University of Sydney Revues

The University of Sydney plays host to a wide variety of comedy revues each year, each typically tied to a faculty or identity group. Each revue features comedy sketches, songs and videos written and performed by students, usually commenting satirically on current affairs, the supporting faculty and general student life.

The Revues are casual student production, and as such are prone to production issues, such as when Engineering Revue was infamously saved in 2015 by a group of past-performers sourced from multiple revues whom put together a show in 2 days after the original cast fell through. The show trended across the country.

Most of the revues are performed in the Seymour Centre on the university's Darlington campus. Tickets range between $10 and $25 dollars, with various discounts for students. The revues are supported financially and administratively by the University of Sydney Union (USU) and presented in a collective "season".[1] The Revues range in budget and cast size, with the Faculty Revues using larger venues, and higher budgets as a result of Faculty funding.[2]

Past revuers have gone on to perform, write and produce shows in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the New York Fringe Festival, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, the Adelaide and Melbourne Fringe Festivals, in groups such as The Chaser, The Aunty Jack Show, The Ronny Johns Half Hour, The Axis of Awesome, Ben Jenkins & The Delusionists, and the Cloud Girls on triple j.[3]

History

Revues at USYD began with a single "USYD Revue", which then expanded to additional shows in the 1960s, with 13 revues performing in 2017. The original four Faculty revues were made up of students from Medicine, Law, Architecture and Engineering.[3]

Of the revues, the largest are the Arts Revue, Science Revue, Med Revue and Law Revue. Engineering Revue has been staged in Manning Bar since 2006, and Commerce Revue made its debut in 2008. A Pharmacy Revue was planned for 2009, but was cancelled/postponed. The growing number of faculty revues has led to certain revues developing their own individual character, such as the Science Revue, which is known less for science specific humour, and instead for the work of its distinct troupes of singers, dancers and band, who work alongside the actors.[4]

Since 2013 a Best Of show, usually named University of Sydney Revue, has been staged as a part of the Sydney Comedy Festival, which is composed of the best performers and scenes from the previous season.

With Womn's Revue first performed in 2007, and Queer Revue in 2010, the set of Identity Revues has expanded in recent years with productions including Jew Revue, POC Revue and International Revue. From 2016 onwards, a separate, earlier Revue Season was created for the Identity Revues during the first semester of the university calendar.[5]

The popularity of revues saw a decrease, with steady drops in ticket sales recorded in 2016 from the past few years.[5] Lockdowns in 2020 resulted in an almost non existent 2020 revue season, which put strain on revues such as International Revue, which dissolved as a society in 2022.[6]

Faculty Revues

Science Revue

The Science Revue debuted in its current iteration in 2006. The Revue is best known for having a large cast, with 92 cast members in the 2008 production.[7] This has led to the development of distinct troupes (Acting, Singing, Dancing and Band), who all contribute to the sketch development (the band being the last to join this process in 2017).[8] Science Revue is also one of the few revues to consistently use the York Theatre, the largest theatre available at the Seymour Centre.

Band Revue

In the wake of the success of the Science Revue band in 2019, members of the production and others created Band Revue as part of the Sydney University Dramatic Society (SUDS) 'Summer Slots,' running off the limited budget provided by SUDS.[9] Marketed as a "Science Revue Fundraiser", it received positive reviews for its 3 night run, but currently is not a standalone Revue.[10]

Engineering Revue

Engineering Revue is the only Revue listed to not be supported by the USU, instead running as an ad hoc organisation. The Revue is known for being planned at the last minute and featuring large amounts of both alcohol and heckling, by both audience and performers.[11][12] Due to numerous bans from performance venues on campus, Engineering Revue is currently held in PNR Lecture Theatre.[13]

Identity Revues

POC Revue

POC (People of Colour) Revue debuted in 2015, under the name ACAR Revue (Autonomous Collective Against Racism), as a response to the lack of POC cast and crew in other revues at the time. The 2015 production was described as a "test run" given its unorthodox venue and rushed production.[14] The Revue was rebranded as POC Revue from 2017 onwards.

Womn's Revue

Womn's Revue debuted in 2007 as "Women's Revue", returning in 2009, and then going on Hiatus until it was reestablished in 2015 as "Wom*n's Revue".[15] From 2017 the show has been titled "Womn's Revue".[16] The show is described as specifically "written, directed, performed and produced by those who identify as, or have lived experience as womn!"[17]

Queer Revue

Queer Revue debuted in 2010, as a show specifically for both members of the Queer Community, and allies. In recent years, Queer Revue has differed from other Revues by having 3 Directors, as seen in 2017,[18] 2019,[19] 2022[20] and 2023.[21]

List of Performances
Season Revue Title Location Dates Notes
2006 Revue Season Science Quantum Tunnelling For Dummies
2007 Revue Season Science Pulp Friction
2008 Revue Season Science Radius of the Lost Arc
2009 Revue Season (19 August - 24 September) Science Jurassic Quark
2010 Revue Season (11 August - 18 September) Arts The Wizard of Arts 11 August 2010
Law How to Lose Votes and Aggregate People
Womn's Ghoul's Night
Commerce Industryous Basterds
Queer The Gay After Tomorrow
Engineering How to Drain Your Flagon (Responsibly!)
Education and Social Work The Shawshank Detention
Architecture Ceci n'est pas une revue d'architecture
Science Sherlock Ohms and Doctor Wattson in The Charge of the Light Brigade
Medicine Cadavatar 18 September 2010
2011 Revue Season (8 August – 3 September) Medicine Beauty and Deceased York Theatre Week 1
Arts How We Learnt to Love Again Everest Theatre Week 2
Law The Socially Awkward Network York Theatre Week 2
Education and Social Work Gladi-ATAR Reginald Theatre Week 2
Architecture Nineteen Eighty Floor Reginald Theatre Week 3
Engineering James Blonde: The Man with the Golden Ale Manning Bar Week 3
Science NASAblanca York Theatre Week 3
Commerce Economy of Errors Everest Theatre Week 4
Queer The Queen Reginald Theatre Week 4
2011 (Out of Season) Veterinary Camden Campus
2012 Revue Season Science Sin(x) City
2013 Revue Season Science How We Built a Time Machine and Ruined Everything
Commerce Les Biz Everest Theatre August 2013[22]
Queer Peter Pansexual[2] Reginald Theatre September 2013 Winner of the USU Dave Burnett Award for a Club with Fewer than 100 Members (Short Listed)[23]
Medicine Winner of the USU Best Video Award[23]
2014 Revue Season (20 August - 27 September) Law House of Clerks
Arts The Unlimited Dream Factory
Architecture The Price is Frank Lloyd Wright
Med Revue Snow White and the Seven Dollar Copayment
Queer The Nightmare Before Mardi Gras[24] 27-29 August 2014
Commerce Moolah Rouge Everest Theatre 28-30 August 2014[25]
Science Trapeze Gets Degrees York Theatre
Education and Social Work The Land Before Timetables
Engineering AGM of Thrones: A Song of Fire (Whiskey) on Ice
Veterinary The Acattery Awards
2014 (Out of Season) Jew Revue Torah the Explorer late May
2015 Revue Season Arts Sun Tzu's The Arts of War[26] York Theatre 13-15 August 2015
Queer STRAIGHT TO HELL Reginald Theatre 27-29 August 2015[27]
Science Darwins & Dragons York Theatre 27-29 August 2015
Commerce Guys and Dollar Bills Everest Theatre 27-29 August 2015[28]
ACAR † A Race Odyssey[14] Red Rattler Theatre 22 October 2015[29]
2016 Identity Revue Season ACAR † The Presidential Race
Queer Liberté, Égalité, Firing Squad Reginald Theatre 9-11 June 2016
2016 Faculty Revue Season Science It Came From Planet Space York Theatre 25-27 August 2016
Commerce The Rise and Fall of Bliss Industries Everest Theatre 25-27 August 2016[30]
2017 Identity Revue Season (11 May - 3 June)[3] Womn's Memories R Always[16] Reginald Theatre
Queer Queer Space 9 - Escape From Trash Planet Reginald Theatre 18-20 May 2017[18]
2017 Faculty Revue Season Commerce In the Red Everest Theatre 17-19 August 2017[31]
Science Rational Treasure York Theatre 7-9 September 2017
2018 Identity Revue Season POC POC Revue IV: Heroes of Time Past[32] Reginald Theatre 10-12 May 2018[32]
Queer Queerer Things[33] Reginald Theatre 17-19 May 2018 Winner of the USU Award for Best Poster[34]
2018 Faculty Revue Season Science Schrödinger's Deal and No Deal York Theatre 30 August - 1 September 2018
Commerce Camp Comedy Reginald Theatre 6-8 September 2018[35] Winner of the USU Award for Best Revue 2018[34]
2019 Identity Revue Season Queer Dead Bi Morning Reginald Theatre 2-4 May 2019[19]
POC The Hard Sell Reginald Theatre 11-13 April 2019[36]
Womn's Inside the Snowglobe Reginald Theatre [37]
International Crazy, Broke Students Factory Theatre [38]
2019 Faculty Revue Season Law Married at First Citation Everest Theatre[39] 29-31 August 2019[39]
Arts That's a Sketch by John Hughes
Med Revue A Registrar is Born
Commerce Boardroom Blitz Reginald Theatre 28-31 August 2019[40]
Science CSI: Rogue Operation (Styled CSI:RO)[41] York Theatre 22-24 August 2019 Winner of the USU Award for Best Revue 2019
2020 (Out of Season) Band †† The Good, The Band & The Ugly! Cellar Theatre 30 Jan - 1 Feb 2020
2021 Identity Revue Season POC The Period Piece[42] Reginald Theatre 22-24 April 2021
Queer Cirque Do So-Gay[43] Reginald Theatre 29 April - 1 May 2021[44]
2021 Faculty Revue Season Commerce Commerce Revue Presents: The Logies[45] Reginald Theatre 2-5 February 2022 While originally in the 2021 Revue Season, COVID related issues forced the production to delay until 2022.
Science Seance Revue[46] York Theatre 12 March 2022 While originally in the 2021 Revue Season, COVID related issues forced the production to delay until 2022.
2022 Identity Revue Season Womn's Womn's Revue: On Tour![47] Reginald Theatre 28-30 April 2022
POC POC Revue 3022 - Futurism[48] Reginald Theatre 4-7 May 2022
Queer Knights of Campelot: The Quest for the Sword in the Stone[20] Reginald Theatre 12-14 May 2022
2022 Faculty Revue Season Law Pulp Jurisdiction[49] York Theatre 25-27 August 2022
Arts Wipeout![50] Reginald Theatre 24-27 August 2022
Science A B sCience[51] York Theatre 15-17 September 2022
2023 Identity Revue Season Queer Been Gay, Done Crime[21] Reginald Theatre 27-29 April 2023[21]
Womn's Take Off![52] Reginald Theatre 3-6 May 2023[52]
POC The Family Reunion[53] Reginald Theatre 11-13 May 2023
2023 (Out of Season) Engineering Engo Revue Strikes Back[13] PNR Lecture Theatre 4 May 2023
2023 Faculty Revue Season Science Cosmic Relief[54] Everest Theatre 17-19 August 2023
Law Evidence Everywhere All At Once[55] Everest Theatre 24-26 August 2023
Med ChatGP[56] Everest Theatre 21-23 September 2023

† ACAR Revue was renamed to POC Revue in 2017.

†† Band Revue is technically an event made by the Science Revue

References
  1. "University of Sydney Union - Venue hire is available for clubs and societies in various spaces in Holme, Manning and Wentworth buildings. A range of equipment is also available for hire". usu.edu.au. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  2. "Queer Revue: Peter Pansexual (Phoebe Moloney)". Honi Soit. 19 September 2013. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  3. "The University Revue: a golden age for student entertainers?". The University of Sydney. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  4. "REVIEW: Science Revue 2019 "CSI: RO Rogue Operation"". pulp. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  5. Ward, Mary (13 September 2016). ""Why didn't people see the faculty revues?"". Honi Soit. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  6. Sydney University Internation Revue (8 February 2022). "Sydney University International Revue Notice of General Meeting". Facebook. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
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  8. "Science Revue: a scientific report". Honi Soit. 9 September 2017. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  9. "So you want to see a SUDS summer show?". Honi Soit. 13 December 2015. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  10. "SUDS Presents: Band Revue! The Good, The Band & The Ugly!". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  11. Honi Soit (18 May 2023). "Engineering Revue: A big blur". Honi Soit. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  12. https://www.facebook.com/honisoitsydney (24 August 2016). "Engo Revue: Like high school again. But worse". Honi Soit. Retrieved 23 August 2023. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help); External link in |last= (help)
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  17. "University of Sydney Union - USU Clubs and Societies". usu.edu.au. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
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  20. "USU Knights of Campelot: The Quest for the Sword in the Stone". Seymour Centre. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
  21. "Been Gay, Done Crime". Seymour Centre. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
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  28. "Commerce Revue 2015 Presents: GUYS AND DOLLAR BILLS". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  29. Huang, Eunice. "Albums: ACAR Revue: '2015: A Race Odyssey'". Facebook. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  30. "A tour-de-force of fun, farts and farce". Honi Soit. 26 August 2016. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
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  32. "PoC Revue IV: Heroes of Time Past". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
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  34. "USU declares winners of Clubs and Societies awards". pulp. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
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  46. "Science Revue Presents: SEANCE REVUE". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
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  48. "USU POC Revue 3022 - Futurism". Seymour Centre. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
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  51. "USU Science Revue 2022 - A B sCience!". Seymour Centre. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  52. "WOMN'S REVUE 2023 - TAKE OFF!". Seymour Centre. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  53. "POC Revue 2023: The Family Reunion". Seymour Centre. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  54. "USU Science Revue 2023: Cosmic Relief". Seymour Centre. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  55. "USU Law Revue 2023: Evidence Everywhere All At Once". Seymour Centre. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  56. "USU Med Revue 2023: ChatGP". Seymour Centre. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
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