Review: ‘Say What?’ Performances Give Us A Glimpse Into the Magic Of Speech Team

Review: Say What? Performances Give Us a Glimpse Into the Magic of Speech Team
By Jaehun Lee

After spending some time around the Newton South Speech Team, I’ve come to accept that the team can seem a little otherworldly. When someone mentions speech and debate, you can’t help but picture students in suits that look like they belong in the State House.

However, the Speech Team’s Say What? performances at South from March 25-27 eliminated this apparent barrier between those on the team and those who are not.

This showcase, a performance in which students on the team to perform their pieces in a noncompetitive setting, truly allows people to relate to the students on the stage. Because of this, the Speech Team has often used this showcase as a recruiting device.

Unfortunately, attendance to Say What? has decreased in recent years, averaging about 12 people per performance. Because of this decrease in attendance, Say What? has become more of a low-key event, mainly held so that friends and family of the team can come see what their loved ones have been doing at all these tournaments.

The number of people in attendance, however, failed to faze the performers, who all presented exceptionally well and showed the audience why they have been so successful, on both the national and local levels. The relaxed attitude of the evening, a contrast from the cutthroat nature of tournaments, was felt through jokes and comedic moments. Clever jokes like those from junior Extemp competitor Jason Ma lightened the mood, allowing the night to take off on a positive note.

What stood out to me was that Say What? didn’t have the formal atmosphere that normally accompanies a speech tournament. Although the performers entered, transitioned, and exited with exceptional poise, the performances were also filled with jokes and laughing. The team’s camaraderie team could be seen throughout the performance.

The performances themselves were very polished and well prepared, reflecting the team’s successes of the past year. Several of the performers I saw are competing at Nationals this summer and most will be competing at States on April 11th.

With so much talent on display all three nights it was hard to pick a single standout, but radio broadcaster Anton Malin really captured my attention. In Radio Broadcasting, the competitor delivers top of the hour news after being given raw news material. Maybe it was my interest in Radio Broadcasting, maybe it was his undeniable charm when he delivered the news, but Malin’s performance stuck in my mind long after Say What? was over.

While the timing of the event may be somewhat inconvenient, taking place on a Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday night, Say What? is definitely worth seeing. For those interested in joining the team and those who are not, it’s an amazing opportunity to see all the work that these students put into their pieces without the hassle of traveling to a tournament.