Although effective, the slap-line was quickly replaced by the punchline in most comedy clubs for its ability to induce laughter without inadvertently provoking duels. Enjoy harmless ha-ha's with today's GrouponLive deal to "The Game Show Show … and Stuff!" at The Mercury Theater. Choose between the following options:
- For $15, you get two general-admission tickets for the show on Friday, October 21, at 11 p.m. (a $30 value).
- For $15, you get two general-admission tickets for the show on Saturday, October 22, at 8 p.m. (a $30 value).
"The Game Show Show … and Stuff!" draws attendees into an idiosyncratic comedy game show built around audience participation and absurdity. Premiered in 2006 by the Strawdog Theatre Company as an experimental method for electing new aldermen, the show pits audience members against one another in trivia challenges and physical contests. A RedEye reporter at an April performance saw contestants answer questions from the U.S. citizenship test and chug a quart of eggnog to take home a $20 cash prize, among other challenges. Host Anderson Lawfer and announcer James Anthony Zoccoli goad guests into maniacal dance-offs while showgirls Nikki Klix and Anne Sheridan Smith showcase their dance acumen to the sounds of live music. Within the intimate 292-capacity Mercury Theater, guests recline in refurbished seating recovered from a 1930s-era Boston movie house and continue the competitive spirit by starting staring contests with the plaster busts that remain from the theater's 1912 opening, or grab drinks from neighboring Cullen's Bar & Grill. The Irish Oak, one of the event's sponsors, offers a free appetizer to Groupon customers who bring in their ticket stub.