The end of the week and comic relief are a matchless duo. ComCo, an improv comedy troupe on campus, illustrates this idea better than anyone. Their sense of humor, wit, and unparalleled rapport make them the most sought-after comedy group at Michigan.
I was hooked after their first performance last year and now have a tradition of going with friends to every one of their shows. The timing of their performances (Friday nights after seemingly endless school weeks) are opportune, often attracting more audience members than the Angell Hall auditorium can even accommodate.
Costing less than a soda, ComCo shows are priced at a mere $2.00/person, and their hilarity is priceless. Their performances are comprised of a series of improv games and scenarios which actively engage audience members.
On Friday, they began the night asking for suggestions from the audience for things such as words with a dual meaning, locations, articles of clothing, and food items. The members then interchanged scenes with unbelievable accuracy and rapidity. I was impressed by their ability to remember which scene they were in and with their adeptness at tying in jokes from earlier scenes.
One of the highlights of the night was a scenario where each of the members was given a topic (an idea shouted out from an audience member) for which they then had to act as a radio host for a made-up station. The auditorium went dark and then one of the ComCo members rotated randomly from one member to another, shining a flashlight on someone when it was his/her turn to speak. The members adopted different personas, which left the audience gasping for breath between laughs. I am continually awed by their knack for creating new personalities, voices, and mannerisms.
Another one of my favorite scenes of the evening involved ComCo members answering the prompt to come up with “rejected university ads.” One member stepped forward, saying “We have a student to hot GSI ratio of 3:1,” followed by another claiming we have a very “middle of the pack liberal arts program.” I particularly liked the university-related skits because I found comfort in laughing along with others who share similar U of M experiences and knowledge. Despite how enormous the University of Michigan is, there are still common threads in our experiences as students.
For anyone who has not yet attended a ComCo show (and even for those who have!), I highly recommend going. I am always impressed by the group’s ingenuity, energy, and creativity. They will not disappoint.
