Bring Me The Head of Del Close
Is Del Close the Piltdown Man of comedy?
Gaper's Block and the Trib have been discussing whether the skull that enjoys a place of respect in the office of Goodman Theater artistic director Robert Falls is really that of Chicago improv legend Del Close, who supposedly willed his cranium to the theater to be used as a prop in Hamlet.
Loyola University paleopathologists have examined it and said "eh."
Friends also tend to think it isn't really Close's skull, but love the spirit behind the darkly eccentric gesture.
If you happen to be in New York City tomorrow you can ask Close's longtime I.O. partner, Charna Halpern, who we saw last night at the Chicago Short Comedy Video and Film Festival. Our Big Poppa The Apiary tells us she'll be at the UCB Theater Saturday afternoon to sign copies of her new book.
Also, of course, the Del Close Marathon is kicking off today at the UCB Theater in New York.
