A Barnard alum couldn’t do it, but maybe these students can

Although many are still bristling from Cynthia Nixon’s (BC ’87) loss in the primaries – meaning a likely four more years in office for Governor Andrew Cuomo and his notoriously broken MTA – her legacy, and promise to repair the subway, have not been forgotten at her alma mater. Last night, Barnard and Columbia’s all-female improv group took Cuomo to task at the Glicker-Milstein Theatre with their first performance of the year. To a packed house, the students explored such familiar topics as Tinder dates, prom memories, and skeletons.

Improv is really hard. Control Top made it look easy. The students did a very good job of making something out of nearly nothing – all they had to work with were two stools and one word to inform their scenes  – and the somethings were hilarious. The cohesion among Control Top’s members resulted in smooth scene transitions and fantastic rapport, showcasing the hard work each student puts into their performance.

The scenes moved across the time, with scenes referencing both Banksy’s self-destructive tendencies and King Arthur. The characters played ranged from typical suburban families to advertising execs to Columbia Econ majors. Many scenes had great moments of physical comedy and visual gags as well as more conventional jokes that drew a lot of laughs from the audience. The reviewer would like to give a shoutout to Cooking With Bwog mastermind Cara Hudson-Erdman (BC ’21), but every member shined on that dimly-lit stage.

Control Top has two more performances planned this semester, on 11/10 and 12/13.