For my last show of the evening, I went to the Tarragon Solo Room to catch a performance of Adopt This! written and performed by Dan Bingham. Expecting to see his usual style of comedy (which is hilarious), I was pleasantly surprised by the level of honesty and rawness in this production.

Adopt This! is a hilarious and reflective look at growing up adopted. Raised by a strict Irish Catholic mother, Dan Bingham recounts his troubled youth as he recalls the painful abuse of his mother’s boyfriend and his reunion with his rowdy biological Scottish family.

What I noticed most about this performance, is that Dan Bingham was extremely well prepared. Everything seemed to flow into one another very smoothly and took the audience on somewhat of an emotional roller coaster.

On the one hand, his accounts of his childhood were completely hilarious, but also heartbreaking as he described how his mother’s boyfriend (referred to “Insert Expletive” John) treated him. Just as soon as you felt an ounce of sadness, however, Dan Bingham quickly got you laughing again.

Completely enjoyable, this show is definitely worth seeing.

Details

• Adopt This! plays at the Tarragon Solo Room (30 Bridgman Avenue)
• Show times:
  July 05 06:30 PM
  July 07 04:30 PM
  July 08 09:15 PM
  July 09 05:00 PM
  July 11 08:00 PM
  July 13 02:45 PM
  July 14 04:00 PM
• All individual Fringe tickets are $10 at the door (cash only). Tickets are available online at www.fringetoronto.com, by phone at 416-966-1062, in person at the Fringe Club, 581 Bloor St. W, July 3rd-14th, noon – 10pm (Advance tickets are $11 – $9+$2 service charge)
• Value packs are available if you plan to see at least 5 shows.