Toronto Fringe Festival 2025
#1 Clown Comedy with Victor and Priscilla
#1 Toronto Fringe Clown Comedy
Genre: Clown
Venue: VideoCabaret - Deanne Taylor Theatre
Festival: Toronto Fringe Festival
Low Down
In just one hour, this panto-style comedy incorporates live singing, dance, clever wordplay, lots of clown slapstick, and drag. It is a feast for the senses and a memorable night out.
Review
#1 Clown Comedy with Victor and Priscilla is a fun, over the top pantomime-style story of cross-dressing clown siblings Victor (Julie Vanderlip) and Priscilla (Eric Amaral) who want to quit the show business lifestyle to become high-class members of society. Will they succeed? Their mother Sophy Luff (Michelle Gram) and their Bunbury cousins ((both played by Parker-Elizabeth Rodenburg) come try to persuade them to stay the course.
The show is set in Victorian England. The elaborate costumes and use of some English slang transform a very simple theatre-in-the-round set into a fantastic world of humour, drama, music, and even some stage combat.
Pre-show, Priscilla, in her stunning red ballgown, approaches audience members, establishing a rapport in the style of the Cirque du Soleil warm-up clowns. She plays coy with her decorative fan while twirling in her sumptuous dress.
The story begins with her brother, Victor, clad in a brocade waistcoat and black leggings, joining Priscilla on stage as they bemoan the fact that they were “raised by buffoons”. Priscilla no longer desires to be a clown in a silly panto. She is determined to become a lady who serves tea and never answers the door, as she would have others to perform that duty. She asks her brother for advice on what gentlemen want from a lady, including querying which questions are inappropriate (many of them are!). He reminds her that gentlemen are offended by outspoken women and that a fine lady needs a talent. Priscilla attempts singing, which does not go well. She flitters across the floor, fanning herself and trying to behave as a “toff” (a high-class person).
Mama Luff comes to convince the conflicted siblings to stay in show business. “Pretending is the road to becoming”, she tells them. Cousin Beau and his brother join in the crusade. Then Aunt Nell (also Rodenburg), who only speaks in the language of vaudeville, tries to add her advice, which has to be translated at every line. The exchange is sidesplittingly funny. The print program provides some of her parlance for the audience to understand. Fantabulosa means fabulous. Bona equals good. Noshta is nothing. Palone is a woman. And ogles are eyes. These are historical slang used in Britain by circus performers and as a Queer secret code.
I won’t spoil the ending but the siblings do find a solution.
This show is a feast for the eyes and a tickle for the funny bone. It is ribald, filled with frenetic energy. Despite the spare set of only a table, two chairs, and a few props, the stage comes to life. The siblings spar throughout the play, sometimes in physical fights, which are well-staged. The verbal exchanges are quite funny, although occasionally hard to hear if the actor is facing away from where you are sitting.
There is audience engagement throughout. Patrons are asked to judge one of the physical fights. The actors keep us involved in the story and the action.
The show is very well cast. Amaral exudes the nervous energy of the highly emotional Priscilla. Vanderlip masters the rational, grounded brother who tries to keep Priscilla focused. Their interactions are both hilarious and touching. Gram is the no-nonsense mother who is very intent on keeping her kids in show business. With simple costume changes, Rodenburg convincingly portrays three Luff family relatives.
The choreography by Jonathan Beneticto and Natalie Kaye is absolutely brilliant. The actors easily handle the complex movement, whether it is falling on the ground or illustrating a period dance. It may look like mayhem, but it is carefully orchestrated stage blocking.
Writers Aaliya Alibhai, Natalie Kaye and Nina Kaye have designed a show that will keep you laughing and make you think about what is important in life. In just one hour, the comedy incorporates live singing, dance, clever wordplay, lots of clown slapstick, and drag. It is a feast for the senses and a memorable night out.
Toronto Fringe is the premier for #1 Clown Comedy. Characters from the Luff Clown Family previously appeared in performances of Victorian Closet Drama at Alumnae Theatre & Victor & Priscilla Go To The Circus at Theatre Gargantua.
