The first performance of the year for Colgate’s own improv comedy group, Charred Goosebeak, had Donovan’s Pub filled to capacity as Colgate students came out to see just how sharp and clever their fellow classmates could be. Friday night’s performance of “Charred Goosebeak Explains Physics” may not have actually had anything to do with the titled science, but the certainly exemplified the sort of comic chemistry that the group has with one another, as well as with the audience. As they moved through their entertaining repertoire of games and skits, both new members and old proved their topnotch humor and improvisational skills, leaving the entire pub laughing in their seats.

Warming up the crowd for some future audience participation with a few random questions (“What’s your favorite color?” “Yell out your class year!”), the group started the night setting up just the right fun and casual atmosphere as they easily slid into their first game, “Press Conference.” The audience laughed aloud as two group members struggled to discover that they were indeed the inventors of a giant straw that sucks metal out of the earth, prompted only by hilarious comments and questions from their fellow Charred Goosebeak comrades in the audience (“Your invention sucks!”).

Audience participation was a large part of the group’s next game, as two unsuspecting audience members were pulled up to the stage and asked to play the part of fake significant others during the wedding reception skit. While insults flew between the “ex-spouses,” the rest of the crowd watched in amusement as the two accosted audience members played their parts, working perfectly with Charred Goosebeak veterans and proving that it wasn’t just the improv group who was quick with their wit.

As the night moved on, Charred Goosebeak continued to entertain with their sharp deadpans and on-the-spot jokes, performing a varied array of lively games and skits. Even through the moments when they grased for jokes or searched for another laugh, they never failed to captivate the crowd, which was always waiting for whatever the comedians managed to pull out next. Whether they were playing superheroes (Beast Mode, Passive Aggressive Man, Easter Boy and Man Who Narrates Himself put their heads together to try and solve the dilemma of a world where no one tells the truth) or a random assortment of characters involved in a comically mysterious disappearance of a dog near an ice cream stand or even the rather absurd task of selling neon stop signs to blind, Swedish shoemakers, Charred Goosebeak managed to always keep the captivated audience laughing hard, heads thrown back.

“Charred Goosebeak was really funny,” said first-year student Michelle Krelko of the memorable performance. “I loved everything-especially the Swedish commercials. I can’t wait to see them again.”

This latest performance was easily a success and served as a great and necessary introduction to the improv group for all those who had never experienced them before. Charred Goosebeak’s next performance will take place just a few weeks from now and will surely be just as hilariously entertaining.