Amid a typical period of stress for students awaiting finals, Vanderbilt’s improv comedy group, Tongue ‘N’ Cheek’s Tuesday show drew laughs, applause and high participation from its full audience in Sarratt Cinema. Titled “A Charlie Baker Christmas,” the TNC cast introduced the holiday theme with a video skit based on the classic movie “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”
Sophomore Ollie Tuff, who performs in the shows under the name Cosmic, directs the introductory videos. His intent is to connect the start of the show to the titular theme.
“I’m trying to make [the videos] more like sketches than what they’ve been in the past,” Tuff said.
The cast structured the one-hour-long show into ten games, allowing for creativity as actors used suggestions from the audience to improvise scenes. Starting with a reenactment of the January 6, 2021 riots, the show frequently shifted its direction. The following games included a customer-service-themed guessing game for a secret item, a re-enactment of an audience member’s day and two mock interviews. The final game, a complex montage of intertwining storylines, flipped between loosely connected scenes of a fictional Lupton shower infested with flies, the Westminster Dog Show and a tattoo parlor.
Each act was followed by applause throughout the show, with audience members calling out support to specific actors. While TNC shows are often well-received events, this recent show in particular was a hit among its audience.
“I really enjoyed seeing some games that they do not do at every show,” senior Cori Dannemiller said. “The pyramid-esque game was a cool way to watch lots of skits ranging from cheerleaders to horseback riding to pottery-making in one game.”
Considering the show focused so heavily on that positive audience, it comes as no surprise that cast members thrive on the comments they receive from their peers.
“One thing I always hear is people say [is], ‘You guys must script them,’ which I think is the best compliment we could possibly get,” Tuff said in response to a question about how he interprets audience feedback.
Throughout the games, the cast rotated to ensure each member had ample opportunity to showcase their comedy skills on stage. With some games featuring the full group and some including just two or three players, TNC actors used their opportunities to shine individually while also displaying the group’s cohesion.
“I loved how many TNC members got to be involved, and I truly never knew what was going to happen next,” Dannemiller said. “TNC always does a phenomenal job, and I look forward to their shows every time.”
“Improv is like a team game,” Tuff said. “All of the humor only gets better the more comfortable you become with the other performers.”
Perhaps the most entertaining part of TNC’s show was the audible excitement in the audience as the actors solicited participation. As the audience enjoyed the experience of attending, the actors were equally grateful for the receptive crowd and the inspiration an audience can give every time.
“It’s wonderful to have a collaborative audience and to be able to play off the energy of the audience and feel how that energy shifts,” sophomore Brooke McEntire, who performs in the cast as Metro, said. “I love how it feels like we bring people together.”
McEntire and Tuff both added that campus comedy fans should look out for the Vanderbilt Comedy Festival, a new student organization in which several TNC members are involved.
“We aim to fill the gap in what’s not currently being offered in the comedy scene on campus,” Tuff said. “We’ll be producing comedy shows throughout the spring semester with more stand-up and sketches.”
The December performance served as an effective way for students to come together amid potential anxiety as final exams approach and enjoy a stress-free comedy hour. TNC’s next show is expected to take place near the end of January.
