<s a night full of laughter and Carleton traditions when Second City brought its comedy troupe to campus last Saturday. The Chicago-based group of five comedians delighted the packed audience with its improvised comedy show that ended up featuring just as many Carleton jokes as Second City ones.
The show’s success was largely due to high enthusiasm from Carleton students. The sketch comedies relied lightly on student participation, which included a musical number starring a cleaning lady and a despaired Polish couple.
In a charades-style sketch, Carleton students gave half the troupe words to act out for the other half of the troupe to guess. This proved a difficult task for the comedians, as, in true Carleton form, students chose the words “splendiferous,” “arugula,” and “metastasize.”
Carleton’s inner geek emerged in a later sketch that scored many laughs from the audience. It required the actors to randomly insert phrases from famous films as suggested by students. When one student referenced the Lord of the Rings, a Second City member exclaimed, “nerd alert!”
The sketch that perhaps gained the most cheer from students included a reference to Carleton’s famous Ebony dance tradition. This sketch required two student volunteers to move Second City members about the stage, having them act out an Ebony crawl.
The performance was interrupted several times by Carleton traditions, including the appearance of Carleton’s beloved Schiller. This prompted a few seconds of stunned silence before several students rushed the stage, to the matched surprise of the performers. The show was later interrupted by a group of streakers.
The evening ended with a sketch involving the collaboration of both Second City members and Cujokra members. Earlier that day, Cujokra members had the opportunity to participate in a workshop conducted by two members of the Second City cast.
“It was awesome,” Caroline Kryder, ‘14 gushed. “We talked a lot about how to use improv to generate sketches. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Students thoroughly enjoyed the show and applauded effusively after the last sketch.
“I was very impressed with the quality,” said Caffi Meyer, ‘15 said. “It was a really nice way to start the evening. I hope they come back again.”
Interrupted several times by Carleton traditions, including the appearance of Carleton’s beloved Schiller. This prompted a few seconds of stunned silence before several students rushed the stage, to the matched surprise of the performers. The show was later interrupted by a group of streakers.
The evening ended with a sketch involving the collaboration of both Second City members and Cujokra members. Earlier that day, Cujokra members had the opportunity to participate in a workshop conducted by two members of the Second City cast. “It was awesome!” Caroline Kryder, ‘14 gushed. “We talked a lot about how to use improv to generate sketches. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity.”
Students thoroughly enjoyed the show and applauded effusively after the last sketch. “I was very impressed with the quality!” Caffi Meyer, ‘15 said enthusiastically. “It was a really nice way to start the evening. I hope they come back again.”