Things to See: #ImpracticalJokers

I’ve been a fan of Impractical Jokers since I started watching the show a few years ago. The idea of four friends playing good-natured pranks on unsuspecting people is fun, but the real twist is making the group the target of the jokes. And there’s been quite an array of jokes in the eighth season so far, with a ninth series booked, and a film in the works.

So when I heard that Brian ‘Q’ Quinn, Sal Vulcano, James ‘Murr’ Murray and Joe Gatto were going to be hosting a show at the 02, I was in. It was advertised everywhere on the way, including a memorable notice at the nearby North Greenwich station. There were a variety of shirts, but there was one that totally stood out. Before the main act was Steve Bryne, an American comedian who co-created bar based sitcom Sullivan and Son, which ran for three seasons. He delivered some sharp one-liners before an impromptu comical boy band made up of men from the front rows.

But really it was the Jokers who everyone had turned up to see. While I’d known they were all friends from high school, it was wonderful to see just how close they are all. The onscreen chemistry is just as evident on stage, as insults and in-jokes fly between them at rapid pace. As well as that, there were anecdotes on Sal’s trip to Amsterdam, his cameo on TV drama Bones, Murr’s romantic/non-romantic experience with an older fan, a memorable skit involving New York taxis and a near-death experience on a plane. But as Q is my favourite of the group, my highlight was Q dressing up as a stranger and interviewing fans before a show and finding out just what they really thought of him. Amidst the funny answers, it’s clear how much everyone likes him and all the other Jokers.