Two student groups will collaborate on a somewhat unusual show this weekend. Spontaneity and silence will take center stage Sunday at 8 p.m. with "CheapHYPE!," a joint performance by Tufts' improvisation group, Cheap Sox, and HYPE!, its mime troupe.
The show will alternate between improv skits and miming. Senior and Cheap Sox director Stephen Wise said that Cheap Sox will be performing "a mix of long-form and short-form improv."
"Long-form is more of an expanded scene, and short-form is some of our gimmicky improv games," Wise said.
HYPE!'s performance won't resemble that of a stereotypical mime troupe. Instead, vignettes written by group members will be performed to music, proving that these mimes aren't stuck in a box.
"People have a negative stigma against mimes, and maybe for a good reason, but what we do is completely different. We apply the traditional technique, but it's completely our own style," senior and mime Laur Fisher said.
Collaboration between Cheap Sox and HYPE! is nothing new. The two groups have performed together "probably since the Earth was formed," according to Wise. Fisher said the two groups have bonded over past performances, making the collaboration even more engaging.
"You can really see the energy that we bring on stage," Fisher said.
Even though the two groups are old hands at joint performances, they say this show will be unlike any other.
"With every show, we try and do something different so there's something to keep the audience interested. With every show, we see how far we can push the envelope," Fisher said.
Cheap Sox is excited to show off some of its new members, who, according to Wise, all "have great improv ability."
The show will be held in Cohen Auditorium, and the groups suggest a $2 donation. According to Wise, the show is perfect for students who are "interested in having their emotions entangled in a mix of funny and soundless enthusiasm."
- by Naomi Bryant
