As audiences cheerfully packed Fulton 511 on Friday night, the atmosphere was anything but academic.
With three showings on Dec. 1 at 8 p.m. and Dec. 2 at 8 and 10 p.m., the sketch group Hello… Shovelhead! transformed the classroom into a sketch comedy stage for their first and only show of the semester: “Sensations.”
Shovelhead is made up of 14 students of diverse school years and backgrounds. The group specializes in student-written sketch comedy, and the student members are responsible for writing, directing, and acting out the sketches.
The show opened with a digital sketch telling a suspenseful story about the murder of Boston College’s very own Baldwin the Eagle and the search for the perpetrator of this crime.
Two more digital sketches created breaks in between live sketches: a horror movie climax scene in which one friend is way too calm and a parody of television realtor shows with the star realtors being absolute divas.
The live sketches were witty, exciting, and heartbreaking all at the same time, putting audience members through a roller coaster of emotions.
The sketches contained the following premises and plot lines: a rapid escalation after a fast food customer’s humiliation mispronouncing “cheeseburger,” the unruly evening adventures of crazy scientist Dr. Apocalypse, a baseball fan’s extreme obsession with supporting his team players, the three main characters from Harry Potter out of place at a college economics lecture, three seventh grade boys trying to fulfill their newfound desire to get “lit” and “lean,” a bride’s loved ones interrupting her wedding reception, and more.
Audience members not only viewed the show but participated in it.
“What sensation are you feeling right now?” the sketch comedy group asked the audience.
The answers did not disappoint.
“Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to be an aglet, like the little thing at the end of a shoelace,” said Emily Dyer, CSON ’25. “I sit in my bed and wonder, and wonder, and wonder … that is so exciting!”
Even answers that made no sense received a laugh from the audience.
“I sense a pence meant for rent can send a gent to Kent whence left unspent!” said Jackson Rowley, MCAS ’27. “Yeah! That!”
The live performances made clear that the Shovelhead students were close friends and shared true joy in performing comedy with each other for the BC community. Alumni of the group were present at the show as well, demonstrating the intimate community developed and maintained through the group.
As students prepare to confront the stress of finals, Shovelhead provided a comedy experience that allowed students to unwind and relax with laughter. BC students got a great taste of Shovelhead this fall semester and get to look forward to a whole spring semester of shows to come from BC’s premier sketch comedy group.
Students who wish for an on-campus, Saturday Night Live experience should head right to Shovelhead’s next show.
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