THE FANCY BRAIN SHOW: THE RECKONING - VAN FRINGE 2018

It turns out that “fancy brains” can belong to funny people. Francis Brian Shaw is one such person. This show is his fifth instalment of Fancy Brain. This instalment is subtitled The Reckoning. Francis is said to have performed hundreds of stand-up comedy shows all across Canada including major city shows in places like Calgary and Toronto.

Shaw has excellent stories. He shares in a way that is personal, human and relatable. His stories are unique and his jokes are vulnerable. He shared a lot about how the comedic brain works. I felt this great theme tied the show together and could have been even stronger. I wanted more physicality in his storytelling. If he had savoured the stories more, the audience could have absorbed them better.

The Fancy Brain Show: The Reckoning is playing at the Revue Stage 6 - 16 September as part of the 2018 Vancouver Fringe Festival.

~ reviewed by Annina Engelbrecht