It’s Zoofest preview time!

Remember Zoofest? It’s that festival within a festival that tries to showcase up-and-comers in the comedy world, as well as some performances of other types. Last year, Zoofest treated me pretty nicely – I discovered Kahlil Ashanti’s “Basic Training“, which is still probably one of the best one-man shows I’ve ever seen. So what’s in store this year? Let’s see.

Cameryn Moore – Phone Whore
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Phone Whore is amazing. Cameryn Moore’s one-woman show about working as a sex phone operator is a tremendous piece of solo theatre, and deserves to be seen by anyone and everyone. If you haven’t seen Phone Whore yet, then this is the time to catch it – Who knows if it’ll run again!

Sam Simmons – About the Weather
Sam Simmons has his very own brand of absurd humour, and it has won me over. Hailing from Australia, Simmons has spent years gathering steam and racking up awards for his unique style and clever punches. For Zoofest, he brings us his newest show, “About the Weather”, which promises to be odd and and bursting with originality. I say bring it.

DeAnne Smith – Livin’ the Sweet Life
I hardly have to say anything to sell you on this one, do I? DeAnne Smith is one of Montreal’s leading comics, consistently producing hilarious material draped in charm. I caught a preview of this show back in February, and it blew me away – so go see it at Zoofest (and try to get a front-row seat. Trust me, you want to.)!!

Brendon Burns & Mick Foley
This one, I deifnitely didn’t see coming. Professional wrestling legend Mick Foley taking over a microphone instead of taking chairshots to the face? Now this I have to see. As a former wrestling enthusiast, I can’t help but feel the need to go see how Foley’s stage presence has changed over the years, and how his storytelling skills are. I’ve read some of his books, and those were quite good, so why not put him on a stage? Backed up by Brendon Burns, this show should be interesting, regardless.

Dan Bingham – Adopt This!
Another grab from the Fringe circuit for Zoofest, Bingham’s Adopt This! was a huge success in 2011. If you missed it during the Fringe and during its remount run, then now’s your chance! Go be regaled by comedic tales of a horrible childhood and the magic of being reunited with your biological parents. An absolute must-see, and this one’s only on for one night, on July 23rd.

Paul F. Tompkins and the Hilarious Trinity (Plus One)
PFT is hilarious on his own, but I suspect that he will becoming almighty and powerful when he is joined onstage by 3 comics of his choosing. Better yet, this show is taking place at my beloved Mainline Theatre. Come see this mysetrious event, and high-five me while you’re there. Everybody wins! (But mostly me)

Dear Dave with Dave Merheje
I attended my first Dear Dave event a few months ago, and loved the concept: A bunch of people record questions for Dave Merheje, which are then projected onstage next to him. He then answers them and riffs off of the topics presented, turning the whole thing into an original and unique show. Merheje is an unstoppable force of comedy, and this show demonstrates his abilities perfectly.

That’s all for now, but check out the Zoofest website for full programming. There are a bunch of other shows that look fantastic, I just can’t fit them all inside one post. Have a good July!

-Al