What’s a little self-isolation among The Sketchersons?
No biggie, it would seem. The hit sketch comedy troupe is not letting physical distancing deter their weekly show. Instead, they are bringing their homegrown crowd-favourite Sunday Night Live to living rooms everywhere via Facebook Live. “We must continue on!” insists Tom Hearn, who produces and performs in the show.
Normally based out of The Comedy Bar in downtown Toronto, The Sketchersons have been writing and performing weekly sketch comedy revues for 16 years. Each week, their signature show Sunday Night Live (SuNL), modeled after the veteran Saturday Night Live (NBC), delivers freshly written material, complete with a topical news segment, a celebrity host, and even a live band. This Sunday April 12, they will present their “Best of The Sketchersons” show on The National Arts Centre’s acclaimed #CanadaPerforms series, which is designed to raise funds to benefit Canadian artists. Two further shows have also been planned for streaming on April 19, hosted by Andrew Johnston, and April 26.
In Hearn’s mind, the only thing about the troupe that isolation and social distancing have changed is that the performers are not physically together. They still meet on Thursdays (now via Zoom) to pitch sketches. They still rehearse the sketches on Sundays (though in smaller groups). And they still collaborate with head writers Colin Sharpe and Emily Richardson and other castmates on how to punch up the writing and execute sketches effectively in this new virtual format. Continuing to write, create, and keep busy with projects keeps Hearn centered, a feeling that his fellow Sketchersons share. And continuing to write and perform in this show has given him a schedule to follow, which is “key” during this COVID-19 time.
While Zoom has enabled the troupe to continue, Hearns singles out a major deficiency: the inability to “HUG EACH OTHER”. And this leads to a question. How does sketch comedy, which by its nature depends on interaction with fellow performers (not to mention a live audience), still manage to be funny without that crucial “live” ingredient? “This took some trial and error,” admits Emily Richardson. “We’ve learned that shorter sketches definitely work better. Without laughter from an audience to build momentum as the sketch goes on, longer bits tend to drag and lose steam.” As for performer energy, she doubts that will ever be a problem. Castmate Aba Amuquandoh concurs. One thing that initially surprised her was how the actors were still able to “feed off of each other” in terms of their physical performance. “Some of our best moments as a troupe happen because we are listening and reciprocating each other’s energy when we perform our sketches.” She assumed that might be lost due to the lack of contact; however, in rehearsals and during the show (when the livestream permitted), the troupe have been able to “riff and feed off of each other” : “We found ways to work around the limitations of our Zoom broadcasting, and added small movements and choreography that gave our sketches life that I assumed virtual broadcasting would have robbed us of.” Richardson adds that the performers are all “big hams” who feed off each other’s performances: “Even before the virtual shows, we hang out on Zoom, have drinks, and crack each other up. We’re all genuinely having a fun time.”
Hearn does concede that there are definitely some sketches that the troupe cannot pull off right now. “But that just means we get to turn our focus to different genres or styles of sketches. For instance, we are now featuring some pre-recorded video sketches.” In terms of this Sunday’s “Best of” show, Richardson explains that they have selected sketches by answering the simple question “What’s funniest?” – while also considering which sketches will work best online: “Again, the shorter the sketch, the better. Quick and big! Sketches with heavy tech and sound cues won’t work because of delays. Sketches with a ton of people can feel overwhelming and confusing online, so we picked those sparingly.” And, as always, the Sketchersons have focussed on variety: “We don’t wanna give you a bunch of grounded relationship sketches. We wanna give you a relationship sketch followed by a wacky office sketch, a blackout, a big character piece, a relatable dating sketch, a loud sketch, softer sketch etc. That’s the trick to building a show. Variety and flow. If every sketch was some idiot in a wig doing a goofy voice, the audience would turn on us. That being said,” Richardson grins, ”we truly love idiots in wigs doing goofy voices.”
Over its 16 years, The Sketchersons Present: Sunday Night Live has amassed a loyal following. And although the troupe models itself after comedy behemoth SNL, they have maintained their own distinct identity. Amuquandoh hones in on one major distinction: “We don’t have to cater to anyone but ourselves and our loyal audience”. SuNL is an incubator for new ideas, and a space where new and seasoned comedians can take risks and test out new material. A second deliberate distinction (and point of pride) is that the troupe does not strive to be “palatable”. They showcase comedy from unapologetically diverse and unique perspectives. When Amuquandoh joined the troupe in 2018, she pitched a sketch that had the most crass opening line she has ever written. She recalls the room bursting into laughter when Matt Nadeau announced, “Congratulations, you’re officially a Sketcherson”: “That cemented for me, at least, that this is the place to let my imagination soar.” All of this means that “we are never afraid to take risks, and the spirit of our troupe will always be just a lil bit zany”.
So far, that zany fearlessness is serving them well in our current strange and socially distanced reality. The Sketchersons streamed their first virtual Sunday Night Live on April 5 – almost a week ahead of SNL, which returns on Saturday April 11 with brand-new, remotely-produced content. As The Sketchersons prepare for more live-streaming, Hearn concedes that “this is a HUGE learning curve”. But they are up for both the immediate and the existential challenge at hand: “For it to be successful, you have to be adaptable–which is The Sketchersons’ GIG! I think we are all just loving having something to look forward to at the end of the week…even though time is nothing more than a construct now!”
News You Can Use
What: The Sketchersons Present: Sunday Night Live ONLINE
Created and Performed by Aba Amuquandoh, Adele Marie Dicks, Ajahnis Charley, Alex Kolanko, Ayaka Kinugawa, Chelsea Larkin, Colin Sharpe (Head Writer), Emily Richardson (Head Writer), Erica Gellert, Gillian Bartolucci, Guy Bradford, Jake Martin, Matt Nadeau, Marshall Lorenzo, Nicole Passmore, Patrick Murray, Samantha Adams and Tom Hearn (Producer)
When: Sunday, April 12, 19, and 26, 9:00 PM EDT
Where:
- Facebook – facebook.com/thesketchersons/live
- Facebook – facebook.com/comedybarTO/live
- Twitch – twitch.tv/comedybartoronto
- *April 12th ONLY: Facebook – facebook.com/CanadasNAC.CNAduCanada
Info: comedybar.ca
© Arpita Ghosal, SesayArts Magazine, 2020
