Marquette University’s hottest venue on the evening of Feb. 20 was the Fugees’ improv show, “Fly Me to the Benson Boone,” in Marquette Hall 100.
The Valentine’s Day-themed show mixed with Benson Boone references brought everything from improvised dating shows to love advice, keeping the crowd on the edge of their seats, wondering if the next joke would be crude or wholesome.
Before I walked in, I was expecting a small crowd for the gloomy, cold February night. Surprisingly enough, it seemed Marquette students ventured out of their dorms, apartments and houses for an improv comedy show that warmed the soul.
The hour-long show carried energy from beginning to end, with it being broken into eight fast-paced scenes, never leaving the audience bored.
The first scene, called “Dating Game,” roped the audience in with three contrasting contestants, with each character picked based on audience input after being asked for a historical figure, celebrity and fictional character.
The three final contestants were Abraham Lincoln, — played by Calvin Whitney, a sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences — Billie Eilish — played by Maria Valdes, a junior in the College of Engineering — and Flat Stanley — played by Ben Shields, a junior in the College of Communication.
The man looking for love through “Dating Game” was named Dr. Visigoth — played by Carter Empen, a junior in the School of Education — who asked questions about the contestant’s questions, allowing him to quickly find hate for Flat Stanley and love for Billie Eilish.
This was the perfect warm-up act, as the simplicity and comfort of the game show setting allowed the audience to clearly follow jokes and take note of any conflicts between characters. The initial game set up the plot for the remainder of their relationship.
Billie Eilish and Dr. Visigoth’s relationship continues in “Double Date,” displaying interesting dynamics and topics between fellow couple Lucy — played by Sam Woodward, a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences — and Amia — played by Zachary Hanson, a freshman in the College of Communication.
Lucy and Amia were inspired by random audience members’ loved ones after Fugees asked the crowd for descriptions of loved ones and what they are like upon first interaction. This required the Fugees to quickly develop a character with little background, hoping the character’s personality would land.
I expected it to be a simple bingo and scones night for the couples, but I was soon surprised after discovering the double date was set up on Craigslist.
The game exhibited how unpredictable places like Craigslist can be. Billie Eilish received a rug made out of human flesh, prompting her to sing an original improvised song titled “Fleshy Time.” My ribs hurt from laughing at the widely uncomfortable bit.
In a mid-show pick-me-up, the group switched to “Irish Drinking Game,” consisting of a tap-a-foot rhythm song accompanied by “hi-de-ho” lyrics.
In between the “hi-de-ho” lyrics, four members of the group attempted to keep up a rhyme while following the phrase said before them, keeping the crowd engaged as everyone clapped to keep the members on beat while they quickly spit out ridiculous phrases about love.
In a quick transition to a game called “Pick Up Line,” pieces of paper were scattered across the floor, and if a member did not have a line, they had to pick up a piece of paper and deliver it as a pickup line to the other character in the scene.
It started off wholesome, with “You waddle like a penguin, and I like it,” but as the scene progressed, the penguin narrative continued and flirting became hostile. The scene ended with, “Anyone who waddles like that has other objectives, b*tch” leaving the crowd with shocked gasps at the scene’s quick mood change.
Nevertheless, the love returned quickly with “An Educational Lesson from Dr. Love,” which was five boys — Shields, Hanson, Whitney, Mason McCarthy, a sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences, and Woodward.
The group asked the audience questions like “Is love real?” and “How do we pick the next TV show to watch?” and used their one-word answers to form random love advice. Sometimes the answers made sense, but other times they didn’t.
Looping back to the beginning of the show, Billie Eilish and Dr. Visigoth finally tie the knot in “Cutback,” allowing for a dual-timeline scene.
As Billie Eilish and Dr. Visigoth reflected on their relationship, every time a member screamed “cutback,” they had to exit their conversation and reenact the flashback they had been describing, ultimately resulting in the end of their relationship, drawing shock and applause from the audience.
Last but certainly not least, the night ended with a bang, with a scene called “Sex with Me,” requiring every Fugee member to begin the joke with “Sex with me is like *noun shouted from an audience member*.” As a crowd favorite, this is the only game that the Fugees play at every show.
This was by far the best part of the show and elicited the most laughter, presenting an array of crude jokes that parents would never want to hear.
What I expected to be an average college improv show left me with my stomach hurting from laughter as I marked my calendar for their next show.
For further information about upcoming shows, follow the Studio 013 Refugees’ Instagram.
This article was written by MaryKate Stepchuk. She can be reached at [email protected].
