jonno

“Sebastien cooks with his mind. Roy likes cheap chicken curry.” These opening lines in the Fringe program for The Accident don’t make a whole lot of sense on the page but become perfectly clear on stage. It’s food for thought – and with hilarious results. Written and performed by Jonno Katz, this fresh and funny one-man show from the Land of Oz tumbles through the lives of brothers Roy and Sebastien as they pursue their dreams and deal with life’s ups and downs. The story revolves around Sebastien’s passion to bring his conceptual art piece to life. Big brother Roy lends a hand while dealing with his own personal dramas, including a marriage proposal that has gone horribly awry. What makes this 60-minute production a stand-out is the amazing talents of Katz. A dynamic performer, he leaps, rolls and romps on stage to portray a range of emotions while seamlessly bridging the scenes and bringing his colourful characters to life. It’s remarkable how Katz captures the imagination – you can completely visualize the dog whizzing by, stones skimming the water, eggs frying, and wine being guzzled far too quickly. The conceptual art piece – which is where the cheap chicken curry comes in – is priceless as is the scene that reveals the title of the play. The Accident is quirky and poignant, silly and heartbreaking – and thoroughly enjoyable. Get in line early. Friday’s opening show was packed, and it’s a sure bet the rest of the seats will fill up quickly.

**** Jenny Grabruch, The Star Phoenix

Dance. Mime. Affecting family drama. One actor. Jokes about shit. Somehow, beguiling Australian performer Jonno Katz pulls together elements that might have chafed horribly and makes them gel. It’s kind of amazing, really, the disparate notes that he manages to hit within the show’s sixty-minute duration: one moment a mentally-challenged youth’s “conceptual art” project — a machine that duplicates the machinations of the human digestive system, complete with end product — is exploding; the next, the youth and his good-hearted but loutish older brother are confiding their deepest filial affections. Katz effortlessly switches back and forth between various characters, and at times makes brilliant use of sheer physicality, to tell the story. And he didn’t even look like he broke a sweat.

**** Kenton Smith, Planet S

Saskatoon Fringe Festival
“Sebastien cooks with his mind. Roy likes cheap chicken curry.” These opening lines in the Fringe program for The Accident don’t make a whole lot of sense on the page but become perfectly clear on stage. It’s food for thought – and with hilarious results. Written and performed by Jonno Katz, this fresh and funny one-man show from the Land of Oz tumbles through the lives of brothers Roy and Sebastien as they pursue their dreams and deal with life’s ups and downs. The story revolves around Sebastien’s passion to bring his conceptual art piece to life. Big brother Roy lends a hand while dealing with his own personal dramas, including a marriage proposal that has gone horribly awry. What makes this 60-minute production a stand-out is the amazing talents of Katz. A dynamic performer, he leaps, rolls and romps on stage to portray a range of emotions while seamlessly bridging the scenes and bringing his colourful characters to life. It’s remarkable how Katz captures the imagination – you can completely visualize the dog whizzing by, stones skimming the water, eggs frying, and wine being guzzled far too quickly. The conceptual art piece – which is where the cheap chicken curry comes in – is priceless as is the scene that reveals the title of the play. The Accident is quirky and poignant, silly and heartbreaking – and thoroughly enjoyable. Get in line early. Friday’s opening show was packed, and it’s a sure bet the rest of the seats will fill up quickly. ** Jenny Grabruch, The Star Phoenix Dance. Mime. Affecting family drama. One actor. Jokes about shit. Somehow, beguiling Australian performer Jonno Katz pulls together elements that might have chafed horribly and makes them gel. It’s kind of amazing, really, the disparate notes that he manages to hit within the show’s sixty-minute duration: one moment a mentally-challenged youth’s “conceptual art” project — a machine that duplicates the machinations of the human digestive system, complete with end product — is exploding; the next, the youth and his good-hearted but loutish older brother are confiding their deepest filial affections. Katz effortlessly switches back and forth between various characters, and at times makes brilliant use of sheer physicality, to tell the story. And he didn’t even look like he broke a sweat. ** Kenton Smith, Planet S