THE
BEST OF THE BEST SKETCH FEST 2004
3RD
FLOOR, MEAT PASS SKETCH FEST HUMOR TEST
Tuesday, July 21, 2004
Holly Johnson - Special To The
Oregonian
Rule No. 1 in performing sketch comedy: Don't dink
around. Rule No. 2: If you do, it'd better mean something.
The Best of the Best Sketch Fest, in its second year and
hosted by Portland's The 3rd Floor comedy troupe, presented
nine groups (including themselves) last weekend who heeded
the rules. Although sketch comedy can flirt with improv,
it's scripted material crying out for sharp timing,
interesting and timely subject matter and strong
characterizations.
During the marathon event Friday and Saturday night, some
hit the mark, and some didn't. But topics from Wild West
spoofs to the perils of plastic surgery, and from Satanism
to Boy Scout misadventures, abounded as groups from
Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Seattle and
Portland staged hourlong performances.
The out-of-town group that shone the brightest was MEAT,
four young women based in New York City, whose material was
fresh, juicy and brilliantly acted. Proving that sketch
comedy at its best is an important arena for trained actors
and serious performers, the group's collective credits
include classical theater studies in London, featured comic
on "Good Morning America," writer/performer for the
National Lampoon Show, work with Comedy Central, plus film
and television acting. Livia Scott, formerly from Portland,
morphs into a screeching, aged film critic, who would
rather stay home and watch "Ben-Hur" than cover "A
Cinderella Story," which she loathes. Women in a New York
beauty spa turn into lobsters, as the world plunges into
global warming.
Kasper Hauser of San Francisco, which includes identical
twins James and John Reichmuth, see the human condition as
delicate and skewed, and like Troop!, another erudite
California ensemble returning this year, they veer toward
the intellectual and surreal.
Chicago's zesty musical troupe the Cupid Players brought
strong material, spoofing the musical comedy genre. One
actor sang a plaintive duet with his hand, with whom he's
had a falling-out.
The 10 actors in The 3rd Floor performed last, and their
skits shone. With generous use of video, music, costuming,
sound effects and lighting, the home group mixed the
surreal, the fantastical, the satirical and sheer silliness
into one hilarious hour. Kevin-Michael Moore's arch,
speechifying rendition of President Truman was a highlight,
as was Andrew Harris' mystical unicorn in search of a
virgin.