Ottawa Fringe Festival

CKCU Radio Ad

CBC Radio Review (see transcript below)

The Ottawa Sun, Tuesday, June 24th, 2003

In 25 years, I don't think I've ever seen a talent more frighteningly funny than Epic World's Jonathan Katz.

His one-man wonder Sex, Violence and the Meaning of Life from Australia is almost impossible to describe.

God wants to reinvent the world through a manicurist, a hunky American actor and a bird. This tour-de-farce performance by Katz is a glorious mess, one that left me laughing so hard I cried. After an afternoon of overwrought dramas and clown comedies, this bit of lunacy struck me as perfect Fringe Festival fare.

-Denis Armstrong

CBC - Radio Review - June 23rd, 2003

LUCY : And there was an Australian Comic?

ALVINA : Yes, wide-eyed Jonathan Katz a rather strange fellow and one-man orchestra playing a host of creatures. He calls his one-man show : Sex Violence and the meaning of Life. An obvious Monty Python disciple who tells us the story of the day God told man to dream up a new myth of creation before SHE /GOD, wipes mankind from the Face of the earth. In between organic chocolate biscuits, Katz tells us the story of the New Zealand Manicurist EMILY who saved the world. Sex, Violence and the Meaning of life is an hour of pure joy. Delightfully funny, it bristles with intelligence and imagination and Katz does a great parody of a method actor delving into the recesses of his repressed self, and his mommy troubles.

- Alvina Ruprecht

Off The Record, June 23rd, 2003

The lively & energetic one-man show from Melbourne, Australia, helmed by the talented Jonno Katz, is a worth-while show to see at this year's Ottawa Fringe Festival. Katz's original creation is both over-the-top and surreal - and in a very good way! The solo show follows the adventures of Emily, a New Zealand manicurist with "big hands" as she sets out on an epic voyage that leads to a variety of encounters that are sure to leave the audience in stitches. Katz is a natural on stage, seemingly drawing primal energy from the very air itself, resulting in an excellent dynamic that is typically - and unfortunately - unseen in modern theatre. The unique concept and a dozen of hilarious characters pulled together and mastered by Katz results in an engaging & original staged show. "Theatre of the New Millennium" for certain, Katz' show is definitely one of the highlights of this year's Fringe.

- Paul Welch

The Ottawa Citizen, June 25th, 2003

This is the kind of bizarre, absurdist show that audiences tend to either love or hate. Big-eyed, frizzy-haired Australian performer Jonathan Katz bounces around the stage like a pinball, and at a late show Monday night at the University of Ottawa's Alumni Theatre, he had many in the large crowd cheering and applauding his antics. Others looked puzzled.

Katz's show involves a manicurist named Emily and her bizarre journey, but that's just a set-up for a show that has the tone of Andy Kaufman crossed with Robin Williams in his most over-the-top mode. (In the middle of the sho, Katz takes a break and passes out cookies to the audience.)

Katz seems to be making much of it up on the spot, and he regularily draws our attention to the artificiality of it all. His auctioneer's speaking pace combined with his accent, makes it occasionally difficult to understand his remarks, but in a show like this, it doesn't really matter. The real subject is Katz's loopy style. It wears thin, but there are some good bits, including a send-up of American method acting. The show continues at Thursday 10pm., Friday at 7pm. and Sunday at 8.30pm.

- Steve Mazey

Off The Record, June 26th-29th 2003

Go see it! The show is amazing. Totally hilarious! And the guy is out of his minds; I think he ate too many cookies!...and by the way, don't forget to tip the techie.

-Jean-Francois

Oooooooh! Aaaaaaaaah! Shockingly funny.

-Anon

Very funny! Excellent!

-Anon

Well it made for a better creation myth than anything else I've ever seen.

-Anon

Sex, Violence, etc. is fast-paced, surreal and very silly.

-Ian G.

Hilarious! (Accent was a little hard to understand, music was occassionally to loud, but an action-driven show none-the-less.) The cookies were a nice bonus too. :)

-Laurence

Where do babies come from? Does the "Emily" creation story win the contest? Thankyou very much for the terrific performance - and cookies!

-Winston Ernst & Julie Hawn

Most refreshing performance. I went not weighted down with reviews, expectation or having any idea what event awaited and I was blown away by the imagination of this performance AND the awesome soundtrack.

-Michele R.