I don’t normally review shows I’ve already seen and reviewed. I don’t know how they did it, but the ShLongers (ShLong People? ShLongs?) somehow charmed me into seeing their show again, so here we are! When I saw them perform in Montreal, the show was mostly long-form improv, with a bit of short form thrown in there as well. Nowadays, the format has changed a bit, with short form taking up a lot more of the show…and I love it! Those ShLongers were on their game yesterday, performing in multiple theoretical universes (like the one where Hitler & Churchill united to ride a roller coaster, a gondola, and defeat zombie hoards) and makin’ me laugh. I had enjoyed their show back in Montreal, but I really loved it this time around. See their show, while you still can, before the 6 of them disappear into various directions!

ShLong Form Improv are performing at Venue 2 (Event Centre), all the show times and ticket info’s right here!

The feedback I’ve received about this show has been all over the map. Some people love it, some people aren’t crazy about it, but I can guarantee that everybody will be remembering this one. The Birdmann takes us on a journey through his eccentric little brain, and brings us a whole show filled with nothing. He’s at his best when he’s telling one-liners and being punny as hell, but he’s entertaining when he’s balancing objects on his face, throwing tongs at a target, impersonating a pirate, etc., etc. I promise you, there is no other show like Birdmann in this Fringe, so if you’re into vaudevillian performances, flock to this one. Go see a grown man let loose onstage, put your judgement aside, and have some fun. He got a standing ovation at the end of his show yesterday, you know that’s got to mean something!

The Birdmann is at Venue 5 (St Andrew’s), all show times and ticket info is available here. Go be entertained, good people of Victoria!

Brent Hirose, you are a brilliant gentleman. The Suckerpunch is an hour-long journey into the concepts of love and regret, and the potential injustice of small-scale time-travel. The show is fast-paced, extremely creative, and features Hirose making fiery leaps from character to character, telling the story of a few gentlemen making life-altering decisions on a daily basis. Infused with spoken-word poetry (one of the characters is a poet. And an excellent one at that!), this show is an absolute marvel of modern writing. Hirose manages to create clear locations and ghost characters without the use of any props. The man’s got a great control of the stage at all times, and the added use of a great score to enhance certain scenes really pulls the whole show together. The writing in this play is approximately 756 times better than the writing in this review, and better in general than a lot of the Fringe shows I have had the pleasure to witness. As far as one man shows go, this one’s ranked pretty high in my esteem. It had a sold out run at Winnipeg Fringe, and it deserves to have a great run here as well.

See The Suckerpunch at Venue 5 (St. Andrew’s), all the show times and ticket info’s right here!

-B.U.

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