FRINGE IS FUNNY RECAP
Last night I was fortunate enough to be a part of the Fringe Is Funny lineup as a way to share my new show, "A CANADIAN EXPLAINS EUROVISION TO OTHER CANADIANS" with the Toronto Fringe community.
Opening this Friday at 12:15 with a PWYC performance (don't miss out!)
The best part of this showcase was that it put a lot of other shows on my radar that may have otherwise gone unnoticed and I am excited to share with you some of these as my recommendations going forward from the night as the 'do not miss' events from this upcoming Fringe!
A SEXY PIGEON SHOW
After an excellent display at Ottawa Fringe, I had them on my radar from the beginning. This looks equal parts silly, fun and even sexy! Plenty of charm and sweetness on display and I'm excited to see what they come up with!
NEARLY DEPARTED
Deadpan standup with a unique perspective will always be on my radar. This seems fun, dry, delightful and the jokes are actually great. Definitely high on my list of priorities and potentially my stand up option for the Fringe as a whole!
JUDGE MINTZ
Tight improv, great crowd work and a great balance of silly and serious. They're sharp and fun and could potentially be the best improv of the entire Fringe. I am super excited for this one and eager to see where it goes from here!
BITTY-BAT AND FRIENDS!
I was sold within the first two minutes of this. Hilarious, silly, and total commitment is a perfect combination for a great clown performance, and this had it all. Simplicity is often the funniest thing to demonstrate, and this did a great job of balancing effective and silly presentation and intrigue. Very much looking forward to this one!
THE ZUCCHINI CLUB
In a world dominated by Muppets, Alexander really made their puppet shine in a way that not only had me excited to see more, but instantly put him on my radar. His puppetry talent is very clearly evidenced, and I am very excited to see this stretched out to include the full range of characters in his repertoire!
Seeing this in Ottawa Fringe was a treat. Weird, wild and dynamic in a way that burlesque rarely is - this show stood out with its sheer dedication to the bit. Sweet Action always creates something intriguing and fun, and this show is no exception. Excited to see what they get to do from here!
(HONOURABLE MENTION TO UFC 3: Ultimate Funny Championship 3 which could potentially be the funniest theatre in the Fringe with a good cast!)
PLAN V
A delightful surprise! Raucous, hilarious, dynamic and unabashedly chaotic, Eleanor is my kind of performer. Shameless, in your face and clever, what could easily have been a one note joke has stood out in a big way and I'm eager to see the full show!
SELF HELPLESS
Easily my favorite sketch bit of the night. They understood the assignment (Give me a tight five minute sketch and leave no crumbs!) and then they ate! Give me a sharp little hook to draw me in and this take on medication and social media apathy was a great way to begin.
100 % WIZARD WITH KEITH BROWN
Keith Brown is absolutely one of the best magicians working today. King of the Fringe Magic scene his skill is incredible and he's legitimately funny. Have I seen him do this a hundred times before? Of course. But it's always great and well worth a visit! Do not miss this magic man!
There are some shows as well that showed potential and I am very curious to see! Definitely take a look and keep these options on your radar!
FULL OF POTENTIAL SHOWS:
SCREAMING IN THE RAIN - Dark musical comedy done well. I don't know exactly what this show will look like but I'm hoping for dark, hilarious songs that hold nothing back. I wish I knew more what kind of story if any to expect, but we shall see!
JACK GOES TO THERAPY - A bit of coming out trauma and an awkward encounter with a new roommate teases something fun, silly and frantic. Could make a grand story going forward and plenty of room for hilarity.
$$$(Money Money Money) - Not sure if this will be a musical, but they feel very much like a musical comedy duo. Good chemistry and silly bits abound and hopefully lead to something very different. I'm not entirely sure what to expect, but I remain optimistic.
QUIZ ICARUS - A quiz show about being on Jeopardy. While the performance wasn't comedic, Aaron comes across as charming and confident. I am more curious about the structure of the piece, but could hold a lot of potential!
THIS SHOW WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE - A good bit of banter and a fun dynamic between performers. Good crowd work and set ups could make this a do not miss - I just wish I knew a bit more about what to expect.
CHILDHOOD BY CHEAP WINE - A simple sketch with confident performers. If more of their acts are like this I would be very interested but offers plenty of places to explore dark and twisted themes. Hoping to see it go further and with a good amount of momentum!