May 4, 2016 Theatre
That’s not to say that Wow! You Won’t Believe This Disney Prince Reimagined as an Absolute Comedy Legend! is cynical. Far from it. With relentless, amiable energy, Matthewson effuses effortlessly between sketches and stand-up (and a bit of slam poetry for good measure) bolstering his exuberance with a cuttingly dry wit.
With an apparent lack of inhibition, his improv is excellent and, as a result, the gamble of audience interaction pays off big time. Be it assisting with a sketch, granting access to your Facebook account, or helping him achieve his dream of an Instagram connection with Max Key, Matthewson will try to enlist you. But with his gentle style, it never feels like the kind of forced participation some of us have come to fear.
The theme, though risky, works. Matthewson’s take on the internet may be silly but it’s also surprisingly sophisticated and, taken as a whole, the show is a triumph of carefully considered nuance.
With writing credits on Jono and Ben and Funny Girls, and a Billy T nomination under his belt, hype around Matthewson has been building for a while. Wow! You Won’t Believe This Disney Prince Reimagined as an Absolute Comedy Legend! is a tightly crafted, excellently executed piece of comedy that cements Matthewson as far more than just an up-and-comer.
Wow! You Won’t Believe This Disney Prince Reimagined as an Absolute Comedy Legend!, May 3-7, Basement Theatre. Book tickets.
