Enrichment Hour

This is a show that reminds me why I love this festival so much! Really top notch writing and physical comedy. There was a moment that made me laugh so hard I got a stomach cramp. There was a moment that made me cry in a way I didn't think the silly zoo show would. It's really amazing to see the chiaroscuro in play here tonally, and these three performers are super engaging and doing incredible things with a few homespun costumes and minimal props. There was a really good song too.

A beautiful event put on by the zoo (the other zoo) that gives a safe space for their residents (and one sneaky raccoon) to share their voices and talents. A roller coaster of emotions as the audience cheers and supports. There are moments where you want to run up and hug them, where you want to high five them, and jump up and cheer. Shoutout to the amazing bag toss from the duck that landed on the mic stand! Also, Zebra you’re loved, elephant, you didn’t need to ask for our patience, stingray, what an incredible Broadway voice!

Enrichment Hour is one of the best things I’ve experienced. We saw the final performance on heckle night and the 11pm Saturday crowd did not disappoint. It’s absurd, slapstick, sad, existential, and hilarious. Will be adding Three Cheese Institute to the must see list!

Overall, this was a fun collection of performances. The giraffe and elephant parts were the standouts for me and worth the price of admission, as well as the quality of acting in general.

They opened on a really heavy performance piece about eating disorders which I honestly wish they’d cut. They didn’t spend enough time building trust in the audience beforehand and it felt extremely jarring to have that…and then mostly just jokes for the rest of the show. I understand that the premise was an open mic, and random things happen at open mics, but this was a preplanned and prewritten show so why include something that didn’t seem to fit with the rest?

This show was incredible. The performers did a fantastic job with each of the characters. It has both clever and silly gags which bring variety to the humor involved in the show. Beyond that the show is able to tackle serious topics with tact. It presents serious issues through personal characters which showcase a larger scope. Its a show that will make you feel and laugh a lot.

This team knows how to take you on a journey and hit multiple emotional notes even in a concept like an open mic at the Calgary Zoo. Inventive costumes (special mention to the dangly elephant trunk!) and a running gag that builds to one of my favourite endings of the festival. Something for everyone. Don’t miss it.

This show was incredible. I had heard great things about it from its run in Calgary and I was very excited to see it here. This is everything you’d ever want from a fringe show: there’s excellent writing, well-done audience interaction, wacky costumes, and some truly disarmingly beautiful moments. I cried a lot. I also laughed a lot. I felt very touched by some of the characters. I loved the Aussie accent. The concept of zoo animals putting on an open mic for their enrichment time is an excellent set up that will draw a curious audience. But where many shows get lost in their shtick, Enrichment Hour transcends theirs. If you’re here for animal puns, this isn’t the show for you. These little creatures are feeling big things, and it’s worth your time to go listen to them!

I wish I could pluck the memory of this show out of my head so I can watch it over again for the first time. It's a wild ride from start to finish, and left me breathless from laughter and reeling from emotional whiplash. What an incredible show. The three performers are incredibly skilled at their character work and physicality. The writing is so smart. I really do hope they put that song in spotify, it'll be my top track of the year. If you do go, keep in mind that the content warnings are there for a reason. This show is wonderfully earnest in both it's heartfelt moments and it's satire, and it doesn't pull it's punches! It is a show that always punches up, and it's very fun to watch fools being made fools of on stage. I laughed, I cried, I rolled my eyes. Three Cheese Institute are modern day court jesters, and I hope they keep making bizarre and delightful theatre for a long long time

I was really looking forward to this show but It was a let down for me. It showcased heavy topics like eating disorders and dementia which were upsetting and the satirical "cringe" style of humor leaned on mysogony and homophobia which felt pretty tone deaf. The show left me feeling uncomfortable and wishing I could leave sooner. I'm not typically a negative review kind of person, but I do wish that I had some warning going into the show about how sad and deflated it would make me feel. That being said, the actors seem quite talented and I would love to see them in something else in the future.

Hilarious, heart warming, and extremely creative! So very “fringe” in all the best ways.

Zoo’s Got Talent

If you’re doomscrolling while missing pygmy hippo Moo Deng and Pesto the penguin, get off your device right now and head to the Fringe! You will have a better time at Enrichment Hour than watching funny cat videos, I promise.

This comedy production by Three Cheese transports the audience to an open mic at the Calgary Zoo. Ranging from mammals to insects, every creature’s performance is sure to elicit a raucous reaction. Just make sure to turn off your flash… otherwise, your “happiness will become ephemeral” (the animals are very, very sensitive.)

From kaleidoscopic lights to gut-busting acting, this show bursts with energy and keeps the audience hooked like a fish. Every set is incredibly memorable, containing very interesting prose and poetry about each animal. Marlo Hepburn, Ciarán Volke, and Joseph McManus deserve praise for their seamless transformations as they transition from one animal to another and exhibit supreme comedic flair.