If you took all the best of the We’re Funny That Way Festival, you’d wind up with something very close to Tom Hearn’s latest offering, SLANG, a queer solo sketch comedy tour. Original over-the-top stand-up monologues, hyperbolic sketches, and satirical parodies all written by Tom Hearn, whose character impersonations are as funny as they are politically astute.

Highlights include the father who accidentally discovers his son’s porn, a clowns date with Molly the rag doll, Doug Ford, Lady Gaga and the gay party planner. There is so much material crammed into this hour-long show that I didn’t have time to take a break from laughing, and as each sketch passed the full-house audience got more excited culminating in a standing ovation.

Tom Hearn as himself.

The thing about Tom’s shows is that you get the impression that even if no one came to the show, he’d still go on and do a bang-up job. Watching someone perform who truly loves performing is a real treat because it makes for great entertainment. Even when lighting and sound cues were missed, or perhaps it was on purpose, Tom garnered big laughs.

The show also features comedic drag sensation Priyanka who teased the audience into a frenzy with their fierce dance moves and costumes reminiscent of the legendary Jackae Baker. The most noticeable difference this show has over similar sketch shows is that it’s been directed by Kirsten Rasmussen (The Beaverton, Schitt’s Creek, Dino Dana and Odd Squad, The Second City Toronto, The Bad Dog Theatre) who has polished the show into an efficient comedy machine.

Held at the Bad Dog Theater’s new location on Bloor Street West, the space is intimate and works really well for dismantling the separation between audience and performers. There’s only one more Toronto show before Tom takes his tour on the road so get your tickets because space is limited!

Slang: A Solo Sketch Show
THURSDAY AUGUST 8, 2019, 8PM
Bad Dog Comedy Theatre, 875 A Bloor St. W. Toronto

Tickets

About the Author

Raymond Helkio is an author, director filmmaker, and graduate of Ontario College of Art & Design. He currently lives in both Toronto and New York. His most recent play, LEDUC, is now available in paperback. www.raymondhelkio.com