long, and improving for so long, twenty-three years,” Summers points out.
“I auditioned for his theatre company [in 1986],” Landry adds. “I trust him implicitly.”
Surely, some of that trust stems from the fact that both are experienced, seasoned performers. Landry is a Second City Chicago Touring Company Alumnus and iO West ensemble player.
She is the founder and Emeritus of the San Francisco Improv Festival, and has appeared in the films “Milk” and “Read You Like A Book” with Danny Glover.
Summers is a graduate of the Second City Training Center and was part of Second City’s Children’s Theatre. Together they co-founded the African-American sketch comedy ensemble Oui Be Negroes.
Landry and Summers. Photo by Molly Hawkey. WeHo News. |
The aptly titled “Yes, We Are F**king” had sex as its theme on opening night.
After beginning with an improvised rap song inspired by suggestions from the audience, the duo leapt into a series of high-energy sketches: a job interview hinges on whether the applicant will “put out,” a long-term couple tries to spice things up with “dirty talk,” two elderly neighbors decide to date, two kids play “show and tell” in their dad’s bomb shelter.
Yet they insist they never plan it that way.
“Improv is never conscious,” says Landry. “You’re just playing, and you’re playing in the moment, so you never really know exactly what the hell is going to come out. As soon as he says something, it’s like, ok, let’s go play with this idea!”
“What comes out of it is the movement. I love this stage. It’s built very much like a classic Second City stage. So, if I’m not on stage, I’m looking to see what Hans is doing to get a general idea. It has wings and doors, it’s very classic Chicago Second City.”
And they’ve played on some very diverse stages – from opening the Avery Schreiber Theatre in Hollywood (with their comedy troupe Oui Be Negroes), to playing the back of a Taco Bell.
Landry. Photo by Maia Rosenfeld. WeHo News. |
“We’ve played all over the country,” says Summers. “We did a couple of comedy shows in San Jose, and we did fine, but you could tell they were real Republicans, real conservative. So we’ve adapted to every audience.”
After their long Bay Area career, they relocated permanently to Los Angeles six months ago. Hans loves Los Angeles. Shaun, not so much.
“I’m a Bay Area/Chicago girl,’ she says. “I like the Bay Area because it’s more diverse in its casting, I think. They will take much more risks.”
“I don’t see much difference,” says Hans.
“I see a lot of difference!” counters Shaun. But ultimately, she is resigned to the reality. “Because we’re comedians and both of us are writers, LA is the place to be because there’s so much extra stuff to do here.
Landry and Summers. Photo by Clay Robeson. WeHo News. |
“It doesn’t matter where you lay your hat, it’s just where you find the people you want to lay your hat with.”
“We love that it’s a 24-hour city,” says Hans.
“I’m getting used to it,” Shaun explains. “I never expected to live here, but here I am and let’s play!”
Performing with Laundry & Summers during their Second City run is the Greene Boozer Elixir (Tom Greene and Sean Michael Boozer).
Performances are Saturdays at 10:30 pm through December 19. Tickets are $10 cash at door, or in advance at www.etix.com. Second City is located at 6560 Hollywood Blvd. in Hollywood.
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