By: John ThomasStaff Writer
Last Friday night, Tequila Mockingbird performed their final show of the semester. The holiday-themed romp centered on nostalgic stories told by the cast members about their past season-centric experiences. The troupe didn’t ask audience members for suggestions as they usually do, but instead jumped right into the story circle. It was an effective way to immediately engage the audience, as the funny was able to start right after the initial applause and greeting. This was a much tighter performance than the other Tequila Mockingbird shows I’ve been to. While I’ve always enjoyed their humor, their previous appearances seemed notably looser and a bit less practiced. That’s not to say that those shows weren’t enjoyable; rather that this particular outing was exceptionally professional.
Some of the most enjoyable bits of the evening featured Josh Lovell and Dan Johnson as two brothers who were having a hard time fitting their youngest sibling (Will Atkins) into their holiday festivities and lives. The dynamic was instantaneously developed on stage, and the humor came just as quickly. Atkin’s character, Daryl, wasn’t exactly revolutionary – he played him as a neurotic, creepy, pseudo-flamboyant little man. However, the lack of originality really didn’t matter to me, as I was laughing every second that Daryl was featured on stage.
Another standout was Jessica Covington. This is her first year with the troupe, but Covington already has come into herself on stage – to the point where she really steals the scene. Near the top of the night, there was a sketch about two little girls receiving risqué presents from their grandmother. If Covington hadn’t been featured, I probably would have thought it had gone on a little bit too long, but her spot-on timing and half-assed deadpan left me in stitches.
This was a fantastic night of comedy. Tequila Mockingbird has already made a name for itself, evidenced by the packed auditorium, but if last week’s show was any indication the group is still on its way up. They are polished, primed and professional, which are qualities that a lot of performance organizations at Hofstra seem to miss. I’m excited to go to their shows next semester and experience their practiced, sharp humor again.