By Ronak Chadha ‘25
Laughter is considered the best medicine — since the early 90’s, Mr. Marcel, who founded the Sanguine Humours club as a junior at Bellarmine 31 years ago, has been helping students share the gift of laughter with the Bellarmine community through the Sanguine Humours club. According to Mr. Marcel, his favorite way to end the work week is to “spend time with the funny and talented student members on a Friday afternoon, getting to know their personalities, what type of humor they find funny, what kind of comedy they are good at, and help foster a supportive and collaborative community of improv-performers.”
Club members spend time doing warm-ups, playing improv games, and practicing short-form improv along the lines of the improv comedy TV show “Who’s Line Is It Anyway?” Along with Mr. Young, Mr. Marcel provides feedback to students on their performances, analyzes what worked & what can be improved, and coaches them. Once students master the short form of improv, Mr. Marcel plans to introduce them to the theme-based long-form improv.
The club plans to showcase student talent and entertain Bellarmine audiences in-person this year, after going virtual and live streaming “Sanguine Zoomers” last year due to COVID. In addition to performing a show almost every month in the Black Box Theatre in Sobrato, the club will be putting up two in-person “Main Stage” shows in the Spring Semester, during which performers will be able to experience audience feedback instantly via real-time laughter, which was sorely missed during the live stream events last year and is a critical component of improv. The two Mainstage shows will also raise funds and awareness for local and global charities.
Sanguine Humours is a co-ed club and currently has 13 members. While no experience is needed to join the club, many students have prior experience either through the summer acting class or through the “Nonsensicals” improv comedy group, also moderated by Mr. Marcel. Sanguine Humours meets every Friday in the Blackbox theatre after school. Go check them out!
