Capping Show

The Capping Show is the name given to the University of Otago student revue. This is a comedy revue full of offensive and entertaining skits. In previous years, there has been a main story line which has weaved through it little skits, bad puns and musical numbers. It touches on many of the current and not so current events of the past few years, satirizing people and problems in an uncommonly brash manner.

The Capping Show also features the comic talents of the Sexytet, the traditional Capping Sextet, the Selwyn Ballet and the Knox Farce.

Although it hasn't always been of the same format, the Capping Show has run since 1894 making it the world's second longest running student revue.

Format

The show generally follows the same format since the late-1990s, although there have been minor alterations.

-- First Half --

*Prologue- briefly establishes the good guys or major plot background details.
*Opening Dance- the entire cast sings along to a musical parody of a contemporary song.
*Opening Scene- further develops good characters, usually foreshadows the arrival of the bad characters in scene 2. The opening scene usually ends once the quest has been established. Generally this quest involves a MacGuffin of some description.
*The remainder of the first quarter involves a mix of short and long form sketches usually completely unrelated to any of the characters in the opening scene.
*Second Scene- Establishes the bad guys, as well as their motivations for frustrating the good guys quest. Occasionally the good guys may appear in this scene briefly. The second scene generally ends with the bad guys resolving to meet the good guys in a conflict situation.
*Then there are more sketches/puns and possibly even a song parody. Again these are unrelated to the main sketch. Generally during this break the Sextet perform their first set of songs, usually three of about 15 minutes in total duration. There has been a tendency over recent years for them to perform a series of medlies in place of individual songs. For this set the sextet generally wear clown/ pierrot costumes.
*Third Scene- The first real scene involving conflict between good guys and bad guys. It is likely that good guys may have a slight triumph over the bad guys only to find out that the bad guys have already established an even greater threat. The good guys attempts to thwart this main scheme form the backbone of the rest of the main sketch throughout the second half.
*After the third scene there are a small amount of other sketches. Since 2005 rather than writing a specific introductory sketch for the Selwyn Ballet there has been a tendency to introduce the ballet briefly at the end of a more physical sketch.
*The Selwyn Ballet then perform. This brings an end to the first half.

--The Second Half--

*The second half opens with the 4th scene of the main script. Usually picking up from where the action left off in scene 3. *Depending on whether there are 5 or 6 main sketch scenes scene 4 will end either establishing the final obstacle to be overcome by the good guys or laying the foundation for the final obstacle to emerge.
*Throughout the second half as well as the other sketches, Sextet and the female group Sexytet will perform a set of three songs each.
*The final scene. Usually the good guys triumph over the bad, but there has been a few occasions over the past 5 years where the conflict has been resolved by the good guys transforming the bad guys into good guys. The MacGuffin is found and the good guys win. The rest of the cast rushes onto stage for the final number- again a parodied contemporary music song.
*At the conclusion of this song- the Sextet (wearing evening dress- white ties and tails) sing a brief a capella parody of the parody- followed by Gaudeamus Igitur- the traditional way in which University of Otago Capping concerts finish.
*The cast then leave the theatre and clap the audience out in a blatant disregard for social norms.

Capping Show Themes:

*2008- Batman: Capping Show Begins... "Forever" (returns)
*2007- Pirates of the Capping Show
*2006- 2 Crass 2 Humorous
*2005- Back to the Capping Show
*2004- 007: You Only Laugh Twice
*2003- Scarfie Wars
*2002- Harry Pothead gets the Philosopher Stoned
*2001- Hannibal Lecturer
*2000- Scarfies
*1999- Otagotubbies
*1998- Spice: The Capping Show
*1997- Up The Deep End
*1996- The Y Files
*1994- University's 125th anniversary celebration show
*1990- Hokonui Jones and the Sword of Destiny
*1989- Startrek
*1986- Robin Hood

Famous Past Members:

" Most have appeared on advertisements, with a few television appearances."
*David McPhail - Actor/Writer
*Jon Gadsby - Actor/Writer
*Jeremy Elwood - Stand Up Comedian/Actor
*Matt Gibb - Children's Television Host
*Tom Hazledine - Director/actor
*Chris Taine - Documentary Director
*Josh Thomson - Stand Up Comedian/Actor
*Roger Hall - Playwright
*Serena Cotton - Actor
*Samantha Jukes - Actor
*Timothy Foley - Actor
*Julie Noever - Theatre Director
*Mark Neilson - Actor/Writer

Famous Current Members

*2006-2007-2008 Jennyfer Jewell - Starred in a number of television roles including a role in Cloud Nine's, The Tribe. Jennyfer is also a valued member of COW TV, though she will publicly deny this if confronted. Jennyfer enjoys long walks on the beach and is a Gemini.

*2006-2007-2008 Sam Smith and Shaun McMaster - Currently drummer and saxophonist respectively of the jazz band Orjazzm.
*2008 Jimmy Aston starred in a TV ad after appearing in Capping Show.