In what is perhaps an ode to the general aura of 2025, Harvard’s 176th annual Hasty Pudding Theatricals (HPT) show takes audiences directly to Hell in “101 Damnations,” which follows ingénue farm girl, Claire Ickle-Eror (Gabrielle M. Greene ’27), who finds herself mistakenly sent to Hell. There, she meets a rag-tag group of the damned with whom she works to outwit Hell’s CEO, Lucy Fur, played by the charming and incredibly adept at stiletto-wearing, Bernardo Sequeira (’26).
The strength of the show is in its ensemble cast. Each character is played with care and enthusiasm –– willing us to love them with their sheer passion and sincerity. Specifically, the sweet pairing of Mafioso-turned-diner-owner Al Dente (Mattea M. Conforti ’28) and undercover angel Anne Gelic (William Murray ’26) left me utterly charmed and rooting for these crazy kids to end up together. By the eleven o’clock number, even Claire’s somewhat dull, straight-man protagonist shtick, which up to that point had been overshadowed by the far more outlandish characters making up the ensemble, found its footing, serving as a solid lynch-pin for the unlikeliest of friends.
As the Trump administration takes aim at drag performers, “101 Damnations’” doubling down on HPT’s history of performing in drag seems notable. Although their brand of drag is closer to early “Saturday Night Live” or “Kids in the Hall” than “Paris is Burning,” the fact that all but three of the characters were played in drag demonstrates a commitment to gender fuckery that is admirable for an organization reliant on tax-deductible donations.
As befits our current moment, the jokes were biting. They were current and they were risky and, while they didn’t always work, the cast committed to making the leap regardless. They punched up at Mark Zuckerberg and down at Cornell, committed to an extended bit about a right wing extremist fish, and made a crude joke at the expense of Wellesley “girls” (touché.)
It is no secret that I have been critical of the Hasty Pudding Theatricals previously for their turn towards cowardice in past productions, preferring the safety of outdated references to the risk of actually saying something substantive. However, I walked away from Tuesday night’s production honestly delighted by the company’s earnest commitment and willingness to take a risk. By the end of the production I wasn’t worried about the convoluted plot or the admittedly weak songwriting –– I had been thoroughly won over by a production that I found genuinely heartfelt and funny.
“101 Damnations” will continue its run at Farkas Hall in Cambridge through March 9th. You can also catch them in New York City on March 14th and 15th or ––if you happen to be in Bermuda –– on March 21st.
Contact the editors responsible for this article: Ivy Buck, Norah Catlin
