Anirban Dasgupta: Player

Anirban Dasgupta’s "Player" reimagines comedy as a sport. Anirban’s childhood dream was to become a sports person. But instead of MetLife, he ended up at Soho Playhouse. Clearly it didn’t work out.

As he rethinks the rules of adulthood, Anirban asks whether everything, from comedy to parenting, might just be a game. The show unfolds as an immersive stand-up match played with the audience, where each joke is scored and the contest continues until the final punchline. With yellow cards, half-time pep talks, trash talking, and shirt swapping, the audience becomes part of the action, left debating scores and outcomes as the show goes down to the wire.

All sales are final. Refunds and exchanges are offered only when a show is canceled or rescheduled.

Admission Policies

• Patrons must be 18 or older to attend events or classes at the DC Improv. Any exceptions are clearly noted in the event descriptions.
• There is a two-item minimum per customer. This can be any combination of food items or beverages. Bottled water and soft drinks count as items. (The two-item minimum does not apply to comedy classes.)
• Coupons or passes for free admission cannot be used for a show listed as a "special event."

Seating Policies

• Matinees, the first show of any evening in our main showroom and all shows in our lounge showroom are seated by time of arrival. The earlier you arrive, the more options you'll have. Please note that the size of your party can affect what options are available to you, as certain tables and areas are designated for larger parties.
• "Late shows" in the main showroom have assigned seating. Assignments are made in order of ticket purchase. Generally speaking, the earlier you buy tickets, the closer you will be to the stage.
• If tickets are designated as being at a "reserved table," your party will have a table to itself. For general admission or VIP tickets, if your party does not fill an entire table, you may be sharing a table with other patrons.

An Indian who decided to get married at the age of 24 (he really couldn't wait to settle down), Anirban Dasgupta is a Kolkata-based engineer turned comedian who has made a career out of making hasty decisions (becoming a stand-up comedian being another one). He was of the founders of Comedified, one of the first legit comedy groups of Kolkata, and was instrumental in establishing a comedy scene in the sleepy city. With jokes, puns, and sketches based on stories from his personal life, on stage, he likes to talk about his inter-community marriage, corporate life, politics (being Bengali), social media and various current affairs. Earlier in 2018, Anirban released his Amazon Prime Special called 'Take It Easy' jokes about the internet era and his experiences in his hometown, Kolkata. If you see him after a show, offer him something sweet and he might tell you a few extra jokes!