Toronto Fringe Review: Pretty Beast

A journey from Japan to LA, from self doubt to superhero-level comedy, Pretty Beast is a one woman show from Japanese comedian Kazu Kusano, who draws you in immediately, charming the crowd with her high energy and unique physicality. I am always a fan of a solo show, I find a deep dive into someone’s life fascinating in general, but Kusano’s life is “Netflix mini-series worthy” interesting. Between her traveling, alcoholic father and her withholding mother who suffers from schizophrenia, Kusano knows how to put the FUN in dysfunctional while learning to use comedic sensibilities as her guiding light in life. 

In a one-woman show, I feel that clarity is key if you’re playing multiple characters, and this is a masterful display of that. With unique physicality for each of her family members, she glides gracefully from herself to her mother with the mere pop of a hip and a flick of an imaginary cigarette. The show made use of simple lighting and sound changes to great effect - I especially enjoyed the dramatic shadow when she returns to her darker thoughts. 

It is impossible not to lean forward as Kusano relays some of the most awful vitriol she’s been told in her life, only to button it with a quick zinger. Pretty Beast does deal with heavy material, but as Kusano sets up at the beginning of her show, “darkness is funny”. 

The Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace is the perfect venue for this intimate show, and there is nothing quite like sitting in a sold out house for opening. Kazu Kusano explains at the end of her show that she wrote Pretty Beast because we need to destigmatize mental illness, and as the poster child for mental health I wholeheartedly agree. Oh, and “fuck sexism”, I also agree with that closing statement from Kusano.

Pretty Beast is on now until July 13 as part of Toronto Fringe. Show times and tickets.