Divine Comedy pokes fun at BYU life
(BYU) Daily Universe 26Jan99
By Mary Fleming: NewsNet Staff Writer

Divine Comedy is "the best kept secret on campus", according to a reviewer for the Daily Herald. Performing at BYU since l994, Divine Comedy is a comedy vortex that just sucks you in, said Ben Unguren, a talented member of the BYU club and a sophomore from Seattle, majoring in film.

The club has nine members and everyone writes their own material. The humerous skits are often improvisational. Brandon Mull performs and is a junior from Thousand Oaks, California majoring in public relations. Mary Fleming, staff writer for the Daily Universe, saw them twice last semester reporting, "The energy seized the audience from the beginning with loved-but-lost music clips. These clips included songs from the '80s to the Duck Tales themes. One played during each short scene change."

Most skits are tailored to the LDS and BYU lifestyle and are clean and appropriate. Suzanne Daines, as senior from Detroit majoring in psychology said, "The club has a rule that if anyone in the group feel uncomfortable with a part of a skit, they don't do it." One of the skits include a fight between a BYU student, Ben Ungren, and the BYU registration computer, voiced by Jason Smith, a junior from Idaho Falls, majoring in computer science. Unguren attempts to register but finds the section full, presses the pound key to find the next availabe section only to find clases MWF from 2 a.m. to 3 a.m.! Frustration sets in as he yells at the computer, to which the computer voice responds, "All of your classes have been dropped. Enter an action code now."

Unguren claims people burn two calories with each laugh. "We're just looking out for people's health," said Ryan Hamilton, a senior from Mesa, Ariz., majoring in physics. Divine Comedy is a non-profit organization that gives away free t-shirts and other prizes. Two shows wil be performed in 151 TNRB, Friday evening at 8 and 10 p.m. Advanced tickets are on sale in 3326 ELWC.