2008 Woodie Awards
Let's talk about SEX! Baby
Cody Boland
Issue date: 4/23/08 Section: The Edge
Comedy took a serious turn with "Sex Signals," an improvisation-based performance by Kyle Kenny and Amber Kelly in the Heritage Room at the University Union on April 16.
After a quick introduction, Kyle and Amber launched into a scene at a bar, periodically stopping the show to give the side of the male trying to get lucky or the girl who is uninterested in the advances. The improv was supplemented with audience participation. The comedians asked what kind of pick-up lines to use or how a girl can say no to a guy without being rude.
After the first scene, the performers took time to talk about stereotypes with the audience. They highlighted double standards between the sexes. Kyle discussed how men are supposed to be confident and aggressive, while Amber focused on the girls, who are expected to be docile and innocent.
"We're virgins, every time," Amber quipped.
With the subject matter being adult, the performers were not afraid to swear or use blunt euphemisms to describe sex and the parts involved.
As the show progressed, the sketches seemed to get sillier and more over-the-top. While telling the audience that he was playing a sensitive guy, Kyle had Amber play Jessica Alba trapped in a meat locker. The intention of this part of the show was simply to get the audience laughing before a bombshell was dropped.
After Amber had Kyle begin a scene with "I did not rape that girl," a veritable chill fell over the audience. While sex was the topic from the beginning, with laughter after nearly every line, the subject of rape brought the show from wacky to serious instantly.
What followed was a long scene with Kyle explaining a sexual situation that he did not consider rape, but the woman he was involved with did. By running the audience through a series of events that culminated in rape, the crowd was forced to confront that unwanted sex most often occurs with an acquaintance. Back alley assaults are the rarity, not the norm.
The performers took this time period to explain the dangers of college rape and described campus services that are available for rape victims.
Although the crowd interaction was loosely based on improvisation, the show was largely structured, meant to simulate in a broad sense what a night ending in rape could feel like. Everything started fun, but when misinterpreted sex signals got involved, it went from amusing to deadly serious quickly.
The show was meant to have a large amount of crowd interaction, but the Western students in attendance were at times uncomfortably quiet when asked to participate. This raises the question of whether the show had the intended effect.
"I think some people got it," audience member Michelle Langhout said, "but it takes awhile to break through preconceived ideas."
After a quick introduction, Kyle and Amber launched into a scene at a bar, periodically stopping the show to give the side of the male trying to get lucky or the girl who is uninterested in the advances. The improv was supplemented with audience participation. The comedians asked what kind of pick-up lines to use or how a girl can say no to a guy without being rude.
After the first scene, the performers took time to talk about stereotypes with the audience. They highlighted double standards between the sexes. Kyle discussed how men are supposed to be confident and aggressive, while Amber focused on the girls, who are expected to be docile and innocent.
"We're virgins, every time," Amber quipped.
With the subject matter being adult, the performers were not afraid to swear or use blunt euphemisms to describe sex and the parts involved.
As the show progressed, the sketches seemed to get sillier and more over-the-top. While telling the audience that he was playing a sensitive guy, Kyle had Amber play Jessica Alba trapped in a meat locker. The intention of this part of the show was simply to get the audience laughing before a bombshell was dropped.
After Amber had Kyle begin a scene with "I did not rape that girl," a veritable chill fell over the audience. While sex was the topic from the beginning, with laughter after nearly every line, the subject of rape brought the show from wacky to serious instantly.
What followed was a long scene with Kyle explaining a sexual situation that he did not consider rape, but the woman he was involved with did. By running the audience through a series of events that culminated in rape, the crowd was forced to confront that unwanted sex most often occurs with an acquaintance. Back alley assaults are the rarity, not the norm.
The performers took this time period to explain the dangers of college rape and described campus services that are available for rape victims.
Although the crowd interaction was loosely based on improvisation, the show was largely structured, meant to simulate in a broad sense what a night ending in rape could feel like. Everything started fun, but when misinterpreted sex signals got involved, it went from amusing to deadly serious quickly.
The show was meant to have a large amount of crowd interaction, but the Western students in attendance were at times uncomfortably quiet when asked to participate. This raises the question of whether the show had the intended effect.
"I think some people got it," audience member Michelle Langhout said, "but it takes awhile to break through preconceived ideas."
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