jonno

Planet S, August 7th, 2003

While handing out flyers on Broadway, New Zealand actor Jonno Katz reassures the potential audience that the venue he is performing at will keep them nice and cool. "Not me, though, " he adds. "I'll be sweating like a pig."

Katz delivers. The strength of his one-man show, "Sex, Violence & the Meaning of Life" is full of madcap, seemingly unscripted energy. Katz breaks every rule of theatre I can think of, especially the "fourth wall" that separates him from the audience, and any hope of "illusion" the public may have. During a "break" in the play (for a production that barely stretches over an hour), the actor shares cookies with the attendants and explains plot points, all in a very Andy Kauffman-esque way.

The effective prologue, that barely has anything to do with the story, imagines God as a teenage girl disappointed with the world. Before terminating it and starting from scratch, God asks for ideas on how to improve on creation from the doomed populace, with one condition: "Keep it short."

Enter Jonno Katz, who swears the stroy of Emily, a New Zealand manicurist with Hollywood dreams is what the almighty is looking for. This energetic and resourceful performance of the actor certainly makes the play watchable. Not that you'll get any answers about the meaning of life from this play, but for a few minutes you'll be able to forget all about it.

-JC

Saskatoon Fringe Festival
Planet S, August 7th, 2003 While handing out flyers on Broadway, New Zealand actor Jonno Katz reassures the potential audience that the venue he is performing at will keep them nice and cool. "Not me, though, " he adds. "I'll be sweating like a pig." Katz delivers. The strength of his one-man show, "Sex, Violence & the Meaning of Life" is full of madcap, seemingly unscripted energy. Katz breaks every rule of theatre I can think of, especially the "fourth wall" that separates him from the audience, and any hope of "illusion" the public may have. During a "break" in the play (for a production that barely stretches over an hour), the actor shares cookies with the attendants and explains plot points, all in a very Andy Kauffman-esque way. The effective prologue, that barely has anything to do with the story, imagines God as a teenage girl disappointed with the world. Before terminating it and starting from scratch, God asks for ideas on how to improve on creation from the doomed populace, with one condition: "Keep it short." Enter Jonno Katz, who swears the stroy of Emily, a New Zealand manicurist with Hollywood dreams is what the almighty is looking for. This energetic and resourceful performance of the actor certainly makes the play watchable. Not that you'll get any answers about the meaning of life from this play, but for a few minutes you'll be able to forget all about it. -JC