Jimmy Hogg: Mashed

Jimmy can definitely tell stories...and he has a lot of stories to tell! Stories that take you on a circuitous route and have you laughing all the way.

Highly entertaining and energetic. Wonderful outrageous story telling that keeps the audience engaged. A master of the stage.

I thought this was a terrific show. Jimmy Hogg is a whirlwind of energy. He’s very funny. You can’t keep your eyes off of him, which is the sign of a superior performer. Highly recommended.

A talented storyteller who does not let small children peeking through the screen, ducks quacking on cue, or a squirrel running up a back post distract him from his tale. In fact they all become part of the show which, as he notes, is a covered but open space between a children’s playground and seniors hosting. Jimmy (never Jim or James!) is funny, funny, funny.

Energetic guy, this Jimmy! I’m amazed. Jimmy’s stories are so relatable. I’m a 30-something woman and every thing he shared on his younger self experiencing wanting to be cool resonated in the funniest way. Surprisingly educational as well 🤓 I had a great time!!

Jimmy was a confident and charismatic story teller, but I like my humour a little more dark and weird, so this show wasn’t quite as up my alley. Everyone around enjoyed it, though, so this is just a matter of preference.

Hilarious story telling from a charismatic story teller! Jimmy Hogg, you are a genius! Why? Jimmy is in cahoots with the audience as he subtly weaves into the frequently digressing story a send up of his own creative process, the life of a fringe performer, and his own flaws and foibles of his younger days.

I saw Jimmy's solo show last year and loved it, so when I saw he was returning, I had to get a ticket to this year's. His humour and pace of storytelling are right up my alley, and he plays off the audience brilliantly. I hope he returns next year, I will absolutely be going again!

Great show. The description of reminding us of John Oliver are apt - I dunno, maybe it’s the accent? Maybe it’s the rapid-fire delivery.

Whatever it is, Hogg delivers a solid hour (59 minutes and 45 seconds by his count) of laughs through story telling. He’s a master. Very enjoyable.

And no preaching.

Jimmy Hogg is always solid fun. Sometimes he loses me somewhere in the middle, but his signature frantic style of storytelling entertains even if I’m not laughing out loud. He always ends on a bang which is so important for a one-person storytelling show with a sparse setup as his generally are. I wouldn’t necessarily go out of my way to see him, but his shows are a fair pick for a broad audience that you know is going to be a fun hour.

Really funny and polished comedic storytelling. A lot of charisma!

Just one word:- Lovely!!!

From the moment he introduces his show, Jimmy Hogg is on a time crunch. He has exactly 59.5 minutes to tell us a story of his youth: a 19 year old Hogg trying to play it “cool” while hitchhiking across england to visit his new girlfriend. With no time to spare, it’s one joke after the next and it’s hilarious. His story recounts how a slug, a bush, and a half-naked truck driver helped him discover his passion for stand-up and storytelling. And this now-developed passion is evident through his control of the stage, constant audience engagement, and frequent callbacks to recurring jokes that seem to get funnier every time he references them. His setup is unassuming - just a chair and small side table behind a man in jeans and a plain white t-shirt, yet the audience immediately became connected and comfortable with Hogg. In fact, the audience couldn’t stop clapping and cheering, despite his pleas of saving time. He played off the audience brilliantly, reacting to things the audience members said and did in a seamless way that made it feel like a scripted part of the show. The whole show felt very conversational and connected, like your friend telling you a funny story. Jimmy Hogg: Mashed was an hour of well-written and expertly delivered comedy that I’d recommend to anyone wanting a great laugh this fringe.

Ari Mitchell, AYTC

Quite the opening night. High energy as always. The way Jimmy can weave a story and paint a picture is fabulous! Ended up working in a few improvised bits due to disruptions from the crowd which were just as funny if not more than some of the planned bits. 👍👍

Veteran Fringe storyteller Jimmy Hogg previews this new, (mostly) swear-free show, ostensibly about a day trip to visit a girl when he was 19—but it's really his storyteller origin story. He has fun playing in the round @ Videocabaret.

I saw Jimmy Hogg at last year’s Toronto Fringe and I knew I had to see this year’s show. His frenetic storytelling style ensures that I could never pay him the “highest compliment” of falling asleep during his show, so I am leaving this 5-star review instead. I identified with a couple of things in his saga illustrating the follies of youth (the West Midlands, a boy named Ben), but even without that connection, the story and its delivery is structured in way that keeps the audience engaged for the whole time. This is a show worth seeing!

I love how Jimmy brings together the minutiae of life, with contagious energy and hilarity. I'm saying "See It Again" as I'd expect only 5% of it to be the same.

Stephen Low's NNNN review of Jimmy Hogg: MASHED from NEXT Magazine.

Editor's Note: Low and I had a long conversation in the margins of our Google Doc about whether or not the Baudrillard reference actually holds up to scrutiny. I'm curious what other people think about that.

Jimmy Hogg is a great storyteller! I had previously seen him at an earlier Toronto Fringe so immediately got tickets to this show. It was funny, unique, and infused with energy for the entire show. See this show - you'll be glad you did! And as a bonus you'll learn about how to act cool (or find out how some 19 year old males view it 😀)

Jimmy Hogg gives a master class in storytelling! Read the full review linked!

Second time seeing one of his shows. He is an amazing, hilarious, smart storyteller. Must see.

I saw Jimmy Hogg at last year's Montreal Fringe in a different show. When I saw his name in this year's program, I corralled 8 of my friends, and we all showed up at his Mashed premiere. Jimmy is a unique and gifted storyteller. His style, personality, intelligence, vulnerability, and everyday craziness all combine into a masterfully woven hour of deeply human and humorous delight. What a treat! We all loved it. Thank you, Jimmy! And yes, you are sooooo darn cool.