Annual comedy show is a hit among students, faculty, and alumni
For the first time in history, Law Follies was delivered virtually. On March 19, over 300 students, faculty, and alumni gathered for a livestream of the annual comedy show. Instead of overpriced drinks and folding chairs at the Opera House, audience members gathered in front of their screens to view the show at home. Borden Ladner Gervais was again the generous sponsor of the event.
As expected, the preparation for this year’s event was very different from previous renditions. The entire show was filmed beforehand and the Follies executive team had to quickly learn the ins and outs of video editing. Showrunners Claudia Shek (3L) and Zac Kroll (3L) explained that to better understand how to move the show from a live to online format, the executive team researched online theatre and filming practices, which allowed for additional creativity in cinematography, sound effects, and filming locations.
Writing for the show concluded in December, and the bulk of filming started shortly after. In total, they estimate that each sketch took two to three hours to film. Editing, however, took the better part of a month. Rendering the final video only took 35 minutes, but uploading it online took over 15 hours.
The event was held through YouTube Premiere to preserve the singular nature of the show (and cast members’ privacy) from past years. This link also provided students with access to a live chat to simulate the usual catcalls and rambunctiousness associated with Follies crowds. Sadly, missing were the loud shouts from an inebriated crowd with the ability to mask even the most well-timed punchline. A close substitute, however, were hosts Aaqib and Saqib Mahmood (4L JD/MBAs), who led the crowd through the 90-minute set, setting wallets and hearts on fire with their magic tricks in between sketches.
While there was no central theme to this year’s skits (perhaps invoking the uncertainty of 2020), highlights of the night included “The Last Deance,” “A Little Bit Lexis,” and “Without Dean.”
“The Last Deance” starred Olivier Bishop-Mercier (2L) as former Dean Ed Iacobucci. In this spoof of The Last Dance, Bishop-Mercier’s croissant-throwing Dean reflects on his time at the helm of the school. While sports parodies have typically struggled with Follies audiences, “The Last Deance” was a universal hit, thanks to its superb acting and editing.
“A Little Bit Lexis”, starring Venessa Sectakof (3L), was another surprising hit. Kroll credits sketch director Hannah Bourgeois (2L) for successfully executing this parody of the “A Little Bit Alexis” song from award-winning show Schitt’s Creek.
Closing out the night was “Without Dean,” a parody of Eminem’s “Without Me.” Bishop-Mercier again donned the bald cap for his second Iacobucci skit of the night, and dropped verse upon verse of Yak-laden rhymes on the audience.
The virtual format also enabled one of the most star-studded Follies in memory. Professor Martha Shaffer cameoed in “The Last Deance,” successfully capturing the documentary style of the sketch. Dean Jutta Brunnée donned a green dinosaur costume and sang the Barney & Friends theme song to the delight of audiences. Professor Jim Phillips made a comeback with the hit song “I Am My Own Trustee.” Professor Ben Alarie put down the tax book and took up the mic as a featured rapper. And of course, few can forget “Thirst Tweets with Anthony Niblett”, where Professor Niblett read a series of “mildly disturbing” tweets of praise.
Unlike previous years, entrance was free, but attendees were encouraged to make a donation to the Barbra Schlifer Commemorative Clinic. In total, Follies raised $1850 to help the organization with their work with survivors of gender-based violence.
Moving forward, the show hopes to return to an in-person format, though Kroll adds that the online format greatly improved audio quality. Perhaps next year’s showrunners will incorporate the showbiz adage: “subtitles = success.”
*Editor’s Note: Daniel Gao is a writer on the Law Follies team.
