An evening rife with catchy songs, side-splittingly obscure inside jokes, and classic lampoons of beloved HLS figures, the HLS Drama Society’s 65th Annual Parody brought another set of memorable performances to Austin Hall from Wednesday, March 5 to Saturday, March 8. Overseen by producers Elena Liu, HLS ‘25, Hallie Fox, HLS ‘25, and Elle Buellesbach, HLS ‘25, “Rat(a)(2)(e)” (get it? Ratatouille?) dazzled crowds with awe-inspiring choreography and remarkable displays of vocal skill.
The show follows the tale of In Rem-y, played by Kate Hostal, HLS ‘25, a young rat who wants to leave behind the family business of searching through Cambridge’s trash to study the law instead. Inspired by Dean “Jean” Manning (Fernando Salazar, HLS ‘25) and his book “Anyone Can Law”, In Rem-y studiously follows the various courses taught at the school and effortlessly absorbs the information waiting for someone to give him a chance.
That chance arrives in the form of Alfredo “Law-nguini” (played by Dennis Ronel, HLS ‘26), an awkward student who tries to impress his brilliant crush Cold Collette (Scarlett Neely, HLS ‘25) by joining her Ames moot court team, despite having no aptitude for law whatsoever. In a chance encounter, In Rem-y offers to help guide Law-nguini to success, and hilarity ensues.
Hostal, Salazar, Ronel, and Neely all deliver brilliant performances, demonstrating strong chemistry by playing off one another. In particular, the leads, Hostal and Ronel, display a knack for physical comedy as they mimic each other’s over-the-top movements while In-Remy controls Lawn-guini from under his large chef’s cap. Hostal echoes star comics such as Kristen Wiig or Eddie Murphy, wielding a skill for strong facial expressions to add a wonderful clownishness to her respective act.
Accompanying the main plot were the signature “parodies” of chart topping hits from past and present. The standout musical act of the night was “I Dreamed of Trees” (I Dreamed a Dream), which lamented the loss of two trees in Holmes Field with absurdly redundant verses sung unbelievably well by the performers.
“The performance of the night for me has to be ’I Dream of Trees’” said one attendee. Acrobatic choreography incorporating ballet, lifts, and nature inspired attire paired with the song to create something special. “The hyper-local, hyper-specific nature of the song’s core lamentation, combined with legitimately impressive acrobatics and mesmerizing rhythmic gymnastics—those Holmes Field trees got the elegy they deserved.”
But the trees weren’t the only HLS ephemera granted an unforgettable homage. “You’re Gonna LP” (It’s Gonna Be Me) featured a remarkable impression of Justin Timberlake by Hugh Reynolds, HLS ‘25, while paying tribute to the bevy of severe professors at the school. “Law School Space Club” (Pink Pony Club) and ”H-A-R-V-A-R-D”(HOT TO GO!) saw cast members, including producer Hallie Fox, channel Chappell Roan’s singing prowess, hitting incredible high notes throughout. “I enjoyed the mix of song, dance, and revelry in this satire of their journey” said Ronnie Kuriakose, a visitor who attended with student friends. He characterized the show as “a warm breeze” that “welcomes HLS to Spring.”
But aside from the leads and the music, the night was rife with excellent acting by those in smaller roles. Deborah Alexis HLS ‘25, serving as the silly and provocative French narrator, tickled the crowd with her bizarre interludes. “Ze French accent is home grown but I borrowed mannerisms from Yzma of Emperor’s New Groove” she said of her mirthful display.
Another delightful aspect of the show was its antagonists, the so-called “Yale Application Rejection” Ames team, which contended with Law-nguini’s squad in the climactic tournament final: the irreverent “FedSoc Gunner” (Peter Bell Goeckner, HLS ‘25), the bratty “ACS Gunner” (Iqra Saleem Khan, S.J.D. ‘27), and the absurd “West Coast Gunner” (JJ Zeng, HLS ‘25). With their Three Stooges-esque scheming and banter, they delivered a number of gags the viewers will certainly recall with glee.
Jordyn Allen, HLS ‘27, who played In Rem-y’s father and participated in several musical portions, also stood out for her vivid acting, precise diction, and powerful singing voice. Camilla Cox, HLS ‘27, gave a laudable effort as well, showing spectacular vocal control and majestic poise in various musical and dance vignettes. Additionally, the band, lighting, and stage production were all fantastic in their stations. Of note, the writers included the hysterical and ironic joke that this newspaper’s little brother “HLR” (Harvard Law Review, if you’ve heard of it) was more famous than the Record, which engendered much laughter.
“This year’s Parody was unmatched — the lyrics had me laughing throughout, and the choreography was dazzling” said Tashrima Hossein, HLS ‘25. “And don’t get me started on the trees! Thanks to the Parody crew for the immense effort you’ve clearly devoted to such an important part of the HLS community.”
10 cupcakes out of 10!