When people think college humor, they think of lewd, obnoxious, off-the-wall crotch-thrusting raucous fun. The Keenan Revue offers all of the above, and more besides. The skits, written by Keenan Hall residents, contain comedic insight on national security and religion lodged between parietals jokes and beer bashes.

Over the past 27 years, the Keenan Revue has become an important part of campus tradition. The first show, produced in 1976 by Tom Lenz and Rick Thomas, was meant to be a small, hall talent show but became a hit when the residents actually proved to have both musical and humorous talent. The show has continued to lighten up the winter months ever since.

Although director Rick Herbst and producer Chris Murphy have been working on the show for the past five months, the show as always was barely pulled together in the last week. The skits were chosen and the show assembled over the weekend, with only three days of rehearsal to follow. Herbst made final changes at the Wednesday dress rehearsal.

Over half the residents of Keenan Hall turn out to participate in the show, either writing skits, acting or playing in the show's musical numbers.

"It's a real rallying point for the dorm," said Herbst.

Although the Keenan Revue is the dorm's particular point of pride, the whole campus gets involved in the event. Other hall presidents helped find funding for the show, which relied on ads and donations to raise the $12,000 needed for production. Saint Mary's also got involved in the show's production. In appreciation, the authors toned down the inevitable Saint Mary's jokes in the Revue.

Students come to the Keenan Revue expecting irreverent humor at the expense of students and the administration, and they have never been disappointed. This year is no exception. However, this year's show eliminates many of the campus stereotypes that characterized last year's performance. The fat Breen-Phillips girls, Farley Hall smokers and McGlinn Hall head lice have been replaced by more off-beat humor. The show has something to appeal to every sense of humor.

The theme of this year's Keenan Revue is "Our Nation's Pastime." Although the title actually refers to baseball, the audience might be excused for thinking the national pastime is cross-dressing, a theme which pops up far more often throughout the show. The show opens with a rendition of Weezer's "Buddy Holly" musical numbers and a group striptease.

Many of the skits in the first half prey on popular campus topics, such as "Parietals Bite" and "The Elegant Prospect." The campus has struggled with oppressive parietals and drinking laws since the show began, and the inevitable sex humor appears translated into 17th century English and in a parody of Lisa Loeb's "Stay." The authors put in everything they can get past the show's censors.

The tone changes in the second half with some "Dogma"-esque religious parodies and less Notre Dame centered humor. Skits like "In the year 3000" provide general cultural commentary, while "The Keenan Review News" preys on President George W. Bush, campus squirrels and The Shirt. Skits like "Matlock … yeah," the brainchild of Murphy and Nic Williams, manage to be inexplicably funny despite an apparent lack of jokes.

The Keenan Revue draws on the comedic talents of all the residents. Performers find a sense of humor they never knew they had. So where do the authors get inspiration for their skits?

"Late night caffeine and sugar highs," said Williams.

Tickets for the show were passed out last week. Those lucky enough to have them are in for a good assortment of songs, antics and jokes. And as the cast points out, if you don't like it, don't complain — the tickets were free.

Contact Maria Smith at msmith4@nd.edu

• The Keenan Revue
  
• InFocus Conference