Discover and celebrate the biggest aspects and deepest secrets of men’s lives in this series of sketches written and performed by RibbitRePublic from Edmonton’s Black Sheep Theatre. From sex to hockey to shaving, Be A Man will leave you with a greater appreciation for what makes men tick.
Should you see it?
Slow to start, Be A Man gets better as it goes on.
Going into Be A Man, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I’d read the previews and knew the show had some positive buzz, but skit-based shows can be hit or miss. While it started off a bit slowly for me, the show had won me over by the end. Be A Man features Lorenzo Damiani, Tyler Girard, Anthony Hall, and Corey Schmidt, with direction by Jon Paterson, performing a series of shorts that depict men of all kinds. Some bits run throughout the show, but many are one-offs, and most managed to tickle my funny-bone.
The strength of this show comes from its four leads as they throw all of their energy into each sketch. Even when I was lukewarm at the beginning, I couldn’t deny their exuberance and charisma on stage as they utilized every inch of space they had. They only impressed me further when the show’s more serious vignettes took place. Their ability to switch from absurd humour to downright heartfelt moments was one of several aspects that got me on board.
While the performers do it well, the shift in tone can be jarring at times. The show can go from discussing abortion to men’s flatulence, and there were a few points that took me out of it. Additionally, some of the bits, specifically the chest-bumping “bro” ones, come off a bit forced. However, those fall by the wayside as the majority of the show was quite entertaining, and I’m glad I got to see it.
Unfortunately, Be A Man won’t be playing for the rest of Fringe as performer Anthony Hall was involved in an unfortunate accident. He’s stable, in good spirits, and expected to make a full recovery. For more information, you can visit this page.
These are just my thoughts. If you got to see Be A Man on opening night, let me know your opinion in the comments below.
For more information on Be A Man, visit our preview article.
Images for this article provided courtesy of Myka Jakoubek via the Ottawa Fringe.
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