Review: Blastback Babyzap
Without Annette is not a troupe of actors. We do improv. So to see Uncalled For Improv put on a sketch show for the second year in a row (after last year’s Best Text winning Thunderspank) makes me a little sad. Where’s the improv love? They are great improvisers that know how to put on a good show. But the truth is, as talented as they may be at improv, they are that much more awesome at sketch and I fear that this is what will make their name.
This year’s presentation is Blastback Babyzap, a name only slightly less zany than the troupe itself. (Prediction: next year’s title “Smackattack”). But, oh, how zany they are. Working with ludicrous premises and characters with enough colour to melt your retinas, Uncalled For have crafted the best sketch show I have seen at the festival in my five years of Fringing. There is no filler, no lag and not one miss in one of the most solid hours of entertainment I have had the pleasure to enjoy.
The stand out for me was the opening scene featuring a pair of cops. It is a roller coaster ride of a sketch with great pace, clever twists and turns, a sniper’s use of the English language and given tremendous energy by the players. It will likely stand as one of my favourite sketches ever, period (and I must note that Dan Jeannotte’s performance here was superlative). Another highlight was a monologue about explosions superbly delivered by Anders Yates. The closest they came to a misfire was a sketch involving two clowny characters speaking in French which I only thought was ok (but Bryan really liked it, so what do I know).
The Studio Just Pour Rire is the best venue the Fringe has likely ever had and Uncalled For put it to good use with beautiful lighting touches and good use of the stage. There’s music and dancing and a firehose supply of laughter. I genuinely feel for the other shows I’m going to see because this was my first show of the fest and Blastback Babyzap has set the bar for this year’s Fringe very, very high.
This show gets a: So Frickin’ Recommended, I Will Kill You If You Don’t See It (aka: I Died).
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By marc, June 14, 2008 @ 1:02 pm
Speak for yourself, Vinny. I consider myself an actor with a specialization in spontaneous theatre. This is why I’ve taken further forays into the world of clown, in order to broaden my skill set. BTW, if anyone is looking to learn the art of clowing. Francine Cote is awesome!!!
By vinnyfrancois, June 14, 2008 @ 4:11 pm
Yeah, while there may be some acting in one or two of us, as a troupe we’re not a bunch of actors.
By hbc, June 15, 2008 @ 2:42 am
Vinny’s right. You’re not a bunch of actors. You’re a bunch of actors and writers, and hopefully, directors.
By Bittered, June 16, 2008 @ 9:02 am
It sounds like you want to have their baby!
Keep the Fringe reviews coming.
I say short and sweet is BETTER, though.
And try not to give too much away.
By b.j.swank, June 16, 2008 @ 10:04 am
Yeah, speak for yourself Vinny. I consider myself an actor with a specialization in contradicting you.
By vinnyfrancois, June 16, 2008 @ 11:52 am
Ugh, ok, semantics. By actor, I mean “person who frequently presents work from a prepared script”.
bj:
I disagree.
Bittered:
I excite easily.
By hbc, June 16, 2008 @ 12:58 pm
`When I use a word,’ Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, `it means just what I choose it to mean — neither more nor less.’