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  • Summary

  • Hosts Cole Stratton and Janet Varney join four guest improvisers to create this show in total darkness in front of a live audience at a comedy club in California. The characters and the conflicts are all based upon the one-word suggestions from the people in the room and are enhanced with music and sound effects. Episodes feature a unicorn who plays board games, a talking dog that saves the day, and a boy who escapes from a bubble to pursue his passion for coin collecting.

    Janet Varney is an Emmy-Nominated actor, comedian, writer and producer. She played the award-winning voice of Korra on the Nickelodeon hit The Legend of Korra. She co-stars on the IFC show, Stan Against Evil and the FXX comedy You're The Worst. She was the host of the beloved TBS show Dinner and a Movie and was a regular on the series Burning Love.

    Cole Stratton is an actor, improviser and writer based in Los Angeles. You may have seen him on the TV shows, American Horror Story, Nash Bridges, and Good Girls. He writes and performs comedic commentary for films on RiffTrax.com, an online venture helmed by the creators of Mystery Science Theater 3000.

    Episode Listing:

    "Pancakes" - Featuring guest improvisers Phil LaMarr, Stephanie Courtney, Gary Anthony Williams and Tawny Newsome. Recorded live at the Westside Comedy Theater.

    "Bobcat" - Featuring guest improvisers John Michael Higgins, Tawny Newsome, Oscar Nunez and Gary Anthony Williams. Recorded live at the Westside Comedy Theater.

    "Women's Rights" - Featuring guest improvisers Scott Adsit, Lucy Davis, John Ross Bowie and Gary Anthony Williams. Recorded live at the Gateway Theatre.

    "Unicorn" - Featuring guest improvisers Phil LaMarr, Stephanie Courtney, Gary Anthony Williams and Tawny Newsome. Recorded live at the Westside Comedy Theater.

    "Nickel" - Featuring guest improvisers Tawny Newsome, Seth Morris, Brian Huskey and Edi Patterson. Recorded live at the Westside Comedy Theater.

    "Fountain" - Featuring guest improvisers Phil LaMarr, Stephanie Courtney, Gary Anthony Williams and Tawny Newsome. Recorded live at the Westside Comedy Theater.

    "Brisket" - Featuring guest improvisers John Michael Higgins, Tawny Newsome, Oscar Nunez and Gary Anthony Williams. Recorded live at the Westside Comedy Theater.

    "Lawn" - Featuring guest improvisers Scott Adsit, Lucy Davis, John Ross Bowie and Gary Anthony Williams. Recorded live at the Gateway Theatre.

    When you add The Bat to your library, you'll get all 8 episodes, each with a runtime of about 18 minutes.
    ©2018 Audible Originals, LLC (P)2018 Audible Originals, LLC
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Episodes

  • "Pancakes"
    Nov 28 2018

    [Contains explicit content] Featuring guest improvisers Phil LaMarr, Stephanie Courtney, Gary Anthony Williams and Tawny Newsome. Recorded live at the Westside Comedy Theater.
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    16 mins
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  • "Bobcat"
    Nov 28 2018

    [Contains explicit content] Featuring guest improvisers John Michael Higgins, Tawny Newsome, Oscar Nunez and Gary Anthony Williams. Recorded live at the Westside Comedy Theater.
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    14 mins
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  • "Women's Rights"
    Nov 28 2018

    [Contains explicit content] Featuring guest improvisers Scott Adsit, Lucy Davis, John Ross Bowie and Gary Anthony Williams. Recorded live at the Gateway Theatre.
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    19 mins
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Anthologies Humorous
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What listeners say about The Bat

Average customer ratings
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    2 out of 5 stars
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Profile Image for Simon

It Took Just One Episode . . .

. . . to tell me I didn't want to listen to any more. It took a second to remind me that sometimes you can rely on first impressions. While I'm not the brightest bulb in the firmament I didn't need a third.

In a way an improv show performed in the dark is an interesting idea and the actors do keep the momentum up quite impressively but, it just isn't funny.

22 people found this helpful

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    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Theodora Clark

Very American

So American. “OH MY GOD” in Janice’s voice from friends pretty much sums up the comedic value of this audio programme. I was very disappointed in the comedy and even more so in the delivery.
A narrative is hard to accomplish in improvisation, and it took less that 10 minutes for me to realise this wasn’t my type of comedy.
No wit. Few puns. Much disappointment

10 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Sarah T

Funny and worth it!

I find audio comedies a bit hard to listen to sometimes, I know they're supposed to be funny but they occasionally don't hit the mark, especially improv. This is different. there are some very skilled performers in this show and there were some laugh out loud moments. really r commend, it's one of the better ones.

a particular fave from the pancake episode when I don't my tea out when someone said "so, do we actually get our pancake?" - brilliant and imaginative and works really well in audio.

Well done all on a well devised and entertaining show.

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    2 out of 5 stars
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Profile Image for Paul Devereux

Too 'American' for me

Sorry, I'm sure Americans love this but I find it difficult to understand. This is because I am from the UK.

1 person found this helpful

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  • Ryan D. Klint
  • 07-12-20

Noice

The full essence of the actors is hilarious and I laughed almost every time I herd a joke.

1 person found this helpful

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    1 out of 5 stars
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Profile Image for Andy
  • Andy
  • 03-12-21

I didn't like it at all and wasn't funny at all.

I didn't like it at all and it wasn't funny at all. . .

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Yuki A.
  • Yuki A.
  • 08-11-20

Thank God it was FREE and SHORT

I've heard some funny improvs but this was not one of them. Took a chance on it because it was rated 4.7 stars but I should have gotten a clue when ZERO people actually wrote something about it. I only listened to "Pancakes" but my headline says it all - Thank God it was free and short!