Toronto Fringe Review: Flight of the Ballooncaster: The Hottest Air

Flight of the Ballooncaster: The Hottest Air is a two-person musical that tells the story of a pair of best friend sportscasters where one of them is kidnapped and the other journeys to find his lost friend in a hot air balloon. Read that sentence again. 

Second City alumni Devon Hyland and Connor Thompson have created an unpredictable world of adventure, betrayal, and avian warfare. The pair play iconic sportscasters, Paul Michaels and Jerry Koal, who exist within a fantastic world not unlike our own - only with more singing, hot air balloons, and anthropomorphic bird-creatures. Not resting at sheer absurd plot points, Hyland and Thompson have crafted clever music to not only drive the narrative, but pull the audience even deeper into the abyss of nonsense. There is Dr. Seuss whimsy at play through the duration of this story that is supported by clever dialogue filled with irreverent humour. 

Hyland and Thompson’s writing is not the only strong point of the show. Between the two of them, they portray at least a dozen different characters within the story - sometimes all on stage at once. While it is one thing to create distinct characters with clear dialect and mannerism, it is another thing to be able to switch in and out of these characters in a seamless manner. 

A ludicrous script, precise performances, and one ridiculous gag after another, Flight of the Ballooncaster: The Hottest Air is a must-see for fans of both musical theatre and sketch comedy. 

Flight of the Ballooncaster: The Hottest Air is on now until July 17 as part of the 2022 Toronto Fringe Festival.
Find show times and tickets here.