The Reduced Shakespeare Company (RSC) brought their A game, quick-witted, fast-paced humor and physicality to Santa Rosa Junior College’s Burbank Auditorium March 27.

The internationally known three-man comedy troupe performed “The Complete World of Sports (abridged)” to a crowded house as a benefit for SRJC’s Theatre Arts Department.

The RSC’s cast included actors Reed Martin, Matt Rippy and Austin Tichenor. The trio, who are known to take long, serious subjects and shorten them into sharp comedies, conquered what they aimed to do, which was to reduce the entire history of sports played all over the world into a 100-minute show. They also answered some hard-hitting questions, like what if darts was really a sport and who invented wife-carrying and cheese-rolling.
The backdrop of the show resembled that of an actual sports center. Martin, Rippy and Tichenor made their presence on stage, each donned in matching sports jackets with the “RSCSN Sports Network” emblem. A large, dry erase board with the words “Burbank Auditorium Sports Tracker” written on it was then rolled out onto the stage to inform the audience which competitive sports would be represented. From freezing Antarctica to the deserts of Afghanistan, from North America to Europe and so on, athletes from various parts of the world were represented in the show.

The trio took jabs at local landmarks, such as the Flamingo Hotel and The Belvedere, as well as the obvious—the different sports teams—but it was all in good fun. From the beginning of the Caveman to the Romans and to the modern sports media, every type of sport—from baseball to rugby, from Pacman to synchronized swimming, from curling to extreme curling—was covered. For anyone who doesn’t follow or understand sports, the RSC made it enjoyable to follow.

There were several highlights during the show. One was when Tichenor forgot his lines during a scene. He pointed it out to the audience, who of course laughed. He then went back and said his line again hoping for a much bigger laugh, which seemed to go over the audience’s heads. Another highlight was the trio’s interaction with the audience. At one point, the actors brought a few unwilling participants onto the stage to help them out with two scenes.

There really wasn’t one bad thing to say about the show except that the audience has to do their best to keep up with every joke and every piece of dialogue because the troupe moves rather quickly. In keeping with the show’s theme, Martin, Rippy and Tichenor each wore a different sport jersey, which usually rotated throughout the show.

Martin, Rippy and Tichenor were phenomenally hysterical and did an amazing job in keeping the audience entertained for two hours. The actors’ antics during specific scenes, along with some memorable quotes (Rippy having “daddy issues,” the reasoning why some basketball teams were given their names and Tichenor’s incorrect use of the word “bad”), made for good comedy. From the beginning, middle and the end of the show, Martin, Rippy and Tichenor left the audience in a stadium of laughter and wanting more.

The show can be described as Monty Python meets Saturday Night Live. The trio’s humor was reminiscent of the Three Stooges (in this case, Tichenor was Moe, Martin was Larry and Rippy was Curly) and the Marx Brothers. Each actor brought his unique style to the various characters he portrayed on stage and it’s safe to say no one was disappointed.

Originally formed in 1981, the RSC has toured all over the world. This summer, the company will embark on a six-week tour of the U.K. where they will bring “The Complete World of Sports (abridged),” written and directed by Martin and Tichenor, to selected cities, spreading their infectious cheer to those who want a good laugh. The show will coincide with the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

Although the show wasn’t completely sold-out, proceeds from the benefit totaled just over $6,500. The money will allow the Theatre Arts Department to provide their students with opportunities not otherwise possible. “We were both delighted and very grateful that so many people showed up on a rainy Tuesday night to see this amazing group,” said Laura Downing-Lee, artistic director and department chair for SRJC’s Theatre Arts Department.

It’s a guarantee that if anyone attends “The Complete World of Sports (abridged)” or any other RSC production they will leave the show with a big grin on their faces. “It was clear from the big smiles on the audience’s faces as they headed home that the show was a hit,” Downing-Lee said.