The University of Rochester's comedic improv group, In Between the Lines, performs their opening act on Friday, Septmeber 19 at Ingle Auditorium.
Sarah Priestap

Disclosure: A member of Reporter’s editorial board is affiliated with RIT’s BrainWreck Improv.

A cacophony erupted through Ingle Auditorium as suggestions were called for from the audience. Everything from piñatas and kiwi to Shakespeare and zombies were shouted at the stage.

RIT’s very own BrainWreck Improv and University of Rochester’s In Between the Lines came together for a collaboration show on Friday, September 19. The show operated in much the same way as the popular television show Whose Line Is It Anyway? as a completely improvisational performance divided into short skits with brief rules dictating the general direction of each.

After a quick game by BrainWreck to start things off, a skit called “good, bad, and two-headed advice” was presented, where advice was provided about hooking internet up to your computer through three different points of view. Adam Sampedro, second year New Media Publishing major, gave bad advice, informing everyone that the best way is to ask your grandpa. Jason Eberle, third year New Media Interactive Development major, and Jean-Jacques DeLisle, third year Electrical Engineering major, offered two-headed advice on the subject by alternating each spoken word between the two of them.

“I’m hungry,” complained Nathan Horn, third year Game Design and Development major, while lying trapped in another skit under the construction of an invisible bridge made from imaginary cheesecakes. “Give it time,” was the cheerful retort from third year Graphic Media Marketing major Kyle O’Neill. Horn looked up disdainfully to him shouted, “How will that help?” O’Neill paused for a moment. “Give it time to be delicious, I suppose,” he laughed, throwing his hands in the air.

Sarah Priestap

Moving on to another game, Matrix quotes were the only things that Jeremy Allston, third year Game Design and Development major, was allowed to say while encouraging Sampedro and Eberle to reenact a new version of the movie’s office escape scene while riding and carrying llamas.

After the chaos had ensued for some time, U of R’s In Between the Lines took the stage. The group members began by telling a story about a boy, coconuts, various animals, and an evil waiter related to the coconuts. Songs were sung about being naughty on Christmas, there was a space rave in slow motion, and an argument took place on whether salamis or jets were better.

“There’s no ‘I’ in ‘jet!’ But there is an ‘I’ in ‘salami!’” shouted group member Olivia Pedersen. “You’re right. But there’s also a ‘mi’ in salami! It’s teaches you not to have to depend on others!” retorted fellow group member Mark Sobel with finesse.

For the final portion of the show, BrainWreck and In Between merged together on stage to perform several small quick performances and games of all varieties. One memorable skit involved a pirate anniversary where In Between team member Tim Reinfield would clap his hands and two players (not currently in the scene) were expected to act out a flashback related to the story.

The entire event was a huge success with the jokes depending on timing and quick thinking, but also being equally hilarious when an embarrassing mistake was made. The audience participation was incredible. Agreeably, everyone had a fantastic time and the whole room was clutching their sides from beginning to end.