For a comic book artist, the best compliment is when fans recognize them at comic book conventions. Brenda Hickey recognized one of her heroes Steven Blum at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con International, the Mecca of comic book conventions. Blum is the voice for Amon, a character in the popular Avatar: The Last Airbender series. […]
Comedy
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Make ‘Em laugh
“My favourite thing is that the audience we attract has a great suspension of disbelief. An improviser will say something like, ‘I’m just drinking this glass of warmed-up peanut butter,’ and the audience goes, ‘Ewww.’ They’re totally on board,” says comedian Brian MacQuarrie. This year, MacQuarrie joined Halifax’s hottest improvisational group Make ‘Em Ups, a […]
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Brian Posehn clears the air
Most comedians may be former class clowns, but few can school the teacher like Brian Posehn. Long before his appearances on cult TV hits like Mr. Show and The Sarah Silverman Program, before his 2013 comedy special The Fartist and before his headlining set at the Halifax Pop Explosion, Posehn was cracking wise as a […]
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Forever Plaid
Please excuse the mixed imagery, but even if cornball comedy isn’t your cup of tea, I urge you to see Forever Plaid at Chester Playhouse. It’s a delightfully nostalgic romp, where the plot doesn’t really matter, but the music really does. And that’s exactly what makes this production sing. Simon Gordon, Kyle Gillis, Anders Balderston […]
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Dead funny
Although Count Dracula is a comedic version of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, that doesn’t mean it’s without suspense. Thanks to some effective sound effects (such as the distant howl of dogs and suitably sinister music) and some pretty nifty special effects and lighting (like the eerily-lit fog, a creepy, careening bat and a stunning entrances and […]
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Home is where the laughs are
There’s something funny going on in Halifax. Almost every night of the week there are people getting silly all around this city—-Mondays at Gus’, Wednesdays at Yuk Yuk’s and Bearly’s and Sundays at The Company House, funny people are getting down and cracking us up. This week the Ha!ifax Comedy Fest will be in town […]
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Homegrown humour
The Ha!ifax Comedy Festival is in full swing, and the only downside is that you can’t get to every single show. One you definitely don’t want to miss is Thursday’s Homegrown Show, where you can support exclusively Halifax-based comedians. The show will be hosted by the hilarious Bill Wood of Picnicface fame and will feature […]
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Old dirty Bob
Before you had 24/7 YouTube access to cute cats being silly, baby goats hopping around and middle-aged men getting beaned, punched and head butted in the balls there was Sunday nights with the VHS-donated America’s Funniest Home Videos. Hosted from 1989-1997 by the Full House-famous comedian, Bob Saget was the pride of the family-friendly ’90s. […]
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The Importance of Being hilarious
Oscar Wilde is the king of intelligent comedy and The Importance of Being Earnest is his crowning achievement. The Neptune Theatre production gives this gem all its due with a sumptuous set, opulent costumes and first-rate performances. Michael Therriault is a suitably impish Algernon and his puppyish manner is balanced nicely by David Leyshon as […]
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Comedic Dee-light
For anyone who’s had to watch their hard-drinking friends (or sloppy wine-cooler chugging, a la Mr.D) suit up and scramble through a BEd only to plagarize all their lesson plans from the internet and generally be questionable at preparing young minds for society, Gerry Dee is going to speak to you in ways that only […]
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Laugh pack
Women are allowed to vote, drive and have children out of wedlock, but is an all-female comedy show going too far? Local comedienne Andie Bulman doesn’t think so, and would probably object to the narrowness of the word “comedienne.” “All types of women can do all types of comedy and it doesn’t matter that they’re […]
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Gerry Farmer: The Voices In My Head Come Out
It seems unfair to review a stand up comedy show on the first day of The Atlantic Fringe Festival, as stand up requires the interaction of an audience to test out material, to hear how jokes land (or don’t) and to develop the right rhythm and pacing. It’s a cumulative process that cannot be honed […]
