Trygve Wakenshaw Hits the Physical Comedy Jackpot

New Zealand comedian Trygve Wakenshaw’s “near-silent comedy produces loud laughs and a warm atmosphere” at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the List writes in a review of Wakenshaw’s solo show Nautilus.

“By the time Wakenshaw is high-fiving every single audience member as they make their way out of a packed venue, the goodwill within the room is tangible. The prospect of a 90-minute clowning mime show at the beddy-byes end of a long day will test the endurance of even the most committed festival-goer. But with Nautilus (the final part of a watery trilogy launched by 2013’s Squidboy), the New Zealander continues to hit the physical comedy jackpot.

“During the course of 1.5 hours of expertly-performed and largely-silent segments, he transforms into a dozing dinosaur, a goofy bartender, a smarmy stand-up, a cheeky smoker, a put-upon air stewardess, Rapunzel, Aretha Franklin (and later, one of her backing singers) and a furball-producing cat. While a significant number of hour-long shows drag by, Nautilus zips along without you ever checking the time.”

Nautilus is on at the Pleasance Courtyard until 30 August.

Original article by Brian Donaldson, The List, August 16, 2015.

Photo by Evan Munro-Smith.