“Tonight … we celebrate a legacy.”
With these words, Keenan Rector Cory Hodson kicked off this past weekend’s Keenan Revue, and one cannot fault him for such a lofty statement. Now in its 50th year, the Keenan Revue is the shining achievement of Notre Dame’s dorm culture. Very few events on this campus can attract hour-long ticket lines, three packed performances in the dreaded Stepan Center and a heap of alumni to make the trek back to South Bend. So what has made the Keenan Revue such a lasting and beloved tradition?
The format isn’t groundbreaking; it’s a sketch-comedy show interspersed with musical performances. It wears its SNL influence on its sleeve, even having its own Weekend Update clone titled “The News.” What makes the Keenan Revue so special is that it’s for us and by us; it’s a comedy show so tailored to the whims and quirks of Notre Dame that going feels like an affirmation of our unique community. To laugh about Menbrozas and SYRs in a dome packed with your fellow students is a reminder that what we have on this campus is singular and a connection that will tie all of us together for the rest of our lives.
You can’t blame me for mythologizing the show so much; the night started with a prerecorded video of Keenan alumni emotionally discussing what makes Keenan Revue so special to them. Following that, the show transitioned to one of its iconic stripteases set to Sabrina Carpenter’s “Tears.” What really sells this bit every year is the performers’ commitment to the ludicrous dance moves. They also dramatically recreated Michelangelo’s “The Creation of Adam” set to “... Baby One More Time” — who knew the rebirth of the Renaissance would be in South Bend.
After that fun burlesque opening, we got our first comedy sketches of the night. “Confessional Chat” featured a bumbling priest using ChatGPT during a confession; wacky misunderstandings ensued, but its satire of our ever-growing dependence on AI kind of scared me too. After that, we got a “Stranger Things” sketch lampooning its final season. Even though it borrowed heavily from the well-worn jokes you’ve certainly encountered online, the fun impersonations of the characters made it an enjoyable time.
“ROTC Study Abroad” featured a witless ROTC student celebrating his military draft that had been rebranded as a study-abroad opportunity. This clever sketch skillfully escalated the bit over the runtime, eventually culminating in NIL deals sponsored by Israel. “MCOB Takeover” trod very familiar ground with its derision of Mendoza students, but did it with enough zaniness that it still felt fresh; the ending montage of the Instagram story takeover had me cackling. A Trump sketch followed suit, channeling the looniness of the current administration towards the Notre Dame community; Trump called Father Bob “Dirty Dowd” and vowed to bomb “The Hamas Bookstore,” while a hilariously accurate RFK Jr. impersonation wheezed about boom boom chicken.
The following “Exit Music for a Sketch” was the most ambitious sketch of the night. It was a silent tragedy set to Radiohead’s “Exit Music (for a film),” displaying a montage of all the lighthearted moments of the underclassmen experience at ND before study abroad junior year brings them to a bitter end. The abroad grim reaper spares nobody as friends dramatically betray each other for desire. And finally, the act ended with an energetic performance of “Sex on Fire;” a commanding vocal performance and impressive instrumental solos made this the standout musical moment of the show.
The shorter second act was noticeably shakier. Bright spots cropped up here and there — “Fantasy Roulette” delivered bone-chilling fantasy punishments such as “Poop at Olfs” — but too many of these later sketches drifted into scattershot and banal territory. But even at their loosest, the sketches always remained amusing to watch. And that’s the real beauty of the Keenan Revue. It’s a marvel enough watching the fruit of months of writing, coordination, rehearsal and marketing come together from an incredibly tight-knit community. The joy and creativity on display is undeniable, acting as a living testament to everything that makes this school special. Even though I don’t live in Keenan Hall, nor a dorm even relevant enough to get mentioned in the show, I feel immense pride whenever I see the show. I hope the Keenan Revue lives not only for another 50 years, but forever.
