Looking for extracurricular activities this year? Let me explain why speksi, partly improvised musical theatre, is the thing for you.
© Veera Ala-Kaila
1. You got what we need
Whether you are a natural comedian, a creative craftsperson or your talents lie elsewhere, your skills are needed in the production. It’s all about finding out what suits you best: for example, if you are good with words but not willing to get up on the stage, why not join the lyric-writing team? There are various posts to fill, both on- and offstage; some jobs take more time and need serious commitment, but there are also many minor things you can help with, like marketing and ticket sales or catering.
2. Social connections
Speksi is like an onion with its many layers. First there is the big picture: the productions and organisations of various universities and faculties. Naturally there is an element of ‘sibling rivalry’ between the different speksis, but there’s a lot of collaboration and interdisciplionary projects, too.
Then there’s the speksi organisation of your own faculty: there you’ll get to meet not only the people working on the upcoming show, but also old team and board members. Essentially you’ll become a part of a ‘speksi continuum’, where all the past and future events become intertwined.
Of course the cornerstone of all speksi activities is the ongoing production. Depending on which team you’re a part of, the time you get to spend with new awesome people varies. The performers practice 3-4 times a week, other teams have regular brainstorming sessions and get together for hands-on work (and the occasional drink). The whole speksi gang meets frequently too, alternating between play rehearsals and karaoke nights.
All in all, speksi is a great way to widen your social circles in uni.
3. The Rush
For some it’s the feeling you get when you hit the spotlight. For some it’s hearing the audience roar with laughter at a joke you wrote. It might be the proud feeling you get when you see your creation – a costume, a prop, something you designed – onstage and it looks better than you’ve ever imagined. Or perhaps it’s simply the feeling of being a part of it all, seeing everyone enjoying themselves.The rush is what makes the speksi experience so addictive, and believe me, it’s not avoidable. Although much of the great stuff happens outside of the shows, everything you have worked for culminates in the performance of the play. And it just feels good.
Read some behind-the-scenes experiences by yours truly here.Interested in Humanistispeksi? More information on their official page.Want to join the upcoming production? Fill in your application here by Sunday, Sep 20 2015.