Six youthful comedy aficionados came together in August to form Yikes! Comedy Troupe, and after the success of their first show, are now knee-deep in planning their second.
Five of the members, Noah Hollinshead, 17, Devon Humphries, 19, Ffion Krommus, 15, Jaelynn Brooks, 17 and Abby Millson, 16 are all graduates of or still current students at Innisdale Secondary School. Konnor Roe, 18, is a student at Eastview Secondary School.
Despite most of the members having the same alma mater, they all came together while out on co-op at Moving Art Centre in Barrie.
“I think how the idea kind of started was, (Noah and I) went to Toronto to see a Second City show, and we walked out of there and were like, ‘Whoa. That was crazy,’” says Humphries. “Then we just started talking about it around other people... and it kind of evolved from there.”
“We all kind of knew each other, but the idea kind of came together with me, Noah and Jaelynn,” he adds.
Now, all six members participate in writing and performing all the sketches for their shows. The troupe tends to focus on the process being collaborative which, while unique to the arts scene, they see as their strength.
“Sometimes someone else in the group can take your idea and take it to a place you never even thought of,” says Brooks.
Humphries says the collaborative process usually begins with a meeting in a Starbucks to decide on a theme.
“Then we brainstorm and talk about it, and as it gets closer our ideas get more and more fleshed out. Then we actually start meeting in a (performance) space, getting on our feet and actually doing some things,” he says.
All six are drawn to comedy for different reasons.
Krommus, the youngest on the team, competes in the Canadian Improv Games through Innisdale.
“So, I have a fair amount of improv (experience),” she says. “I also say inappropriate things sometimes, that are often seen as funny.”
“I really like comedy that people have to think about,” she adds.
Hollinshead also sees the group’s diverse interests as a strength.
“All of us like to perform,” says Hollinshead. “I like production and behind the scenes stuff. We have a really good mix of talents.”
The troupe’s first show, called ‘Why So Serious?’ ran back in August and explored this theme.
“With our first show, we came up with the idea of ‘Why So Serious’ because we thought everyone, in today’s society, takes themselves way too seriously,” says Humphries.
“Especially in the arts,” chimes in Krommus, and Humphries agrees.
“For me, personally, I think it’s a valuable life skill to be able to make fun of yourself,” he says.
For the troupe’s second show, they’re aiming to expand their reach with the theme “Welcome to the Real World.”
“I find it funny when someone says, ‘welcome to the real world,’ to you,” says Hollinshead. “We’re all kind of at the age where we’re getting to that point where you might come home and say to your parents, ‘I’ve been out for 12 hours today,’ and they’ll say, ‘Welcome to the real world!’”
“What world was I in for the last 17 years?” he laughs. “We’re looking at it as, what even is the real world? I think ‘the real world’ is kind of goofy.”
Hollinshead saw a need for a group of this nature in the community when he went searching for one and couldn’t find any close by.
“We’re trying to stick around and do something that’s more relatable for everyone,” says Hollinshead, adding that many sketch comedy troupes fall into little niches and Yikes! aims to maintain a widespread appeal.
While there are no plans to add new members yet, the six members of Yikes! are open to adding more members down the road depending on success.
“It would be a dream to do something where we could do classes with people, but right now it’s just the six of us,” says Hollinshead.
“Six goofballs, getting together,” adds Humphries.
The ‘Welcome to the Real World’ sketch comedy show takes place on Oct. 27 at 8 p.m. at The Loft Art Space in Barrie. For more information on Yikes! Comedy Troupe, click here.
