Troupe's dark humor may burst your bubble

You can develop a fairly accurate idea of what to expect from "All Sorts of Trouble for the Boy in the Bubble" in the first 30 seconds. In their first sketch, a Christmas choir begins singing what first appears to be "Hark, The Herald Angels Sing," but then turns into a lewd parody centered around acts that would make Shane's World proud. \nSuch is the comedy of Boy in the Bubble. It's crude. It's vulgar. It can sometimes even be offensive. Yet despite this all, it is, at times rather amusing. \nOn Saturday night at 11 p.m., "All Sorts of Trouble for the Boy in the Bubble" IU's only sketch-comedy troupe, performed their final show of the year at the Bloomington Playwright's Project on 312 S. Washington St. \nThe group, which was founded three years ago by graduates Justin Treasure, Carly Rotter, and senior Brad Fletcher, uses no costumes, no sets and no special effects in their show. Racy material and obscene language are the only tools "Boy in the Bubble" needs to reach their audience. It is obvious that offending people is no problem for this troupe, as shown by non-stop jokes about Mexicans, homosexuals, religion and even pedophilia. Such examples of pushing the edge include a man asking Santa Claus for a three-way with two Asian women and a man who pleasures himself to a life-size poster of Jesus. \nBy choosing the path blazed by such pioneers of bad taste as Tom Green, "Boy in the Bubble" substantially limits their audience. Many may not be able to take the racial slurs and sexual references in good stride, while others may see their brand of humor as immature, uncreative and simply low comedy. While it is true that "Boy in the Bubble" is not particularly original or witty, there is a certain charm to their shtick that appeals to audiences who love to say, "I can't believe they just said that!"\nThe sad thing is that "Boy in the Bubble" is a one-trick pony. The profane offensive comedy seems to be all they can do. The PG skits received very little acclaim from the crowd. One scene about two children selling their lemonade stand to a big corporation bombed with the audience. These limitations cause numerous problems. By continually pushing the limits, it seems to become increasingly more difficult to disgust the audience as the show goes on. By the end of their performance, "Boy in the Bubble" was actually making numerous jokes about dead babies. Where does one go from dead baby jokes to shock people? Fortunately, we didn't find out. Of course, they appropriately built up to the most disturbing material, but if one is a regular of their shows it seems the shock value would eventually wear off. \nPersonally, I would have liked to see more subtle, higher comedy, because obviously, the cast is made of very talented comedians, each with their own personal following in the audience. Every actor's performance was way over-the-top, but with such material, it is absolutely necessary. Also, the cast has a great chemistry together. Upon watching the show, I caught myself wishing I was a part of "Boy in the Bubble," because it looks like they have a lot of fun doing what they do. It also seems like most cast members are very much included in the creative process, as evidenced by each performer perfectly fitting the characters written for them. During one skit, Fletcher unburdens himself with an endless tirade, in which he slams everyone from Sisqo to Lance Bass. His rant about pop music, without a doubt, received the biggest reaction from the crowd, with audience members laughing so hard, it appears as if some of them were having a seizure. \nWhile, "Boy in the Bubble" may not be as intelligent at "Kids in the Hall" or "Mr. Show," they most assuredly are funnier than "Mad-TV" or whatever marginally popular sketch-comedy show you can name. They have definite potential, but only by proving that shock value isn't their only commodity, will they eventually prove themselves. Overall, "Boy in the Bubble" is not for everyone. It will leave a bad taste in the mouths of some. Yet, if you enjoy dark, sometimes distasteful humor, then "Boy in the Bubble" will deliver.