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by Nile Séguin

Third Man, Toronto Fringe Festival, Glen Morris Studio Theatre, Toronto

July 5-15, 2006

This show’s misleading title and description in the Fringe program make you to expect incisive political commentary.  Instead, the likeable Nile Séguin does a fairly standard, well-delivered stand-up routine about his fears going through customs especially when carrying drugs or without a visa.  As sidebars he does mention Guantánamo Bay and renditions to Syria, but his real focus is himself and he is funniest about male attitudes towards sex.  His rant against PETA falls flat, and his attempts to force our audience into increasingly off-colour territory never panned out.  Were the title, say, "A Condom Too Far," he'd draw the right crowd.  Then he could really take off.  

©Christopher Hoile

Note: A version of this review appeared in Eye Weekly 2006-07-13.

Photo: Nile Séguin. ©2009 the debaters.