Show Reviews – Page 25 – Spinning Platters

Show Review: Link Link Circus at The Chapel

Link Link Circus self describes as the world’s smallest circus. I cannot vet that, but it may well be the smartest and most charming. There’s a delicious layer of meta and irony in that while circuses — which feature animals trained on the basis of their behavioral tendencies — never really talk about animal behavior science, and this circus, which features almost no animals, is all about this. Isabella Rossellini starts her performance with the popular notion that we should not attribute human characteristics to animals, and the idea that animals and humans are entirely different, and then gently, joyfully, dismantles this notion with delight. Continue reading “Show Review: Link Link Circus at The Chapel”

Sketchfest Review: Bring The Rock with Greg Behrendt & Electrik Snöfläke at Swedish American Hall,

Bring The Rock is the thing I look forward to the most at every Sketchfest. It’s the perfect synthesis of the three things I enjoy the most: rock n roll, stand-up comedy, and autobiographical storytelling. I love this show so much that I have, in fact, written my story for the off-chance that I ever actually get invited to do this show. (Greg, I am a fan. I am trained in public speaking, and although I’m not a great singer or guitarist, I am passionate about both.) Last year, Bring The Rock didn’t end up happening at Sketchfest, and I was very, very sad. I was very happy to see it return this year. Continue reading “Sketchfest Review: Bring The Rock with Greg Behrendt & Electrik Snöfläke at Swedish American Hall,”

Sketchfest Review: Iron Comic with Moshe Kasher & Nato Green at Cobb’s Comedy Club, 1/26/19

(Not pictured: Moshe Kasher and featured comics.)

Every year, I make a point to catch Greg Behrendt at least once while he’s in town for Sketchfest. This year, I thought the show Iron Comic sounded like fun. The premise is based on Iron Chef: five stand-up comics have about 8 minutes wherein each puts together a two-minute “set” based on topics chosen on the fly from audience suggestions, and after three rounds, judges narrow down the five to a final two who go head-to-head. Finally, a winner is chosen by audience applause. This all took place this past Saturday night at Cobb’s Comedy Club, and I think it’s safe to say a good time was had by all. Continue reading “Sketchfest Review: Iron Comic with Moshe Kasher & Nato Green at Cobb’s Comedy Club, 1/26/19”

Sketchfest Review: SF Sketchfest Threesome: Clare O’Kane, Alex Koll, Amy Miller at Punchline, 1/24/19

SF Sketchfest showcases a range of comedy performances, including lesser known local acts, such as in “SF Sketchfest Threesome,” where three headliners are giving half an hour each to perform their standup routines. They also a few different stand up showcases that spotlight some lesser known talent. The “SF Sketchfest Threesome” is one of those events. This one takes three headliners, and gives them all an equal amount if time (30 Minutes), and the order is seemingly random. Continue reading “Sketchfest Review: SF Sketchfest Threesome: Clare O’Kane, Alex Koll, Amy Miller at Punchline, 1/24/19”

Sketchfest Review: Wheels Off with Rhett Miller at Swedish American Hall, 1/20/19

There are a bunch of shows that seem to happen every year or almost every year at SF Sketchfest. Many of these things are nightclub acts that happen regularly in other markets, or are live podcast recordings. Almost all of them exist somewhere outside of Sketchfest. One of the few shows that don’t fit this mold is “Wheels Off with Rhett Miller.” Rhett Miller is the lead singer of The Old 97’s, and generally does about 200 shows a year if you combine his full band gigs and solo shows. However, with all of that criss-crossing the country, SF is the only place where we get this very unique show.

(Editor’s Note: At the time of publication we didn’t know that Miller was going to start doing Wheels Off as a podcast. Now you can enjoy this from the comfort of your own headphones)

Continue reading “Sketchfest Review: Wheels Off with Rhett Miller at Swedish American Hall, 1/20/19”

Sketchfest Review: Movie Crush with Chuck Bryant and Busy Philipps at Gateway Theatre, 1/19/19

Ahhh, Sketchfest. Where else can you show up 5-10 minutes before show time, dressed down in jeans, a t-shirt, and your favorite sneakers, and still host a live version of your hilarious podcast? This past weekend, that’s exactly what Chuck Bryant did, hosting an episode of Movie Crush with special guest Busy Philipps at the Gateway Theatre on Saturday afternoon. Philipps was, Bryant explained, his #1, 2, and 3 pick of his “dream top 3” guests he submitted to Sketchfest founder Janet Varney when he was invited back to do another episode this year. Like Bryant, I wanted to hear all about Philipps’ movie “crush,” so I showed up early and waited with bated breath. Continue reading “Sketchfest Review: Movie Crush with Chuck Bryant and Busy Philipps at Gateway Theatre, 1/19/19”

Sketchfest Review: Celebrity Autobiography, 1/20/19

Celebrity Autobiography played to an appreciative crowd at the Marines’ Memorial Theatre on Sunday, Jan. 20th.

Founded in 1998 by comedian Eugene Pak, Celebrity Autobiography presents celebrities reading passages from other celebrity (you guessed it) autobiographies. The show played on Bravo in 2005, and has run regularly in New York since 2008; in 2009 it won the Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience. Celebrity Autobiography has been playing in San Francisco thanks to SF Sketchfest for 11 years now, and, this year, I decided to take it upon myself to review it, so as to encourage newbies to check out what I consider to be Sketchfest’s hands down, funniest show. Continue reading “Sketchfest Review: Celebrity Autobiography, 1/20/19”

Sketchfest Review: We’re No Doctors with Steve Agee and Busy Philipps, 1/17/19

For those who have been following my Sketchfest reviews for a while, every year I like to play a little “podcast roulette.” I’ll pick a podcast that I’ve never heard, nor heard of before, and go see it live. Sometimes I’ll pick them entirely at random. Other times, like tonight, I’ll base my arrival on the guests. This podcast is called “We’re No Doctors,” which I could only assume was a podcast where famous people talk about their medical history with two people obsessed with medicine but have no medical experience. And with the great Jane Wiedlin as the guest (the guitar player for The Go-Go’s, a band famous for their pharmaceutical adventures), I figured there would be some good stories. Continue reading “Sketchfest Review: We’re No Doctors with Steve Agee and Busy Philipps, 1/17/19”

Sketchfest Review: Will You Accept This Rose Live at Swedish American Hall, 1/12/19

I admit it: watching The Bachelor/ette, Bachelor in Paradise, and even Bachelor Winter Games is a serious guilty pleasure of mine. It’s like a trainwreck you can’t look away from. Yes, they get a bunch of desperate, beautiful people together and feed them a bunch of alcohol and film all the fun that ensues. But also, it makes me feel like I have my shit together, because when a relationship I’m in doesn’t work out, I don’t cry into the camera wondering what I could have done differently to make him like me.

I’ve also been a fan of Ardin Myrin’s since she was on MADtv with a girl I once waited tables with in LA, Crista Flanagan. (Although, my bad – I just found out I’ve been saying her name wrong all these years: it’s muh-REEN, not MEER-in. Sorry, Ardin!) I also try to catch Paget Brewster at least once every time she comes to SF for Sketchfest. So when I spotted the listing for a live podcast (Will You Accept This Rose?) featuring both ladies, plus Rob Benedict, Bryan Safi, and several former Bachelor cast members? I knew I couldn’t miss it. And that’s how I found myself at Swedish American Hall on a Saturday afternoon last weekend, in a room full of self-professed “Bachelor Nation” fans chanting “drink, drink, drink!” every time the word “sloth” was mentioned by the cast. Continue reading “Sketchfest Review: Will You Accept This Rose Live at Swedish American Hall, 1/12/19”

Sketchfest Review: Carol Burnett, in Conversation with Wendie Malick

Carol Burnett is a living legend. There are few people whose careers have been as long and consistent and near universally appreciated as Burnett’s. Exactly how wide reaching her influence is could be seen just by looking at the line outside The Castro, waiting for doors to open for the Monday night tribute to this comedy hero. The line, which stretched multiple blocks, featured people of every age, race, and gender imaginable, from young kids to people that have been following Burnett throughout her entire career. There were people dressed in character, too, including one person who wore the infamous curtain dress, complete with rod from The Carol Burnett Show!

Continue reading “Sketchfest Review: Carol Burnett, in Conversation with Wendie Malick”