2 Man No-Show: Frozens (Zoot Zoot Productions) features Toronto Fringe veterans Isaac Kessler and Ken Hall. A last minute addition to this year’s festival, 2 Man No-Show: Frozens is a fully improvised affair this time around. Truth be told, I’m not exactly sure what I ended up watching. I have no idea what the theme of this show was and the improv wasn’t all that great. In fact, this show would probably land in the top 5 of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever seen. And I absolutely loved it.
Clad in gym clothes, Kessler and Hall worked as the classic odd couple. Completely different both physically and in their respective acting styles, they clicked so well that it worked even when it shouldn’t have. It’s their charisma that shines through. The sold out audience at the Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace agreed.
Arguing convicts, dancing soldiers, and a son sharing a meal with his blind father in the deep south were just a few of the scenes that evolved out of nothing and had audience members howling. Kudos also have to go to director Mark Andrada for creating solid atmospheres for the scenes through the use of music and lighting. It’s these sort of subtle touches that tend to go unnoticed-especially in comedy.
The highlight for me was Kessler and Hall’s constant engagement of the audience. This engagement eventually led to the berating of an audience member and the results were priceless. It’s this kind of danger and spontaneity that makes 2 Man No-Show: Frozens worth the price of admission. You never know what you’re going to get.
Details:
2 Man No-Show: Frozens is playing at Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace (16 Ryerson Avenue)
Show times
July 4 at 3:00pm
July 6 at 2:45pm
July 7 at 9:15pm
July 8 at 5:00pm
July 10 at 2:45pm
July 11 at 10:30pm
July 12 at 6:45pm
Tickets for all mainstage productions are $10 at the door, cash only. Advance tickets are $12, and can be purchased online, by phone (416-966-1062), or from the festival box office at the Fringe Club (rear of Honest Ed’s, 581 Bloor St. West). Money-saving value packs are also available if you are going to at least five shows; see website for details.
LATECOMERS ARE NEVER ADMITTED TO FRINGE SHOWS. To avoid disappointment, be sure to arrive a few minutes before curtain.
Photo provided by 2 Man No-Show.