FILM “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” features gorgeous animation and a fast-paced plot. B4
FILM “John Wick: Chapter 4” is yet another master class in dynamic action sequences. B6
PLAY Terrific acting in “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” brings a timeless love story to vibrant life. B7
April 21, 2023
DC native and rapper speaks on educational purusits, upcoming album and more.
Leah Cohen Hoya Staff Writer ILLUSTRATION BY: CE MI LEE/THE HOYA
Catherine Meyer
Hoya Staff Writer
After navigating through Georgetown University’s Poulton Hall, I arrived at Stage III, the Mask and Bauble Dramatic Society’s theater, to see the cast of “Into the Woods” huddled in a circle. They jumped up and down, repeatedly chanting, “I’m in the woods, you’re in the woods, yeah!” to motivate each other before the show.
The clear offstage camaraderie among the cast members manifested itself in their vibrant onstage relationships, and their portrayals of the emotional complexity of the characters made the story feel more real than fantastical. While cast members’ individual performances were incredible, their natural chemistry made the show even more impactful.
Tony Award-winning composer and lyricist Ste-
phen Sondheim and Tony Award-winning playwright James Lapine created “Into the Woods,” which premiered in 1986. The musical also won the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theatre Album in 2022 for its recent Broadway revival.
In the first act, the narrator introduces characters from classic fairytale stories: Cinderella, Jack from “Jack and the Beanstalk,” Little Red Riding Hood and Rapunzel. The story, however, centers around a baker and his wife, who want to grow their family despite a witch’s curse.
The witch tasks the couple with venturing into the forest to collect a series of fairytale items to break the curse. When the first half ends, all of the characters are overjoyed with their lives — but the second act changes everything, when a giant with murderous intent arrives.
Fairytale characters often tend to be one-dimensional and fail to represent the human ex-
perience — they always get their happy ending.
“Into the Woods” inherently rises above such simplicities, and each actor in Georgetown’s production went a step further to ensure their characters represented a spectrum of emotions, particularly in their interactions with other characters.
Sam Kehoe (CAS ’23) and Ava Foster (CAS ’23), who played the baker and baker’s wife, respectively, realistically emulated a married couple. The pair naturally volleyed back and forth with their banter and bickering, and in a happier scene, their graceful ballroom dancing was mesmerizing to watch, as they held each other’s gaze and executed some impressive footwork.
Furthermore, the dynamic between Jack, Jack’s mother and Milky White (Jack’s cow) resembled a real family — specifically, the dynamic of a mother who is stressed about her son’s future.
Emma Erdoes (SFS ’25), who played Jack’s
Mask and Bauble’s production of the Tony-winning musical “Into the Woods” shines thanks to brilliant performances from a talented cast.
mother, beautifully balanced the frustration and compassion of a single mother. In her interactions with Jack, played by Shakeer Hood (CAS ’24), Erdoes would pinch Hood’s cheek or put her hand on his shoulders while sternly staring into his eyes. Even in her interactions with other characters, Erdoes threw herself to the ground or cried uncontrollably to demonstrate the extremes to which a mother would go to protect her child.
Sean Rafferty’s (CAS ’26) interpretation of Milky White also deserves praise, as he utilized vivid facial expressions and varying postures to embrace his onstage presence despite not having any lines.
But it was the performance of Courtenay KimWhite (CAS ’24) as the witch that stood out most. Kim-White’s voice was powerful and clear during the ballads, but the juxtaposition of her frightening run-ins with the baker and his wife and her gentler interactions with Rapunzel, played by Roshni Powers (SFS ’26), made her rendition especially noteworthy.
Kim-White would hunch over and make her hands quiver to intimidate the baker and his wife. Contrastly, Kim-White revealed a deeper misery and vulnerability as she transitioned into being the protective mother of Rapunzel.
Not only did director Orly Salik (CAS ’23) and producer Drew Lent (CAS ’25) craft a spectacular cast, they also created an impressive set that actively aided in deepening the ties between characters, rather than serving as a mere backdrop. The set, designed by Han Miller (CAS ’23), featured a grand tree in the center with leaves made of book pages and a trunk covered in lanterns that were removed and replaced throughout the show, adding light and visual variety to match the ever-shifting intercharacter dynamics.
The orchestra also helped push the story along and connect the characters. While the piano and strings did overpower the actors’ voices at times, the live music set the tone for each scene and provided the groundwork for characters to shape their reactions and emotions.
Mask and Bauble’s production of “Into the Woods” featured not only brilliant performances and engaging characters, but also an emphasis upon building and nurturing meaningful relationships. This camaraderie-focused production serves as an important reminder for all of us: although we might not always get our “happy endings,” our relationships with others are what make our lives meaningful.
Lightshow, a rapper native to Washington, D.C., would do anything if it meant getting out of trouble with his mother. His tactic of choice: sweet-talking her with handwritten poems before she even walks through the front door.
“I was at school and got a call home for talking around in class,” Lightshow said. “I knew I was going to be in trouble when I got home. I always got home before my mom. While I was there, I tried to whip her up something nice.”
Lightshow, born Larinzo LambrightWilliams, always prayed that he’d have the words to talk his way out of trouble. Did it ever work? Maybe that day. But little did he know at the time that these poems, which he wrote in hope of saving himself from a “whooping,” would help launch his career as one of D.C.’s biggest rappers — one who has now worked alongside big-name acts like 21 Savage and 2 Chainz.
Born and raised in D.C. — 10th Place SE in Congress Heights, to be exact — Lightshow’s hometown still inspires his writing and his music.
“The world around me affects it, D.C. affects it. Everything around me, what I want to be, what I don’t want to be — it can’t not be influenced by the things around me,” Lightshow told The Hoya Lightshow said the District has attributes
music and what I speak on.”
True to his city, Lightshow is represented by 86 America, his own D.C.-based record label. But the rapper also emphasized the importance of exploring other places.
“The music scene in D.C. gets you prepared for whatever you want to do,” Lightshow said. “But you can benefit from stepping outside of where you’re from. People appreciate the struggle and stories of the people here, but the more you get out of your area, the more there is for you.”
When he works in his D.C. studio, it’s more of an individual process than a collective effort. In order to grow his career, Lightshow has traveled to New York, Los Angeles, Houston and Florida to get his music heard and work with different influential people in the industry.
Lightshow has worked with some of the biggest names in rap — his song “Need a Lighter” features 21 Savage, and he’s opened on tour for 2 Chainz and the late Nipsey Hussle. He says these collaborations have defined his career.
Lightshow is currently in Atlanta working on a new album, entitled “Brighter Than Light.” Since 2012, Lightshow has released 11 albums and describes his work on the upcoming one as the “most fun” he’s ever had. Although there is no official release date yet, the album is finished, and he expects to roll it out sometime this year.
“Being able to really lock in the studio and not have as many distractions around me helped me to lock in what I had to say,” Lightshow said. “Having time to work on it made me have patience and allowed it to be that much better. Working with the best producers and engineers makes you want to bring your best.”
Lightshow said he always pushes himself in production, noting that the end result is never where he originally thought he would end up.
While working on his record, Lightshow is also pursuing a new dream. He graduated high school over a decade ago, but the 31-year-old recently decided to return to school and pursue a bachelor’s degree in philosophy. Lightshow is currently balancing a full first-year course load at Georgia State University.
has provided inspiration for some of his lyrics. After a class reading of Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave,” Lightshow incorporated the concept into one of his lyrics.
“That wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t had that fresh on my mind from school and the studio,” he said. “School helped open up my mind. I’m learning so much it applies to the music I’m making and lifestyle.”
After graduation, Lightshow plans to get a J.D. degree and practice law, as he credits teams of lawyers for getting him where he is today.
“If it wasn’t for legal people around me that cared what I was doing, and me as a person that was able to see through decisions I made, I would probably be in jail somewhere,” he said.
A childhood dream that’s always been in the back of his mind, Lightshow woke up one day and decided going back to school wouldn’t be such a big distraction from his music. To an outsider, music and law may seem like wildly different career paths. But to Lightshow — and those in the industry — the overlap is evident.
With a new album on the way, fans will have plenty of opportunities to catch Lightshow live — maybe even on campus at Georgetown. While we anxiously await “Brighter Than Light,” Lightshow’s music is available to stream on Spotify, SoundCloud and Apple Music. And, if you want to do D.C. the Lightshow way, here are some of his favorite spots in the city:
Favorite Monument: The Capitol
Favorite Restaurant: Nobu
Favorite Neighborhood: 10th Place SE and Georgetown
Favorite D.C. Meal: Chicken with mumbo sauce and french fries at The Hamilton or anything at Ben’s Chili Bowl
Favorite D.C.-area artists: Wale and Marvin Gaye
both good and bad, describing D.C. as a place where you can walk by beautiful cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin while a robbery is happening just two blocks away.
“It’s a paper-thin balance and I understand both sides,” he said. “I am inspired by that, and overall ways you feel, and emotions. What goes on in my city greatly affects my
“When I do my school as soon as I get it, I always have time,” he said. “School during the day, music all night and morning.”
Even as a full-time student, Lightshow still manages to spend anywhere between 12 to 17 hours in the studio, allowing him to pursue both music and a new career. The two are not mutually exclusive, though — his coursework
“When you think of government and obscenities, music is one of the things that pushes the limit on freedom of speech and what you can and can’t say — it toes the line,” Lightshow said. “Music burns in my soul, it’s something I have to do. Maybe that will change in terms of the way I talk about things, I don’t know yet. I’m chasing two dreams at once right now, as long as time permits.”
Realizing he’s been given second and third and fourth chances to succeed in life because of the help of others, Lightshow is going to do what he loves — challenge himself now, and help others later.
This time the critics are wrong: “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” is a beautifully animated, nostalgic crowdpleaser that does not outstay its welcome.
Directed by: Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic, Pierre Leduc
Starring: Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy
John Murphy Special to The HoyaFor those saying this is “the illumination style done at its absolute worst” and “the laziest possible version of a Mario movie,” a simple question is in order: Have you ever tried having fun?
Critics have not taken kindly to “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” — the film currently holds a “rotten” Tomatometer score of 58% and a 46 on Metacritic — and their reasoning is far from a mystery.
Shockingly, Mario’s journey from the streets of Brooklyn to the Mushroom Kingdom lacks thematic depth and social commentary. Six-year-olds everywhere are devastated that they did not contemplate the moral dilemma of stomping Goombas causing widespread property damage hopping from platform to platform.
“The Super Mario Bros. Movie” knows its purpose: to honor the past installments of a beloved Nintendo franchise and sell new
toys. In that regard, it is an absolute success. Standing at a respectable 92 minutes, this is a film that avoids wasting your time. One very direct storyline dominates the plot, and the pacing is swift.
This straightforward, fast-paced model’s success is indisputable: the film has generated $678 million at the box office, tripling the earnings of Disney’s “Lightyear” and surpassing DreamWorks’ “Puss in Boots: the Last Wish.” As “Spider-Man: No Way Home” demonstrated in 2021 when its creators brought three different live-action SpiderMan actors to the screen, heralding immense commercial success for the film, nostalgia is a valuable tool to bring fans into theaters. Even in the face of critical rejection, the Mario brothers maintain their appeal.
From the moment the lights dim, Illumination’s animation is extraordinary. Familiar locations from the Mario universe are brought to life: Luigi’s Mansion is a prime example, which takes up just a few seconds of screen time but features an unprecedent-
ed degree of graphical detail. Every character — from Luigi to the fifth Shy Guy walking out of vision — reflects the methodical effort of a gifted animation team.
The film also incorporates a plethora of Easter eggs to previous installments of the Mario franchise. Several scenes feature a horizontal platformer action style that is reminiscent of the Super Mario Bros. gameplay one might find on a Wii or DS. As the plot introduces the need for the Mario characters to travel quickly, characters embark across Rainbow Road in vehicles pulled straight from “Mario Kart,” marking a fun throwback to a classic video game spinoff as the characters drift to the climax of the film.
These nostalgic moments are joined by a soundtrack that will pander to Nintendo fans of every age. Composer Brian Tyler includes at least 113 different tracks from the Mario games, allowing the audience to take both a visual and auditory trip down memory lane.
Despite concerns that Chris Pratt would
be unfit to voice Mario, he proves his voice acting talents for the character by the end of the movie. In fact, no voice acting choices in the film feel out of place. Jack Black’s Bowser blends amusing with evil, bringing a voice to a villain who rarely does more than roar in the games. Anya Taylor-Joy helps to construct a modern Princess Peach who counteracts the overused “damsel in distress” model for the character.
“The Super Mario Bros. Movie” does fall short, however, in regard to the character of Luigi, as Mario’s green-themed brother takes a back seat to the broader narrative. The Penguin Kingdom suffers from a similar degree of neglect, as it serves as an amusing plot device to introduce Bowser, but feels insignificant by the film’s conclusion.
No one plays a Mario game for the nuance, and no one’s watching “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” for it either. But that isn’t a problem. In fact, in order to stay true to its roots, a colorful, nostalgic crowd-pleaser is all it should be.
Stop whatever you’re doing. Take a deep breath in through your nose and exhale out through your mouth, relaxing your shoulders and unclenching your jaw. Feels good, right? Well, there’s plenty more where that came from, because this issue of Student Self-Improvement is devoted to the beautiful practice of meditation.
No longer just for monks, hippies or liberals, this Eastern practice has established itself in the Western zeitgeist as an effective tool for clearing your mind. With finals season closing in, join me in stepping back and breathing out as we discuss how and why to start meditating.
Traditional Buddhist meditation has around 40 different forms, but modern audiences have particularly embraced mindfulness, which basically just means grounding yourself in the present moment. For some reason, this is extremely hard —
we’re often anywhere but in the moment, instead focusing on fun thoughts like stress, exam worries or that time we called our teacher “Mom” in middle school. By practicing mindful meditation, we go from drowning in our thoughts to sitting on a riverbank and watching them float harmlessly by.
Scientists have linked this practice to improvements in focus, mood and memory, but its most popular and effective benefit is stress reduction. Meditation is not a cure-all, but consistent practice will help take the edge off your worries, making it easier for you to create value for shareholders going forward.
In theory, all you need to practice meditation is yourself, but it’s helpful to start with a guide. There’s an app for everything, so of course there are plenty of curated meditation services — some of which are great, and some of which are not. For the best possible experience, Headspace offers a massive array of structured meditation programs for $70 a year. This is easily the best app on the market if you don’t mind being robbed, and there’s a two week free trial available.
Personally, I’d go for Medito, which is
100% free and offers hundreds of highquality guided sessions. Then again, you can just go to YouTube, type in the length of time you want to meditate and pick from a whole Internet’s worth of options. It’s really that easy.
Once you have your app set up, find five or 10 minutes and give it a go. In the short term, mindfulness meditation can clear your mind and make it a little easier to get through a hard week. It can become just another tool in your little “surviving the modern world” toolbox, something you can use to temporarily alleviate increased stress. You may need it one week and not touch it the next, and that’s perfectly fine.
As a long-term practice, however, meditation can completely change the way you think. If you meditate for around 30 minutes a day for a year, you will likely see huge changes in your level of stress, attention span and ability to focus. You will be able to detach from your thoughts in a way you can’t even imagine right now.
On the other hand, I say “likely” because, despite meditating for years, I’ve never achieved that level of consistency. Thirty or 60 minute sessions are difficult even as one-offs, so stringing them
By Audrey Martintogether day after day, no matter the circumstances, would require a serious level of commitment. If you want to meditate every day, it’s better to pick a small amount of time at a consistent point during the day.
Some scientists also think that “overmeditating” can have negative effects, which has been true for me at the extremes of my own practice. Being in the present moment is nice, but sometimes it’s better to drift away and ponder the situation. It’s all about balance, and being in touch with your specific needs and goals.
Now that my work here is done, I hope you’ll consider incorporating meditation into your self-care regimen. The best way to deal with college stress is dropping out, but mindfulness is arguably a close second — and it can have tons of other body and mind benefits. In any case, while I have you here, go ahead and get another deep breath in. As the Buddha said, it’ll either all work out or you’ll be a better student in the next life.
Dashiell Barnett is a sophomore in the School of Foreign Service. Student SelfImprovement will appear online and in print every three weeks.
This May, various embassies will be opening their doors to highlight D.C.’s diplomatic community. Check out the Around the World Embassy Tour on May 6 from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to experience the varying art, food and traditions of many countries. The Delegation of the EU will also be hosting its annual open house May 13, with free musical performances, food, drinks and cultural exchanges around the world. See Passport DC’s website for a full list of embassy locations, finish your packing and then take some time after finals to explore just a bit more of D.C.!
What better place than D.C., to indulge in diverse and delightful delicacies while on a delicious chocolate tour of Embassy Row? This guided tour will offer historical and contemporary insights into the foreign governments’ American abodes while chocolates and other candies from around the world will satisfy your sweet tooth. For $42, stroll through this informative and delicious excursion under the warm D.C. sun this April 22 from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. The tour meets just outside the Dupont Circle Metro North Exit, just a short Georgetown University Transportation Shuttle (GUTS) ride away!
Rather than taking sluggish study breaks consisting of Netflix and naps during this upcoming finals season, plan ahead for a dynamic scavenger hunt at some of D.C.’s embassies! For only $20, you can work with a team to use clues, wit and teamwork to complete tasks that will lead your assigned country to victory May 6. Winners will receive a grand prize, while all participants will get a special treat. Take the GUTS bus to Dupont Circle and meet the other participants at the top of the Dupont Circle Metro South Exit for the international experience of a lifetime.
Luke McMahan
Hoya Staff Writer
The latest (and final?) installment of the John Wick franchise burst into theaters March 24 featuring a gargantuan cast, a gargantuan concept and even more gargantuan action set pieces.
Nine years after the unexpected brilliance and success of director Chad Stahleski’s introduction to the eponymous character, the creators of John Wick (Keanu Reeves) once again proved their expertise in crafting superb and dynamic action films, although perhaps going overboard with regard to running time and world building.
The John Wick films have never fallen short on character and conceptual grandeur, and this film is no different. The High
Table, a secret society of assassins, once again serves as Wick’s adversary, providing an unending slew of disposable tough guys to be slaughtered by Reeves. Featuring characters with names like the Harbinger and the Adjudicator, Stahleski’s expansive underground world has never been a place for subtlety or depth.
Fortunately, the High Table featured in “John Wick: Chapter 4” lacks most of the absurdity and convolution of the franchise’s second and third installments. While still engaging in unnecessarily complex and usually ridiculous world building, “John Wick: Chapter 4” focuses most of its running time on much more deserving action sequences. Furthermore, unlike previous sequels, it often revels in the ridiculousness of a super scary secret society of stoic slaughterers,
making for several refreshingly comedic moments between the violent fight sequences.
Reeves is once again perfect in the role of Wick. He brings a performance that is intense and absurd at once to the similarly balanced movie. Delivering each line with the same throaty, calm voice, his performance borders on being slightly corny and overdone without detracting at all from the vigor of the action scenes.
The rest of the characters are also balanced in this juxtaposition, most notably assassin Caine (Donnie Yen), a blind adversary of Wick who kills as ruthlessly and skillfully as his main opponent while dressed like Ken Jeong in “The Hangover.” Also of note is Scott Adkins’s Killa, one of the most ludicrously entertaining villains of the series.
But the true strength of the Wick films
JOHN WICK/IMDBStarring Keanu Reeves as the titular assassin, “John Wick: Chapter 4” leaves a trail of dismembered bodies and elaborate action scenes in its wake.
lies not in their character development or world building, but in their impossibly welldirected and choreographed action sequences. There is little to say about the incredible conduction and stunt work of such scenes — one has to see them in person. Their effortless progression and smoothness belie their extremely complicated coordination. In other words, the cast and crew make some of the finest fight scenes of the last few years look easy. Despite Stahleski’s aforementioned problems with expanding the world of the High Table, he has no issue elaborating and innovating with regard to creating dynamic and captivating action sequences, with each set piece feeling grander and more imaginative than the last.
In the franchise’s previous films, one won’t remember any specific plot points or character moments nearly as much as one remembers the action sequences — nightclub in the first, catacombs in the second, knife shop and hotel in the third. This is also the case with this latest installment, with the Osaka hotel, the Parisian house, the staircase and another nightclub serving as settings for some of the most dynamic points of the series. Furthermore, the film calls back to earlier films in the franchise, especially with timely uses of the original John Wick musical score.
While its three hour running time did not drag on too much, a few of its action scenes could have been trimmed, namely the one near the Arc de Triomphe. For all intents and purposes, though, “John Wick: Chapter 4” was an impressively tightly made action film from a seasoned team and director. The future of the franchise is uncertain, but if this movie is any indication, any subsequent collaboration between Reeves and Stahleski will be another exemplar of action direction and fight choreography.
It’s a story we have all heard before — a poor young man falls passionately in love with a woman out of his league and does everything in his power to be with her. However, at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre in New York City, you’ll see this tale unfold in a unique and spectacular way: filled with glitz and glamor, love, tragedy and some good oldfashioned themes of rich versus poor.
“Moulin Rouge! The Musical” is a jukebox musical adaptation of Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 film of the same name, and it definitely lives up to the film. The musical swept the 74th Tony Awards, winning 10 of the 14 awards it was nominated for — including best musical.
The musical follows the love story between Christian, a bohemian composer who came to Paris to find himself, and Satine, the “sparkling diamond” of the Moulin Rouge theater. Through a bit of trickery by Christian’s friends, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and Santiago the
Argentinean, he is able to meet Satine.
Satine believes Christian to be the wealthy Duke of Monroth, whom she has to seduce to invest in the theater and save it from financial ruin, while Christian thinks he has to impress her with a song to pitch his friends’ idea for a musical to be put on at the Moulin Rouge.
After some classic hijinks, the real Duke of Monroth walks in on Satine and Christian, who quickly try to hide the misunderstanding by pretending like they had invited the Duke to Satine’s dressing room to pitch him an idea for a play called “Bohemian Rhapsody.” He agrees to fund their play, and the rest of the play details Satine and Christian’s secret love affair.
Satine is torn between saving the Moulin Rouge by being with the controlling and cruel Duke and following her heart to be with Christian. Eventually, on the opening night of the play, Christian plans to shoot himself on stage because Satine rejected him, but she stops him by singing their love song. Then, she dies in his arms from tuberculosis.
MOULIN ROUGEDocumenting the love story between a composer and a dancer in Paris, this theatrical adaptation of Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 film dazzles on the stage.
This tragic love story touches on all four of the bohemian values: truth, beauty, freedom and love, and it is a tribute to young passion and artistry. Though the musical is a tragedy, it has plenty of exciting moments with flamboyant costumes, glittering sets and booming music. There are moments of levity throughout the show, and the unique setting and costuming of the musical make this stereotypical story feel special and fresh.
Aaron Tveit, who opened the show on Broadway as Christian and won a Tony Award for his performance, returned to the show for a limited 12-week engagement in early 2023. His intimate understanding of his character and uncompromising dedication to portraying Chrisitian’s passion and pain was apparent in his performance, and his powerful voice helped the audience stay engaged even in the slowest songs.
Despite the interesting premise and passionate performers, the jukebox nature of the musical felt like it came out of left field. The story is very typical, dramatic Broad-
way, but the modern pop songs — including “Firework” by Katy Perry, “Royals” by Lorde and “Chandelier” by Sia — felt incredibly out of place in turn-of-the-20th-century Paris.
Though the original film was also a jukebox musical, the stage show utilized different songs from the film. If they were going to rewrite the music for the stage adaptation anyway, a few more original songs would have greatly improved the show — hearing Sia’s “Chandelier” booming as Christian worked through heartbreak with alcohol hardly seemed appropriate, and it distracted from the magic of the moment.
Despite the strange song choices, the musical is definitely worth the two hour and 45-minute run time. The set design is beautiful, the dancing is exciting and a bit risqué and the tale feels incredibly raw and human.
If you ever find yourself in New York City, invest a night into seeing “Moulin Rouge! The Musical.” After all, as the playbill at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre reads, “How wonderful life is … at the Moulin Rouge.”
‘Moulin
As I entered the nightclub district, I wondered, “Who threw up here, and was it because they made the poor choice to stop by the Krispy Kreme on their way home?”
I was on my way to the Washington, D.C. Improv Comedy Club, one of the hidden treasures of the area, which is only accessible via a short staircase down to a substreet level restaurant at 1440 Connecticut Ave. It’s marked by gaudy gold signage, an extension of the trim on the rest of the high-rise, with its logo displayed in the cinematic, mid-century font we all know and love.
The low-lit venue has even lower ceilings,
reinforcing the cramped common comedy club stereotype. However, the restaurant has broken the glass ceiling (or rather, concrete ceiling) for comedy clubs across the country, with its surprising cleanliness and lack of an overwhelming odor of alcohol. The exposed brick stage, which once hosted Georgetown University’s own Mike Birbiglia (COL ’00) as an emcee, houses the club’s backlit logo.
The lights dimmed as the emcee for the night, Ashley Mayo, got up on stage, filling the relaxed space with her vibrant energy. Following her short quips, she introduced the first comedian: Rob Stant. Stant, a bespectacled comedian with shaggy blonde hair, entered the stage and began his selfdeprecating set, talking about how his type of face is always associated with bad news.
Comedian Matt Brown was introduced after a hearty round of applause for Stant. Brown, a Baltimore-based comic, jumped
straight into a story of how he got his dog, a Corgi with a “fat ass,” from an Amish community. He then recounted how he was greeted with, “Hello Brother! Why are you driving that motor vehicle?” by an Amish man when he was going to pick his dog up, and how he had to break the news to the man that despite looking the part, he is not, in fact, Amish.
The final comic, a ginger southerner named Winston Hodges, began by introducing his family. Hodges admitted that his family is pro-gun, but that he had moved away from that thinking. He urged audience members to go out and buy guns because the only way to stop people from buying guns is to make them sit in line with free-thinking liberals.
As the servers began handing out checks, the audience’s attention shifted to their wallets. One table near the front caught Hodges’ attention while they fumbled with their
By Varsha VenkatramVenmo accounts, and he shifted his own set to engage with them. Hodges’ edgy jokes and stellar crowd work yielded loud cheers and a satisfied crowd as he left the stage and Mayo reappeared to conclude the show at around 8:30 p.m.
The slow increases in laughter and rowdiness over the course of the showcase mirrored the awakening of the Connecticut Avenue strip throughout the night, as the laid-back restaurants and seemingly deserted buildings began opening for business when the show was nearing its end. Just like the show’s location, its lineup had burgeoning potential — comedy enjoyers may just have to wait a little longer for them to fully realize it.
Amber Cherry is a first-year in the College of Arts & Sciences. Funny Faces in Beautiful Places will appear online and in print every three weeks.
1. Appetizers in Spanish cuisine
5. Japanese steamed rice dish
6. Resident Assistant, for short
7. Abbreviation for the U.S. state whose state vegetable is the sweet potato
8. More accurate or exact
10. Tidal bore
1. Multilayered cake
2. Nigerian bean fritters
3. “Kung Fu Panda” character who needs no secret ingredient
4.
5.
9.