Tag Archives: Comedy

10.20.20
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When Cultures Collide in Master Cheng at Devour 9.5 Food & Film Fest

Devour Food & Film Festival
Location: Al Whittle Theatre
450 Main St
Wolfville, Nova Scotia

Date: Fri, Oct 20, 2020
Time: 8:00 am – 10:00 pm

Buy In-person tickets or online tickets here

Price: $10.00

Master Cheung (warmly played by Pak Hon Chu), is a stranger in a strange land. In this film’s case, it’s Finland. Together with his son, Niu Niu (Lucas Hsuan), they travelled here in search of Fongtron, and Sirkka’s (Anna-Maija Tuokko) diner is the only place where he can ask for his whereabouts.

Nobody in the tiny hamlet knows who this person is, and why this Chinese man is adamant on finding him. Part of it is due to how he pronounces his syllables, and it doesn’t make for any comic moments. Chu plays his character up somewhat like Jackie Chan, naïve and strong, but without the fighting prowess and necessity to yuk it up. I feel this direction is intentional to show the parts of his life that he’s closed off.

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04.30.20
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One Man Star Wars Special Livestream Event on May 4th

May the 4th will soon be upon us for those Star Wars fans who understand the reference. Usually, this day will mean a lot more than just enjoying the nine film saga at home. With movie theatres shut down due to Covid-19 and mass gatherings not the norm, Charlie Ross is giving back to fans in the best way possible–a livestream of his One Man Star Wars act. Reviews and interviews of this talented performer’s other One Man shows can be found on otakunoculture.com, here (on Stranger Things) and here (chat).

Ross will be performing from UVic’s Farquhar Auditorium at 5 p.m. (PST) on May 4 and interested parties can bookmark the streaming page here.

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09.04.19
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Lucy Kirkwood’s The Children arrives at The Belfry Theatre this Fall!

The Children by Lucy KirkwoodFrom September 17 to October 13, 2019, the Belfry Theatre will present The Children by British playwright Lucy Kirkwood. Directed by Michael Shamata, this localized version stars Nancy Palk (Hazel), Brenda Robins (Rose), and Joseph Ziegler (Robin).

Brenda Robins was (as the delightful 90-year old Vera) in our production of 4000 Miles earlier this year. Nancy Palk and Joseph Ziegler (who are married in real life) are returning after making their Belfry debuts in Da (in 1979). The three actors are longtime friends.

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09.01.19
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From Victoria to Vancouver Fringe, Who is Crazy for Dick Tricks?

In what keeps me coming back for Crazy For Dick Tricks is in how Tim Motley is a consummate entertainer. He knows his playing cards and every new deck he has to burn through inside and out, can rap with the best (I wonder how he’d do in a battle slam moment though) and can bring in the crowds at many a performance venue. He’s wrapping up his round of shows at the Victoria Fringe Theatre Festival and will soon visit Vancouver Fringe starting Sept 6th.

Double entendres aside, which makes up part of the appeal of his shows, his style of stand-up comedy is right up my alley!

On stage, he is Dirk Darrow, a hard-boiled 1930s detective. He’s the P.I. who can woo any femme fetale in this latest case (complete with a few James Bond style voice over moments), He’s the Dick in that true old-fashioned sense where he’s right at home with Sam Spade. I first saw these shows under the assumption he’s a paranormal investigator than private, but when I saw his magic prowess, I was hooked. Some iterations include him applying mentalism too, so the occult is never too far.

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08.27.19
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[Victoria Fringe Festival 2019] Jon Bennett: Playing With Men & A Lot More, A Review

Location:
Victoria Event Centre
(Fringe Venue 1)
1415 Broad Street

Remaining Shows:
Aug 29 09:30 pm
Aug 30 07:00 pm
Aug 31 08:45 pm
Sep 01 06:45 pm

Disclaimer: Profanity, sexual themes and adult humour.

Jon Bennett is always amazed in how he never misses performing at any Fringe Festival from around the world. The Gods of Comedy must love him and influence the lottery selection so that this comedian will never miss a chance to share his story. I knew I should not miss his latest show, Playing with Men, and its themes is not for the conservative minded. This show looks at what being machismo is about and the fallacies associated with it. At the same time, he talks about the most aggressive sport on Earth, Aussie rules football, and how it relates to his life now. That means:

  • No holding the man
  • No holding the ball
  • Out of bounds
  • Boys don’t cry

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10.26.18
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Paper Street Theatre’s Halloween Treats!

Runs Oct 24th-27th at the Intrepid Theatre
Address: 1609 Blanshard St, Victoria, BC V8W 2J5

Victoria, British Columbia’s Paper Street Theatre knows their pop culture. As an improv group, they enjoy getting audiences to laugh. Some might arrive already in giggles because they enjoy their shows far too much. Their performances take place throughout the year and are themed. That is, they are spiced with a little bit of every literary or oral tradition out there. This themed night had fog machines and ambient lighting room straight out of The Exorcist to get everyone into the mood for supernatural delights!

During this weekend leading up to Halloween, the team has supernatural campfire stories to tell. Some have the taste of urban legend spread all over it and others are truly creepy, Twilight Zone style. Ideas for story titles are taken from a community bucket, and the more bizarre they sound, the more challenging it is to put into a coherent narrative. With improv, the performers do not have time to consult with one another to decide on how the story can go, and everyone has to think quickly as they are under many peering eyes. Under the dimming light, not every glance will glow red.

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