Field Zoology 301: Myths & Monsters

I was worried that I hadn’t studied up enough for this, not having taken Field Zoology 101 or 201, but the instructor did a fantastic job of bringing new students into his world and wowed us with his scientific findings.

The truly skillful use of an overhead projector to create simple but evocative visuals tied the masterful storytelling together, on top of a very joke-dense script and impressively witty word economy. I’m still floored with how clever it was without coming off as at all pretentious or inaccessible. Baby Mothman will both haunt and delight my dreams for a long time to come.

This show is incredible! A must-see if I had put out a review earlier in the festival, but definitely keep an eye out for 401 in a future year.

Field Zoology 301: Myths & Monsters is a wonderfully ridiculous mock lecture that turns cryptozoology into an hour of sharp writing, handmade charm and committed character comedy. Shawn O’Hara’s Dr. Brad Gooseberry is hilariously self-assured, and the overhead slides, props, audience participation and escalating pseudo-science keep the show inventive from beginning to end. What impressed me most was how carefully the jokes are constructed, with seemingly throwaway ideas returning later in clever and increasingly absurd ways. Smart, strange and unmistakably Fringe, this was easily one of the best shows of the 2026 festival.

Saw his first show of the run, beyond some minor technical difficulties you could see this was a show he has been working on and mining it for gold. His lecture format works perfectly and the use of an old school overhead projector adds a charm that transported me back to lecture halls of the past. This show will only get better with time, this is one you should not miss.

My wife and I loved this show! It's a great concept and executed brilliantly with clever props. I haven't seen O'Hara before but he is fantastic as Dr. Gooseberry. The venue was fairly flat but we could still see more than enough from the back half to follow along.

I didn’t expect a lecture on Bigfoot and Mothman to be one of the highlights of my first Fringe experience, but Field Zoology 301: Myths & Monsters had me smiling from beginning to end. This one-man show from Victoria comedian and writer Shawn O’Hara takes the audience on a bizarre, hilarious journey through cryptozoology, led by the wonderfully questionable Dr. Brad Gooseberry. The show’s humour is definitely its biggest strength. O’Hara delivers joke after joke without letting the comedy become repetitive, and his playful audience interaction adds another layer of fun. Even when the material gets completely ridiculous, his commitment to the bit kept it entertaining. What makes the show especially impressive is how much O’Hara accomplishes with so little. Armed with only an overhead projector and a collection of hilariously hand-drawn slides, he turned a non-traditional performance space into an engaging campfire classroom. The low-budget setup didn’t dull the experience, I’d say it added to its charm. O’Hara mentioned that this was his first performance in two years and that he felt a little rusty, but you certainly wouldn’t know it from the audience’s reaction. His energy and comedic timing carried the show effortlessly. Even if cryptozoology isn’t usually your thing (which I'd assume since I personally wasn't aware it existed before this...), Field Zoology 301 is a treat. If you’re looking for a funny, unexpected show that exceeds expectations, this is for sure one to see!

What an exceptional show.

I originally saw this show when it was here in 2024, and liked it so much I'll be back again this year, with a guest.

The density of jokes was extremely high. Every few seconds there's a new joke or riff, and they're clever enough to stay fresh the whole way through.

The staging is low-tech with just a throwback overhead projector, but it's used so creatively and is continually a treat.

The entire delivery is played completely straight, and the performer never broke.

Does not disappoint.