If brunch is a meal between breakfast and lunch, what would you call one between lunch and dinner? Linner? Dunch? Apparently this is the kind of conundrum that can only be solved by musical theatre. Thank Godiva for those kids in Skule.
Yes, it’s time once more for Skule Nite, the Engineering Society’s annual musical comedy. This year’s incarnation traces the fêted Nite down through the ages, and aside from clarifying proper meal-naming procedures in its own special way, it also tackles all the pressing student issues, like obtaining divine intervention in order to pass your exams, and explains the incredible origins of sliced bread.
This year’s version traces Skule Nite’s 86-year history, with some of the scenes supposedly taken from past stagings (they weren’t). The punch lines range from hammy to hilarious, with most of the jokes parodying stars like Tom Cruise and Ellen Degeneres or hinging on the old show biz formula that the dirtiest jokes are the funniest. Most ambitious is the homage to Stomp! using wooden poles, and while ultimately this makes one appreciate how good the professionals really are, it’s hard not to root for Skule’s…”committed” performers.
But the really eye-popping scene is the finale, a full-on, black-lit, fluorescent ninja battle to save the Mighty Skule Canon-Engineering’s mascot-from the clutches of Waterpoo [sic].
The scene is complete with the Power Rangers, Shredder, a guy in long underwear and a pirate’s hat, and possibly the Blue Man Group. Also, something explodes.
As with previous Skule Nites, the success of this year’s rests on the enthusiasm and absurdity of the whole affair, well-established by the time a pothead Jesus makes an appearance to dance Copacabana with a witch in a miniskirt.
You’ll just have to go see for yourself if you want to know where they were going with that one-if you’ve managed to get a ticket by now, that is.
