Toronto Fringe Review: Emo Majok: African Aussie

If the summary to Emo Majok: African Aussie hasn’t yet sold you on seeing the stand-up comic,  then take this as your incentive: Go.  

Majok knows how to fully captivate an audience. Like many comedians, he uses personal  stories as the base for his jokes. Although rather than keeping an audience’s attention with expressions and high intensity, he uses charm and charisma to keep eyes on him while he builds to the climax. This makes his punchlines all the more impactful—they quite literally left me wheezing for air. 

Majok also isn’t afraid to tell his secrets. He shares tales of spending time with his daughter and romantic relationships he’s had while also getting serious about racism he’s experienced.  Although these recounts are steeped with comedy, Majok succeeds in the dual challenge comedians can face of having an audience understand a serious issue while keeping the comedy intact.  

There is stylish sincerity and uniqueness to him. With an exceptional amount of audience interaction, the solo show almost feels like a conversation with an old friend who you’d laugh with until keeling over. It’s a comfortable yet fashion-forward humour, only deliverable by Majok himself.

Emo Majok: African Aussie is on now until July 15 as part of the Toronto Fringe. Tickets and show times here.