Duck Duck Moose
Duck Duck Moose was the first show I caught at the Fringe this year and was a lot of fun. It did come off slightly unrehearsed in some ways and overly rehearsed in others. As a show that relies heavily on the audience, a lot of the time was devoted to explaining the game or communicating to/with them, which dragged on a bit. I caught the first performance and I can only imagine they improved significantly each time. The cast was pretty funny and the props were top-notch.
My husband talked me into seeing this one, and I have to say I was beyond pleasantly surprised. We had a downright good time watching it. It’s a lively time full of laughs and even a few touching moments amidst the chaotic competitors.
But what I appreciated most was at the beginning, when a handful of men stood up to be selected for the hero—and they chose a woman who actually seemed kind of shy. The cast was already wonderfully diverse, and picking her made the whole story even more delightful. She had a strong moral compass and didn’t waver, not once. It was great fun watching them try to tempt and test her, and she stood firm through it all.
Even when she betrayed one of the actors, she had good reason—the actor had just called herself the prettiest one on stage, so the hero promptly got rid of her.
It’s a polished romp, full of unpredictability, and easily the best show we’ve seen at the festival.
What a great Fringe Festival experience! My wife and I wore matching t-shirt, which I'm pretty sure is the reason I ended up on stage 🤣🤣
Here I was thinking I was going to be watching a show and ended up being IN the show!
The cast was so awesome, funny and helpful and made the blinding experience of being on stage in front of strangers so much fun.
Highly recommend this amazing experience of Canadian stereotypes and laughter!
Love from your neighbour the Hamuhk guy!
Wow! How do I describe this crazy show?? Saw the 4pm show earlier today. Unlike any improv show I have ever seen. Most shows just ask for audience suggestions and jump into scenes. Today they brought an audience member on stage and made them the hero of the story… So much so that he refused the money!!! We couldn’t believe it (don’t worry it’s not a spoiler. You’ll have to see the show to see what I mean.) They create their characters right there, in stage, the at the beginning in front of the audience using audience suggestions but then build an emotional story around the hero in spite of the ridiculous premise. Absolutely floored. See It. Well worth it. A gem in disguise. Best show I’ve seen yet.
Squid game was a horrific comedy and this riff on it was great. We play Duck Duck Goose with the kids, Duck Duck Moose had me laughing from the first. It’s so fun to see the actors get into character and figure out how to play the character. As they said, no two shows alike. Lots of fun and probably suitable for older teens as well.
To make improv work, you need three things: audience goodwill, creative players, and a format that allows them to shine.
Goodwill was flowing when I saw Duck Duck Moose and every one of the players had a moment or two in which they showed their potential. But the format, which is a riff on Squid Game, defeats them.
For starters, the set-up takes way too long. And part of that set-up, which involves selecting a “random” volunteer from the audience is a cheat: two contenders, who arrived together, had already been preselected in the lobby, which undercut a device that could have created tension and real stakes.
And the body of the piece is not just repetitive (a game, the death of a contestant, a vote about whether to continue), it’s narrowly restrictive. The improv players get a few chances to show their stuff, in monologues before their deaths, for instance. But there are too many players, so opportunities are spread thin. And there’s not a single instance in which two or three players get to develop a scene based on audience suggestions. That’s the heart of improv and it’s missing here.
(You can read all my reviews — including Fringe reviews — on my website, Fresh Sheet Reviews. Click the URL below.)
A must-see! Full of energetic fun. I was very surprised! I know nothing about Squid Game so I had no idea what I was getting into. Hats off to the audience member they chose he was great!! He made “enemies” with one of the characters over Kombutcha and then got rid of her first! lol. They did a fantastic job of taking him on an adventure while we marvelled and busted a gut. I would go again if my fringe schedule weren’t so tight. I only took off half a star because the cast didn’t come out to say hi after the show. (Maybe they will now). Would have loved to ask how they make all that up with a stranger on stage!!