Toronto Fringe Review: Clip Show

The feeling of being trapped in a small place can sometimes leave people feeling anxious, worried, or fitful - but if your name is Jon Blair: hilarity ensues. In Jon Blair’s Clip Show, a display of brilliant chaos is presented on stage while “trapped” in the basement of the Factory Theatre.

Since he’s unable to get to his proper performing space in time for his show, Blair takes us on a trip down memory lane. These memories give way to the framing device of the show, allowing Blair to share a collection of solo sketches presented as if they were “flash backs” (or, in one reverse-polarity instance, a “flash forward”) which is basically a blank cheque for comedy mayhem. Not to be interpreted quite so literally, the flash backs are really more an opportunity to cleverly introduce non sequiturs into Blair’s bonkers reality, such as his time at karaoke, a bizarre encounter with his boss, and his desperate pitch to the panel on Dragon’s Den.

While the flashbacks were fun in all their randomness, even stronger were the beats set in the present action - particularly with Blair’s misguided attempts to use an axe to breakdown a door to his freedom, and his irreverent observations of solo show cliches.

The intensity of Blair’s high-energy performance is only matched by his commitment to treat the stakes of his given circumstances with the utmost seriousness. Blair’s earnest delivery and investment in the truth of his conflicts make even the smallest of his gestures absolute gangbusters in the eyes of the audience. Playful, engaging, and endlessly clever, this wild premise is executed to great comedic effect.

Clip Show is on now until July 16 as part of the 2022 Toronto Fringe Festival.
Find show times and tickets here.

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