Troupes come together for Comedy Prom Night

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Dana Brown

“I’m in a polygamous marriage!” declares one of the characters in a Free Beer sketch.

Sora Yu, Contributing Writer

The Seven NYU comedy troupes Pasadena Golf Club, Free Beer, Dirt Circle, After School Special, Bechdel Test, Home Improvment and Dangerbox came together on April 24 to entertain the student body for Comedy Prom Night at the Kimmel Center for University Life.

The groups presented thought-provoking, modern and historical content in a comical manner. From the consequences of smoking to the absurdities of social media, the improv groups provided material that the audience could identify with through their humorous deliveries. Dirt Circle started the night with some improvisation, keeping the audience engaged by asking for suggestions.

Notable scenes included one from Pasadena Golf Club in which they examined the unfortunate reality and domination of social media in today’s world. As the troupe humorously conveyed, the ubiquity of Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat has made criminals’ illegal activities more difficult to conceal.

The all-female comedy troupe, Bechdel Test, also provided an enjoyable performance. During their set, what started out as a murder mystery party quickly turned into a presentation on infant mortality rates. This witty group mockingly emphasized the United States’ supposed advanced status.

After School Special struck a chord with the audience during one scene during which they joked that even getting a job at the laundromat is selective in today’s world. Getting ahead of the most recent literature, submitting letters of recommendation and going to the right university were all needed for employment, an idea made even more absurd by the super serious candor of the improvisers.

The night ended with a performance by Dangerbox, during which they shut off the lights and created the environment that was necessary for their scene, which heavily focused on brain freezes. Dangerbox played off of this idea and introduced the audience to the inner workings of their minds: one’s brain, one’s brain’s brain and one’s brain’s brain’s brain.

From beginning to end, the show proved to be hilarious and innovative. NYU’s “Comedy Prom Night” was an enjoyable evening, demonstrating that the NYU comedy scene is alive and immensely entertaining.

A version of this article appeared in the Tuesday, April 28 print edition. Email Sora Yu at [email protected].