Piscopo's Arm Finds Niche

New Sketch Comedy Group Debuts Smoothly

A low techno beat invites you into the 'Sco you've always known, but this time, as junior Jeff Harvey said when he introduced Oberlin's newest comedy troupe, "the 'Sco doesn't reek of cheap beer and body odor!" Or at least not at that point, for a frosty Colt 45 did come to play a crucial role later in the evening.

But what is this new comedy troupe called Piscapo's Arm? Aren't Primitive Streak and the Sunshine Scouts enough comedy for one college? Well, it turns out, Oberlin does have a gap to be filled in the comedy repertoire, and that is with sketch comedy, which is not to be confused with improv comedy, as they made amply clear in their presentation. The group, co-directed by juniors Jeff Harvey and Keith Friedlander, it is kind of like Oberlin having our own mini "Saturday Night Live."

Not anticipating a large audience for their debut performance on a very ordinary Thursday night, they chose a fairly small venue for their show. Nevertheless, it is admirable that under these conditions, almost every seat in the house was filled.

There were parts of the show that were less successful, but there were several actors whose strength held the show together. Also, some sections of the scripting were stronger than others. But, on the other hand, the good moments shone through so magnificently, you might think they had been doing this for years rather than giving their premiere performance.

The show started off with a sketch about a post-Y2K meeting of some trigger-happy confederates who are a bit disappointed in their leader, "Hal," for making them buy excessive amounts of canned beans in anticipation of the Apocalypse that never occurred. So, of course, the first logical question of the evening is "Whether beer tastes better in a bottle or a can." And the sketch goes on from there. This intro is perhaps a bit lengthy, but the troupe picks up the pace in subsequent sketches.

The energy of this kind of show is a lot different from the improv comedy you might be used to if you frequent the Streak shows at the Cat. It is not as urgent and frantic, which allows you to settle more into the experience and the humor.

Piscopo's Arm provided the audience with not just humor for humor's sake, although there is that, but a lot of social commentary as well. The troupe marches, flirts, spits and shoots its way through a wide range of issues from war and politics, to religion, to popular TV shows, to safe sex, to campus security.

The skit entitled "Who Wants to Win a Million Dollars?" cleverly satirizes the popular TV show and the American public's blind and possibly vicious enthusiasm for it. Then, in "Ms. Teen Christianity," you get to see an exciting chastity belt competition while the officiating evangelist (Friedlander) observes "God's gift" of young female bodies. And Trojan Man appears at various intervals throughout the show to remind potentially amorous couples to always use a prophylactic, whether the advice is wanted or not.

In the middle of the show, there is a small break and then, just as SNL has their musical guests, there is a musical interlude in which sophomore singer/songwriter/guitarist Matthew Aronoff plays one of his recent pieces. The song was well-played and it was nice to have the juxtaposition of different art forms.

At the top of the program, it was indicated that the show is performed "In memory of Jim Varney (6/15/49 - 2/10/00)." (If you have seen any of the "Ernest" movies, like "Ernest Goes to Camp," then you know who Jim Varney is.)

So, after Aronoff's song, Harvey took the time to read his "Ode to Jim Varney," accompanied by some silent bongos played by sophomore Aaron Mucciolo. "He was an important American comedian, so we thought we'd take the time out to give him some tribute," Harvey said.

The show culminated with a hilarious sketch called "Oscar Schmidt, the East German Superhero" in which Oscar Schmidt (sophomore Duncan Gale) saves a little boy (freshman Chunk Tong) from some buff German girls who steal his lunch money and thus deprive him of his beloved sausage. The sketch is puctuated with Mentos-commercial-esque plugs for "Dieble's" beer, and thick German accents abound.

The group is not totally refined, but it is young and just beginning to establish itself. Their performance evidenced enough enthusiasm and talent, as well as internal substance, to warrant that it has definite potential to develop its identity on campus.