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Review: A Celebration of the Unremarkable at The New Movement Theater [Comedy]
He blogs about professional wrestling. He's the host of Air Sex World Championship. He's got a rap career. He performs and teaches improv comedy. He just made a pilot for Comedy Central. Who is he? Chris Trew, of course. Can he combine all of these facets of his life into one show? Sure. It's called A Celebration of the Unremarkable, and it's playing at The New Movement Theater.
In what's billed as a One-Man-Variety-Show, Chris Trew mines all these different experiences for material. While that sounds a bit disjointed, it ends up working well, because it's all about Chris Trew. Trew presents all of this with intensity, commitment and honesty. The show features Trew acting as a wrestler, a corporate McDonald's retreat leader, a one man short-form improv group, and an interpretive dancer. But he also shows a great deal of himself being real. Like when he reads from his High School rap notebook, or when he talks about the backlash from fans of Oxygen Network's Bad Girls Club after his appearance on the show. While the show works overall, these funny, real moments are the highlight.
A lot of stand-up comedians are self-deprecating for a laugh, but there's not much to back it up other than their own word. Chris Trew provides proof of his own follies from his rap notebook and shows you directly the scathing response to his appearance on Bad Girls Club. There's something so honest about these parts of the show, whereas a lot of stand-up's jokes can appear contrived only to get laughs. Trew's commitment to his craft comes through here—he's unafraid to admit that not everyone gets it, and whether or not an audience gets his humor or his approach, his dedication and drive shine through at their brightest when he offers these insights.
The shows live elements are all broken up by video segments. Video in live shows, especially sketch comedy (which this piece comes close to being) is a risky choice. Sometimes it works, but often it fails. Using a good deal of video requires finesse. You don't want all the laughs or the connections to come directly from the video pieces. Otherwise, you run the risk of leaving the audience wondering if they should have stayed home to watch the sketches on YouTube. It tends to work best when the videos segue into the comedy, hint at the themes of the show and provide the set-up to the funny which is then delivered live. While A Celebration of the Unremarkable makes good use of video, it works because it follows these guidelines. The videos lead into the next live element, and while they're often quite funny, they don't feel like they're stealing the show.
Some might argue that a comedian's role is simply to entertain. For others, it's also the ability to push boundaries, or to comment on the human condition with humor. Trew manages to succeed at all of these in his show. The audience gains insight into why a white high school kid in Louisiana decides to start rapping. We see how someone puts their ego on the line when they go on television, and gain a glimpse into the psyche of someone wanting to read and hear what others are saying about them, almost obsessively. Trew's sense of humor, his presentation and his material definitely push the boundaries of normal stand-up and sketch comedy. He's on the alternative comedy fringes in many ways, as demonstrated in this show. He's taking big risks in doing things differently, and while not every Bad Girls Club fan gets it, he's raking in the laughs at The New Movement Theater nonetheless.
A Celebration of the Unremarkable takes place June 4, 5, 11 and 12 at 8:00 pm at The New Movement Theater at 1819 Rosewood Ave. (the corner of Rosewood and Chicon).
