Strippers and Shoot-outs: ‘SKETCH’ Showcases Lineup of Comedic Skits

One of the short skits featured in “SKETCH,” “Book Club,” features the unlikely interruption of a literary discussion by a stripper who insists on providing his services. The chaos only escalates with a gorilla suit, the arrival of another stripper, and a shoot-out. Channeling the creative genius of SNL, “SKETCH” is a student-run, written, and directed comedy performance that will feature ten independent skits in the Loeb Ex from March 23 to 25. Since the show’s debut three years ago, “SKETCH” has set itself apart from the more serious shows of its parent organization, the Harvard-Radcliffe Dramatic Club.

As fun as it is for the viewer, the actors equally enjoy performing in “SKETCH.” One of the stars of “Book Club,” Brooke E. Sweeney ’17, said of the show, “It’s just so ridiculous; it’s very kooky.”

In terms of the stage setup, stage director Mona Miao ’20 said, “The Loeb is a perfect space because you can engage with the audience more, as opposed to a traditional stage.” The interactive style will certainly increase the excitement of the show, since the actors have open access to the audience.

“SKETCH” also provided an opportunity for students to write their first comedy skits. John T. Ball ’20 said, “I haven’t done a sketch before or a student-written show before. It was my first chance to write skits.”

While the writers put a lot of time and energy into developing the script, actors often improvised to put their own spin on the scenes. Miao had a unique perspective on the process as a stage director. “Because I’m sitting in on rehearsals, it’s really cool to watch the process come together from the beginning when everyone is auditioning and then when the sketches are being written, to when people are trying the sketches, improvising, and overhauling the script,” she said.