January 13
Review: Aaron Berg Underbelly Diaries Redux 2011
Tonight had a younger crowd at Yuk Yuk’s on Elgin, which is not surprising given it is 2 for 1 student night. It was an intimate crowd and setting for a cold winters night, and those who attended were ready to laugh.
Yuk Yuk’s brought Berg’s one man show to their Cold Dark January. The audience is fully alerted when they purchase their tickets that this show is going to have language and content that may offend some. The MC for the evening Rob Mailloux, started out with some crude humour with a laid back attitude. He has trouble eliciting a strong reaction from the crowd, but that is his job, to warm the crowd up. He moves into some crowd interaction, which brings them to life. A few more jokes and we are ready for our feature act. Wait, feature act after the MC? That doesn’t sound right? But tonight is a special performance. Instead of regular stand up comedy, the crowd is told that they will receive a one act show, a narrative of the comics life. One man. Sixty minutes. And away they go.
Berg starts off by stating “There is no such thing as a big break in Canada”. He repeats this phrase quite a bit at the beginning. He goes into his start in life, his influences, his upbringing. don’t expect fairly tales and butter tarts, he has some fascinating experiences that, as the title declares, comes from the “underbelly” of society.. Berg continues, flawlessly for over an hour, captivating the crowd with his show. There was never a moment where the crowd was not fully engrossed in what he was saying or laughing hysterically. His stage presence is effervescent, it is a combination of stand up, theatre, and some exotic dancing. (you have to come to the show to understand this reference.)
Berg completes his performance to rousing applause, and the crowd is bewildered as to where the time has gone. The MC returns for announcements, and rightly so he states he feels uncomfortable coming up after the end of that show. But this is a comedy show in the end, and their are future shows to promote!
This show is for those who enjoy the fringe, the side of life that is not always neat and pretty, but told in methods that has the audience laughing until they cannot laugh anymore. Yuk Yuk’s should be commended for taking a risk in changing the format of an MC, opener, middler and headliner. by moving something that is still comedy, but brings a strength and art that is not seen by mainstream society on a regular basis The show was enjoyable, and heartwarming in places, and every audience member came out laughing. To be reminded, it is not for the faint of heart, it is comedy that is really on the edge and in the “underbelly”
Review: Aaron Berg Underbelly Diaries Redux 2011
Tonight had a younger crowd at Yuk Yuk’s on Elgin, which is not surprising given it is 2 for 1 student night. It was an intimate crowd and setting for a cold winters night, and those who attended were ready to laugh.
Yuk Yuk’s brought Berg’s one man show to their Cold Dark January. The audience is fully alerted when they purchase their tickets that this show is going to have language and content that may offend some. The MC for the evening Rob Mailloux, started out with some crude humour with a laid back attitude. He has trouble eliciting a strong reaction from the crowd, but that is his job, to warm the crowd up. He moves into some crowd interaction, which brings them to life. A few more jokes and we are ready for our feature act. Wait, feature act after the MC? That doesn’t sound right? But tonight is a special performance. Instead of regular stand up comedy, the crowd is told that they will receive a one act show, a narrative of the comics life. One man. Sixty minutes. And away they go.
Berg starts off by stating “There is no such thing as a big break in Canada”. He repeats this phrase quite a bit at the beginning. He goes into his start in life, his influences, his upbringing. don’t expect fairly tales and butter tarts, he has some fascinating experiences that, as the title declares, comes from the “underbelly” of society.. Berg continues, flawlessly for over an hour, captivating the crowd with his show. There was never a moment where the crowd was not fully engrossed in what he was saying or laughing hysterically. His stage presence is effervescent, it is a combination of stand up, theatre, and some exotic dancing. (you have to come to the show to understand this reference.)
Berg completes his performance to rousing applause, and the crowd is bewildered as to where the time has gone. The MC returns for announcements, and rightly so he states he feels uncomfortable coming up after the end of that show. But this is a comedy show in the end, and their are future shows to promote!
This show is for those who enjoy the fringe, the side of life that is not always neat and pretty, but told in methods that has the audience laughing until they cannot laugh anymore. Yuk Yuk’s should be commended for taking a risk in changing the format of an MC, opener, middler and headliner. by moving something that is still comedy, but brings a strength and art that is not seen by mainstream society on a regular basis The show was enjoyable, and heartwarming in places, and every audience member came out laughing. To be reminded, it is not for the faint of heart, it is comedy that is really on the edge and in the “underbelly”
Jenn Hayward
This show can be seen at Yuk Yuk’s Elgin on Friday, with two shows Saturday. Call 613-236-5233 to reseve your table.
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