Though comedian/storyteller Jon Bennett was on my pre-Fringe Top 20 list when he last journeyed to our festival from Australia, I caught him late in the festival, when a lot of Fringe audience members start to enter a bit of a fugue state, particularly in that final weekend, when there are several dozen shows behind us, and a weekend marathon still ahead of us. I didn’t get a chance to write a full review of that show but there is a mini-review impression that I managed to jot down:
Fire In The Meth Lab: Jon Bennett is a gifted alchemist, turning the terrifying things that drugs do to his brother Tim and their family into something (disturbingly) hilarious - 4.5 stars
I was very glad to see that he was returning. This time it’s:
Jon Bennett: American’t
2Hoots Productions
Venue: Barker Center
Show Description:
A wild, hilarious, & heartfelt story of family, failure, & getting arrested in America.
“Masterful, hilarious & heart breaking. AMERICAN’T is a Triumph.” - Broadway World
"A Masterpiece – 5 stars" - Fringe Feed
Genre & Content:
Comedy, Drama, Solo Show, Storytelling, Political Content
Warnings:
Adult Language, Crude Humor, Mental Illness, Sexual Content, Suicidal Ideation/Self-Harm
There’s a testimonial video from previous audiences of American’t
or if you prefer, you can watch a short, goofy interview off his website which was used to preview one of his early shows entitled “Pretending Things Are A Cock” (from the ironic photo series of the same name, apparently :)
And his show image is his smiling, scruffy visage surrounded by a blizzard of 5-star ratings and glowing reviews:
“Hilarious. Five stars.” – Edmonton Sun (Canada)
“Wonderfully funny with a hefty layer of emotion under the laughs.” – Los Angeles Times
“Armed only with self-deprecating wit and memories, Bennett reminds us that ordinary people lead extraordinary lives. 5 stars.” – The Sunday Mail (Australia)
“Bennett is the patron saint of storytelling. 5 stars.” – Broadway Baby (United Kingdom)
“Masterful, hilarious, and heartbreaking. A triumph.” – Broadway World
“Incinerates your expectations of the solo confessional, this flammable Australian is in a league of his own. 4-1/2 stars.” – Edmonton Journal (Canada)
“Bennett is a joy to watch. This is bold, honest, engaging and different to a lot of standard comedy on offer. 5 stars.” – Fringe Guru (United Kingdom)
“Stories as funny as they are heart-warmingly honest. You will laugh, but you will also tear up at the honesty he brings to the stage. 5 stars.” – National Post
“A tour de force who will make you laugh – to tears. 5 stars.” – Otakuno Culture
“Bennett is scorchingly funny.” – New York Daily News
“Bennett is an elite comedian with a masterful delivery, sense of time, and superlative writing skills. 5 stars.” – Theatre In London
“Energetic, engaging, heartfelt, hilarious. 5 stars.” – Winning At Failing (Australia)
Perhaps I gave him 4.5 stars last time just to be contrary, as there appears to be no shortage of 5-star critical content for him to draw upon.
Also, my personal challenge as a reviewer if I manage to write a full review this time is to somehow avoid the use of the word “hilarious” (epic fail on that last time)
Should also probably call a moratorium on “masterful,” “heartfelt/heartbreaking/heartwarming,” as well as fire-related metaphors (scorching, flammable, incinerates), and anything on the “laugh until you cry” spectrum.
There's plenty more samples of his work on his YouTube channel, if you want a test-drive of his style of comedy.
There’s an additional photo on his website that is just a wallpaper of laurels bestowed upon all his productions and storytelling work.
The bio there is almost exhausting in its scope, and makes me feel positively lazy, a very underachieving Fringer.
All of which is to say, I’m very much looking forward to the new show.
(Assuming, of course, they let him and a show with that title into the country. Fingers crossed. A lot happens in a coupel of weeks time around here…)
Here’s some handy links to my Fringe Top 10, Top 11 to 20 and Returning Favorites lists for this year, as well as all the coverage of this year’s Minnesota Fringe Festival.
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