Punch Up

I chose this show on a whim, not expecting much. But what an unexpected surprise! This was the most I laughed at any show at this year’s Fringe.

A stand-out performance by Ryan Matilda, whose comic timing was delightful. He showed us how some of the best comedy comes out of the darkest situations.

I will certainly be looking for this troupe in coming years.

Genuinely the best casting I have ever seen for a production of punch up. Actors had insane physicality but sometimes didn't cheat out enough. Samantha Springer you will always be famous <3

A very strong emotional performance by all three actors, and it's always good to support local talent. These actors are talented. There were good laughs at times, but the yelling was a little try-hard. The script has elements of warmth but is a little uneven, sometimes overly attempting sadness but missing the mark, and sometimes illogical in the humor (even absurd humor has some logic -- e.g. It's Always Sunny). Still, a good effort by everyone involved.

When you watch Punch Up it doesn’t take long to note how incredibly perfect the casting for this show is. Holy cow!!! It’s a unique feeling to come out of a show and reflect on how intense the comedy is…and intense isn’t really a word used to describe comedy. It’s evident you need actors with impeccable comedic timing and Not My Circus NAILED the casting. The show is SO funny. I was in sheer awe the whole time. There is just so much comedy and charm to soak in here!

I intentionally didn’t read any reviews, I didn’t even read the description, I wanted to go into watching this as a complete surprise and omg no matter what reviews or descriptions you read… you’ll be blown away and struggling to breathe from laughing. 90% of us were wheezing and crying and gasping for air we were keeled over laughing so hard. It was just one laugh after another. It was relentless!

Bonus: the venue was air conditioned and cool and comfy!

“How can I make YOU funny?” - By: Krissy Berkholtz

How far can we go before we break? What is the limit to what a comedy act can offer an audience of people seeking temporary relief from their reality? Punch Up explores these exact questions as we follow our main character Pat, “the funniest man alive”, played by Justin Spurr. As he finds himself trapped in a difficult situation where he's forced to reconcile with the question: How can I make someone funny when nothing is funny to me anymore? Each aspect of Punch Up was explored through stark contrasts in cuts with its lighting and audio design choices, leaving the audience in complete captivity of the performers as they whipped around corners, leaving us trying to guess what will happen next. Throughout the play, the history of slapstick comedy integrates itself into the story and acts as a mini history lesson. Leaving you with a heart warming, wacky feeling and more knowledge than what you entered with. Physical comedy and character chemistry- or rather- what appears to lack of is on full display from a standout performance from Duncan, played by Ryan Mattila, who performs the best of both worlds: the openness to abandon reality at the door and throw themselves into the chaotic weirdness of a character but still sustain the grounded moments of reality, showing the stakes of the story. It was a masterclass to see these three actors perform alongside each other, bringing a hilariously dire set of situations to light with its generosity and desire to be loved as much as you love someone else. Punch Up explores how love, death, and humour can inspire you to be a better person and abandon the harshness of our reality, even for just a moment of peace among chaos to have a good laugh.

The yelling gave me It's Always Sunny vibes, which is great, because I love that show. Awesome premise and well-executed. The long-awaited dinner scene was hysterical.

Waffle slapstick is hard to pull off, but Shazam!, it landed so well. Especially after swirling storylines of failure create the dread and desperation.

It made me feel something. And what an interesting concept. Feels like what a Fringe show should be. A little bit avant-grade, small and intimate, and often “pulls a fast one on you,” leading you down the comedic road and then hitting you with cold hard drama; then reversing that again to bring painful tears of laughter. It could use another 30 minutes to develop this with more subtlety but this is the fringe! Seems one hour is all they get!! Why the half star off: could start a little more positively with the comedian. That would be hard though, as his character is a bit like Jaques from Shakespeare’s As You Like It. If you see it just imagine he had a really happy life just before the play started! Acting across the board was fabulous with some standout moments for all three of them… With special note of one of the actress’ monologue moments (will say no more).

Goofy good fun.

Great cast and a super playful and fun premise. Highly recommend for those who love all sides of comedy, both the construction and the execution.

The ending pulled it together pretty well, but overall I feel like it missed the mark. Too angry for me.

This is an excellent drama about comedy that really made me laugh! As a drama the 3 characters were very believable with a heartfelt and moving story. The drama is about comedy so there were a lot of stand-up bits sprinkled throughout. The audience was in stitches. I'm surprised there aren't more reviews here.